Letter to the Editor

Demand to know the true source of your food

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

To the Editor:

Ag Forecast precedes Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association's annual Fish Fry at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Saturday, Feb. 2 in Grand Hall at 9:30 a.m. It is free and open to the public.

Purdue's Associate Professor of Animal Sciences, Candace Croney, will lead discussion with Purdue experts and the USDA, titled "Balancing Act: Meeting the Growing Demands for Food, Enhanced Animal Well-being and Consumer Trust."

The article "Taking on a Leadership Role" (Purdue Agriculture/Keith Robinson/December 2012) explores how Purdue is researching issues connected to animal well-being, the focus of this discussion.

There is a commonly held misconception that animal agriculture is "providing enough food for the world," and that there is a "growing demand for food." (Brazil Times, "Seminar to focus on where food comes from," Jan. 17, 2013).

Since the 1970s the world has produced enough food to feed everyone on the planet. World hunger is created by poverty and landlessness, which deny people access to food. If agriculturalists really want to feed the hungry, they would encourage land reform, put farmers back on the land, and push for wealth redistribution.

Current practices are destroying the planet as evidenced by the rise in global temperature, the pollution of our water, land and air. Animal agriculture contributes more CO2 emissions than transportation.

It takes more than 10 to 100 times more water for a meat-based diet versus plant-based diet, yet the industry justifies current animal farming practices under the guise of feeding the world. Animal agriculture as it exists today is neither sustainable, efficient or humane. (Farmsanctuary.org/someone-project.org)

It is essential that we demand to know the true source of our food. Change is inevitable and required. Your voice needs to be heard.

Hoosiers for Humane Animal Agriculture (h4haa@yahoo.com) urges anyone concerned about the humane farmed animal practices, and the effect of industrialized agriculture on the earth, people and animals to attend.

Rev. Marian Patience Harvey

Roachdale

Constance Campbell Ferry

Fillmore