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An unlikely meetingAn interesting thing happened recently. A vegan toured a feedlot. And it went well. No, he didn't eat a ribeye on his way home, but what he did do is much more interesting. Ryan Andrews, a highly respected nutritionist and body builder who eats a completely plant-based diet, set out to discover more about his food. He did so with an open mind and a sincere desire to learn. The result was a balanced and thoughtful article published on a nutrition website. Andrews recently spent the day touring Magnum Feedyard in Wiggins, Colo. With everything he had heard, Andrews expected a "a horrible, dismal place where thousands of sick cows are crammed in tiny pens, being force-fed corn while standing in steaming piles of their own feces." Instead, what he found was quite different: "I know, I know, I can see my animal welfare comrades shaking their head--but think about it. From a profit standpoint, if animals aren't comfortable, they aren't going to eat. If they don't eat, they don't grow. If they don't grow, they won't be much use to the dude wanting to buy a big steak." The article is not a pro-meat article, but it isn't negative either. Andrews holds two masters degrees in nutrition and exercise physiology and is a licensed dietician. He discusses the fact that cattle aren't fed a 100-percent corn diet, as he had been told. He explains the different rations, discusses grass-fed versus corn-fed, and even touches on E. coli. At the end of his tour, Andrews concluded that if Magnum was an indication of the rest of the industry, the negative reports about feedlots might be exaggerated. As members of the agriculture industry, we know he's right. But Andrews has been under fire from animal rights activists and vegans for being a meat industry advocate. Not everything Andrews says in his article, or in his follow-up article, is 100-percent positive for the agriculture industry. But that's what a balanced report does. It gives the reader information, in the hope they might make their own decision--or better yet, seek more information. What it does for the agriculture industry is show we aren't all the big bad guys. And there are some things we can learn from this experience. 1. We need to open our doors more often. When we try to protect ourselves by hiding from bad publicity, people assume the worst. They see those horrid videos released by animal-rights activists and assume it is the case for every operation. Andrews discussed how difficult it was to gain complete access to a feedlot, going on to say some authors write entire books about feedyards without ever being granted permission to see one in person. I'm not suggesting that you invite PETA to your next branding, but there are opportunities there that we miss because we are apprehensive. 2. Open your mind. There are activists out there trying to put everyone in animal agriculture out of business. We need to try to understand them. We need to know what it is in their soul that makes them tick. Often, the only way to do that is to meet, visit and share thoughts with one another. 3. Take a softer approach. People spouting inaccuracies about our industry make us mad. And it is our gut reaction to defend ourselves by spouting off as well. Perhaps, a calm and thought-out approach is the best solution. Most certainly, we cannot reason with the radicals. But by truly studying what the issues are, we can respond in a better way. Yes, we need to be fired up. This in no way means we should let down our guard, all join hands and sing "Kumbaya." It just means that respecting one another's thoughts and being proud enough of the way you do business to share it with the world. For the way he has handled this situation, I respect Ryan Andrews. He opened his mind, listened, and drew his own conclusions. We may not agree on our dinner entrees, but I admire his initiative to learn. For opening their world to someone with opposing views, I commend Magnum Feedyard. I can imagine they held their breath, not knowing what the conclusions might be. But in the end, their day of hosting Andrews went far in educating consumers. And we should all be encouraged to do the same. Andrews suggests farm visits, as well. He encourages people to take the time to learn more. And that's all we can ask for--the opportunity to educate consumers. Editor's note: See Andrews complete article at www.precisionnutrition.com/cattle-feedlot-visit. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806, or by e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com.
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