Tag Archives: Larry Sailer

Time Limit on Animal Abuse Report Creates Controversy

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Musings of a Pig Farmer by Larry Sailer

Famed broadcaster and agvocate Trent Loos recently tagged me in a post on his Facebook page with a link to his broadcast about clergy, who oppose a bill passed by the Tennessee Statehouse to protect animals. Trent’s Facebook message to was “enjoy.”

Anytime HSUS is mentioned, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to enjoy it. But I was wrong! This broadcast was recorded after Trent received a call from actress/activist Park Overall, who wanted to discuss the bill sitting on Governor Haslam‘s desk waiting to be signed into law.

Before I tell you why this interview was so entertaining, let me first provide some background information on the Tennessee bill. This bill is so simple that we can print it – in its entirety – here:

“SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-14-202, is amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated subsection:
( ) Any person who records by photograph or video a violation of subsection (a) as committed against livestock shall, within twenty-four (24) hours of the photograph’s or recording’s creation:
(1) Report such violation to law enforcement authorities; and
(2) Submit any unedited photographs or video recordings to law enforcement authorities.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013, the public welfare requiring it.”

Yes, that is the entire thing.

The key language in the legislation is the requirement to submit unedited photos or videos within 24 hours. As Trent writes in a related editorial, “Now anybody who truly cares about ‘animal welfare’ would not sit on such information for even six hours much less six months if their goal was really to protect animals.”

To make his point that HSUS is more concerned with holding videos until they best serve the organization’s interests, Trent reminds us of a video that HSUS released on Feb 17, 2008. This particular video, documenting the heinous treatment of some dairy cattle being unloaded at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company, was captured about six months earlier but was held until it was most strategic for their fundraising efforts.

Trent Loos

Why would anyone with the best interest of animals at mind sit on video like this for six months? Park Overall’s excuse (i.e. “explanation”) is that it takes time to build a case. Parks’ southern drawl and rambling reasoning make her interview with Trent entertaining, but that’s not all. She then goes off the topic of the Tennessee bill and mentions gestation crates. Trent supports g-stalls, so he explains why – and I agree with him.

But the use of g-stalls is controversial even within ag circles. Temple Grandin has even said they must be history as the gestation stall has become a symbol of cruelty to animals. I understand where Temple is coming from saying the crates must go due to public perception alone.

I just find it ironic that so many folks are against g-stalls when I believe they’re one of the greatest advances in prevention of animal cruelty! There have been studies that show if given a choice, the sow will spend about 85% of her time secure inside that crate, protected from the other sows.

G-stalls also protect farmers. I grew up raising pigs outside, in groups, and have seen firsthand how sows can abuse and kill each other. Plus, I had to be careful for my own safety because a 500-pound momma sow can be a killing machine! As a kid, I remember literally running for my life to get onto a flat rack in the sow pasture. What was considered normal at the time now scares the crap out of me!

The bottom line is this: We need to promote understanding between producers and consumers alike. I’m against cruelty to animals, but video that’s edited to be misleading doesn’t help animals. Honestly, I’m not sure how people can get as “emotional” as Park did, arguing against the 24-hour deadline to submit animal cruelty videos. Why wouldn’t they want to stop that abuse ASAP? Perhaps that’s why HSUS uses actresses as spokespeople…

Thank you Trent Loos for tagging me and for allowing me enjoy your interview. Thanks also for letting me vent on a topic that has been ticking me off for a long time!

See “Behind the Scenes” Operations of a Hog Farm

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Musings of a Pig Farmer by Larry Sailer

Last fall I wrote a series of blog posts, following a group of pigs from about 50 pounds to 290 pounds. The first post in the series began September 25, 2012, and ended a post on January 8, 2013.

Today I’ve decided to let my pictures “do the talking.” I’ve included a series of photos that show the “day-to-day” work of modern day hog production from disinfecting buildings to treating sick animals. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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Before a new group of hogs arrives, we power wash our buildings to disinfect them. Cleanliness is a primary way to prevent disease and to help reduce the amount of medication needed to treat sick animals.

May 3, 2013 – We’re on our way to the hog houses to receive new pigs.

With an indoor temperature of 75 degrees, our pigs are warm and toasty on May 3. They aren’t even aware of the record-breaking snowfall outside the building.

“Who let the hogs out?” My granddaughter Carlie is sporting her pink camo as she counts the number of pigs into each pen.

Inside one of the “hospital pens,” Carlie and Darin are enticing sick pigs to eat their feed.

Darin is climbing over the gates, getting out of the way so as not to scare the next group of pigs coming into the building.

Darin shows the pigs where to find water.

It’s critical to have the right amount of fresh water available for pigs. I’m putting on a new nipple to ensure these little pigs will receive the right amount of water.

While I was adding the new nipple, the pigs were trying to “help” by carrying around spare parts.

Other curious pigs were trying to chomp on my toes as I worked on the nipple.

This feeder must be adjusted so that about 30% of the bottom is covered with feed. That’s the “optimal setting” that provides the pigs with plenty to eat without them wasting any. Otherwise, excess feed falls into the waste pit – and that’s a waste of good feed!

Veterinarians have developed guidelines for properly using and administering medication when needed. We use a can of paint to identify which pigs have already received medicine.

The blue bottle in the center, which hangs upside down next to my waist, is the medicine. The green handle is what I use to administer the shots; the next dose is already in the syringe. The long tube is the exact amount of medication and will automatically refill after each shot. Since I gave about 2,000 shots on Saturday, this tool is a huge time saver!

After the pigs are unloaded from the livestock trailer into our building, Carlie and Darin decided celebrate by going outside and having a snowball fight.

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Lawsuit Could End Transparency at the Farm Gate

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Is farm transparency going to end just as we are starting to roll? Yesterday Radio Iowa reported the Iowa Senate voted 26 to 21 against providing new legal liability protection for landowners. This bill was introduced after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that farm owners who host tours could be held liable for accidents.

Iowa farmers had been protected for more than 40 years under the recreational use and immunity statute. It stated: “farmers are immune from liability of injuries that occur on their property aside from a farmer willfully injuring an individual.” That all changed on February 15 when the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the owners of a Northeast Iowa dairy farm could be sued by a chaperone, who was injured when she fell through a hole in a hayloft during a kindergarten class field trip.

“It is important that farmers reach out to the general public and show them what we are doing on our farms and why. Iowa agriculture has a tremendous story to tell, and it is important we make it easier for farmers to share what they are doing, not more difficult,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey in a FarmWorld article posted Feb. 27. “It will be extremely unfortunate if the Iowa Supreme Court decision discourages farmers from opening up their farms for tours and other educational efforts.”

Secretary Northey said it well. The Supreme Court ruling, without corresponding state legislation to provide immunity, could cause many farmers to shut their doors. The Daily Iowan, on April 11, quoted me as follows: “It’s one of my passions to show people who don’t know a lot about a farm what a farm is.”

Harvest Tour 2012

I’ve been very involved with giving people, who are removed from farming, a porthole to view how modern farms operate. I believe in letting them watch as we go about our business of making food, fuel and fiber! I was – and still am – under the impression that we must do everything possible to protect visitors to our farms. Sometimes, however, things happen that are beyond a farmer’s control.

When I think back to the visit to my farm last fall by a group from Japanese Public TV, I believe there also has to be some personal responsibility. That camera man stood on top of anything he could climb to get the right angle! He stood on top of tractors, climbed into wagons of corn, and crawled all over my combine. I could tell him he wasn’t being safe, but he would choose to get the angle.

That same week, Fox News Network, was in my field as we harvested soybeans. The man with the camera hung on the outside of my combine as my son Corey drove across the field. Personally, I think these camera guys are nuts! If something had happened to one of these people, I would’ve been responsible!

I’ve been involved with the Franklin County Bloggers Harvest Tour. For the past two years, we’ve invited urban bloggers to spend a weekend in rural Franklin County where they tour historic sites and see firsthand how we harvest our crops. These tours have been highly successful because our guests are very active with their followers on Twitter and Facebook. They also post blogs to their vast readerships, spreading what they have witnessed far and wide. They share farming insights with literally thousands of folks across the country, who enjoy learning more about Iowa agriculture.

Consumers, our customers, want to see how their food is raised. I want them to see how their food is raised, too! There are too many misunderstandings being spread through the mainstream media and through social media networks. That’s why there is a need for our harvest blogger tour, on-farm visits and on-farm interviews. Hopefully, these will be able to continue. I encourage you to contact your elected officials if “transparency at the farm gate” is important to you!