CALF_News_October_November_2019

35 CALF News • October | November 2019 • www.calfnews.net I’m thrilled that there are people with enough disposable income to choose, not where or what they are going to eat for their next meal, but rather how that meal was grown. I’m thrilled that I get to eat our own beef. I’m thrilled I’m allowed the opportunity to connect with so many who don’t have a connection to the farm. I love what I do and am thrilled to share. The reality is, there are millions of people who have no idea where their next meal will from. There are millions of people who don’t know when they will get to eat next. They do not care as long as they have something to nourish their bodies. 3. And finally, for the love of all things good, true and holy, quit attacking me on my own turf with the assumptions that I care at all what you think about my product. You, Mr. Fellow Farmer Market Vendor are not superior. You are the epitome of what is wrong with the agricultural industry. You are the reason we’re fighting the battle we’re fighting. You might be the reason that somebody never eats beef again and who is that good for? You might be the reason the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is pushing so hard to ban animal agriculture? Is that what you want? You might be the reason that we’re forced to import beef and you think we’re going to have any control over anything in that situation? If people don’t want grain-finished beef, fine by me. I politely ask why they don’t eat grain-finished beef. After listen- ing to their reason and, if it’s not because someone told them it was terrible for you (LIES!) or bad for the environment, I will happily point them in the direction of a reputable grass-finished producer. I want people to eat beef. I want people to feel confident in their choices. I despise the fear mongering of false labels or superior claims by somebody who is literally just trying to make a buck. We are not helping ourselves, our communi- ties, our industry or our world when we scare people away from asking questions about agriculture. We all know we are at least two generations removed from the farm. This means people have questions. Answer those questions with facts, with personal experience, with references to another producer. Don’t answer those questions by causing fear, by thinking only of your own pocketbook or what’s best for you. So is it wrong to put a non-GMO label on a can of tomatoes? Doing so is exactly what Mr. Farmers Market did by claiming superiority and scaring them away. The mom who can’t afford that can of tomatoes because its label claims inflates its price is going to feel like she's not doing enough for her family. Life is freaking hard, friends. We do not need the extra stress of deciding whether or not food is good or bad, especially when it is literally the exact same product. You, fellow producers, are the ones who have to share your stories, share your experiences, fight against the bad apples in our industry so that we can continue doing what we’re doing. This isn’t a matter of selling a steak or not. No. This, dear friends, is a matter of passing the farm onto the sixth generation.  E vEn thE S mallESt C omponEntS C an h avE a B ig i mpaCt Micro-Cell® probiotics are a small yet critical component and help your cattle maintain an ideal intestinal balance. According to research trials, the strain Lactobacillus acidolphilus BT-1386 found in Micro-Cell probiotics has been shown to: • Decrease shedding of E. coli O157:H7 1 • Reduce re-infection of Salmonella 1 • Increase average daily gain 2 • Improve feed to gain 3 Ask your nutritionist about including Micro-Cell in your ration today! Learn more at Micro-Cell-US.com. 1 Tabe ES, Oloya J, Doetkott DK, Bauer ML, Gibbs PS, Khaitsa ML. Comparative effect of direct-fed microbials on fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in naturally infected feedlot cattle. J. Food Prot. May 2008; 3(71): 539-544. 2 Lallemand Animal Nutrition. Unpublished. United States. 1996. 3 Hutcheson D and Lallemand Animal Nutrition. Unpublished. United States. 1986. www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com Tel: 1.800.541.5598 Email: LAN_NA@lallemand.com ©2019. Micro-Cell is a registered trademark of Lallemand Animal Nutrition. Not all products are available in all markets nor are all claims allowed in all regions.