|
Grouped together, like it or notIf ever we needed an example of how the agriculture industry operates as one entity, the Hallmark/Westland animal abuse incident is it. Because of the actions of a few workers at that plant, consumers are questioning the safety of the entire food supply. In a consumer's mind, a burger is a burger is a burger. As much as some of us would like to think we are all separate entities, it simply isn't true. It is more than the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company. It's cow-calf producers, stockers, feedlot operators, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and inspectors, processing plants, retail stores and on and on. You can bet that all packing plants are double-checking procedures, and they should. Likewise, it is a good opportunity for you to look around your farm and ensure that all procedures would pass the YouTube test. Should someone show up to your farm with a hidden camera, would they be able to record something that would damage consumer confidence in the food product you are producing? In 99 percent of the cases, agricultural producers would pass with flying colors. We know that we must handle our animals, crops and chemicals responsibily to ensure our livelihood. It's the 1 percent that don't act responsibly that end up on the nightly news. Because Hallmark/Westland was irresponsible, all in the beef industry are suffering from a drop in consumer confidence. It is an issue for the entire industry. And likewise, the perceptions spill over into other segments of the food industry. "If regulators didn't catch these guys abusing cows, how can I trust them with the safety of grains, vegetables or eggs?" While many of us might like to see the issue swept under the rug, it cannot be. It is important to consumers to know the industry is addressing the problems and taking corrective action. It is true the issue has been blown out of proportion and lives were not endangered, but let us take this as a lesson. Do not allow one bad apple to spoil the whole bushel. Take action, correct the wrongs and then work to show consumers that they can always trust the American food supply. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806 or e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com. 2/25/08 B 4 4 Star NE
Date: 2/21/08
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2012. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
