CALF_News_December_2018_January_2019

9 CALF News • December 2018 | January 2019 • www.calfnews.net Looking Ahead #FirstWorldProblems  CALF VOICES By Rachel Lewis Contributing Editor D o you remember or have you seen photos of what cham- pion cattle looked like in the 1950s? Back then mature cattle weighed what carcasses do now. Today we are producing more beef with fewer cattle, while using less resources. All of agriculture has worked hard to be more efficient to keep food safe and to mini- mize the cost to consumer. I just read that meat in real dollar value is half the cost it was in the 1970s, yet we are barraged with the message that modern production is the enemy. That GMOs are bad for you and we should go back to the ‘50s ways of production. GYPSYWAGON Continued from page 5 are. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t missed many meals myself; the fact that I looked up the definition of First World problem on Urban Dictionary is a prime example of the lack of struggle in my life. As a producer, I take for granted the fact that I know the U.S. cattle indus- try produces the happiest, healthiest, safest beef. We not only have numerous regulatory bodies watching over us, but our product is what we feed our fami- lies. You would think that those reasons alone would be enough, but unfortu- nately they aren’t. Too many people are too far removed from agriculture. As someone who is passionate about animal agriculture, I read a lot of articles. I recently read a line that made me blink: “Americans care more about animal welfare than children’s education or hunger .” This summary statement came from the third “Causes Americans Care About” study, conducted by the global communications firm Ket- chum. They polled 1,000 adults, and almost half chose animal welfare as their No. 1 cause; only one-third chose children’s education as their No. 1. Don’t get me wrong, I care about animal welfare too, but more than children’s education? I really pondered this, but then it struck me. I am involved in the animal industry, so do I take for granted that animals are well cared for? I have participated in their care and know numerous people who have done the same. I know firsthand that we, across the industry, as animal people take the job of caregivers seriously. By the same token, I don’t have a child in school and I don’t teach, so I don’t as easily take that service for granted, and in my mind, it is more of a concern. How do we as an industry reach the people who take their food source for granted? We educate. Through shar- ing our daily lives with people removed from agriculture we can show them that they have nothing to worry about. Share your story; encourage your children to talk to their peers about their chores. Tactfully and truthfully comment on disparaging posts that you see on social media. The proof is in the pudding. As an industry we produce a safe and wholesome food source. We do it with animals and the environment in mind. We know that, but everyone else may not. I truly hope to continue to have #FirstWorldProblems because that means my problems are minimal. I never want to worry about where my next meal is coming from, or if I am going to be too cold at night. I also know that while American ranchers are out there caring for their animals, I will never worry about the welfare of those ani- mals. Thank you for that!  E-mail comments to rachel@animalhealthexpresscom CALF News trade show booth (#425) and reminisce or let us take another photo for the publication. Cattle people are our business and our joy. 2019 will mark CALF News’ 55 th year in publication and my 30 th as the magazine’s reporter and subsequent owner. We treasure our readers and advertisers who spend their time and money letting us be a part of your cattle community. See you in New Orleans.  Betty Jo Gigot bjgigot@calfnews.net This issue modern people have with animal production, I think, is because they have never been hungry. My peers with whom I heatedly debate GMOs, the healthfulness of eating beef and the safe and happy way beef is produced have so many “First World problems” or in our language #FirstWorldProblems. Urban Dictionary defines a First World problem as “When you already have a substantial amount of what you need, yet you complain about the quality and the type you want.” With food easily accessible and readily available, we don’t realize how spoiled we