When Oprah Speaks, the World Listens…And That’s the Problem
I’ll admit that I wasn’t the first to see Oprah’s latest assault on the agricultural industry. In fact, just as I refuse to listen to country musician Carrie Underwood because of her affiliation with the Humane Society of the United States, I also never watch Oprah’s talk show because of her blatant attacks on the animal agricultural industry over the years.
But Oprah’s sweet, right? Everybody thinks so. Well, while she may have allowed the opportunity for both sides of the argument on her talk show series, “Where Our Food Comes From,” Oprah certainly didn’t have agriculture’s best interests at heart.
Now before I permanently solidify my cozy position on this soapbox, let me direct you to American Cowman, where Kindra Gordon has written her commentary on our favorite superstar. You can join the already heated discussion there, or you can leave me your thoughts on the blog. I’ll even make room on my soapbox for you to step up and join me.
My question is: Who is going to be agriculture’s Oprah? Who is going to stand up and finally start telling the agricultural story? It’s going to have to start with little voices, and it’s going to need to get louder. You have heard it before, and you will hear it plenty from me, but we have got to start speaking up. I know it’s uncomfortable, and I know you were raised to be polite and keep your strong opinions to a murmur, but enough is enough. It’s time to be the voice of our own industry.
Oprah Winfrey is not going to determine how I raise my livestock. And some wild activists with an agenda are not going to pass a legislative action like Proposition 2. And I’m not going to sit here and watch it all happen. Who is with me?
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
So glad there are some that are getting on the soapbox with me. Of course my has been limited to those I know and those that might listen but I certainly have one when it comes to my livestock. I ranch small scale and my livestock are my family. Take good care of the animals and they will take good care of you has always been my motto. They get the best of everything I can provide. My son will tell you that I take better care of the animals than I do the people around here. And my family is not abused in any way shape or form. Getting tougher all the time when calf prices are the same as they were in 1976 and expenses have gone up many fold. There are so many ranchers who take GREAT care of their animals and they certainly are not getting the press they deserve. I had a Washington D.C. journalist visit my place some years ago and she was very surprised at what she saw here. She had only “heard” about factory farming and the mistreatment of animals. WE in agriculture are a very independant lot by nature but do need to get together and fight for the life we live. Thanks so much for this opportunity to voice my opinion.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I saw the program you are referring to here. It was bad, but I thought it could have been much worse… thank heavens! My question to them is if they run the American farmers out of business, where do they think they will get their food to feed the millions of American people? Americans enjoy cheap food because of American farmers. We must continue to produce in mass numbers in order to keep these food prices down. I told my husband and father after watching that show– we can go back to milking our own cows, raising chickens, we already raise beef, wheat corn, and milo. We can produce just enough to feed our own family, just like our ancestors did. Then let Oprah figure out how they will feed and clothe a starving and naked country.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
In time when so much is wrong,we need to find somebody to wave the BEEF flag in the air. Oprah is an overpaid media drame queen,shes got it in for the beef industry.A prominant spokeperson is needed that can draw away from the wasted attention we give her.The crumbling economy has hit the cattleman now ,from interest to feed to transport cost,we are seeing it all .Can Beef Magazine get a an email for Oprah and we’ll BLOG her til she cant stand it anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! let her eat salad or whatever, and the rest of us will eat what we believe in ***US BEEF***
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
It’s easy to get frustrated with people like Oprah and animal activists, especially when we can see how far off base their comments are, but we must not underestimate how dangerous they truly are. Anyone logging in here knows what is involved in ag, but trying to explain what we do to someone who, at best, has a dog or cat, is a minefield. Fluffy and Fido are family(just look at the millions spent on pet care each year if you don’t believe me) and Americans, who seem to have way too much time on their hands, personifies their animals. No wonder they feel sooo bad for those poor pigs / chickens / or whatever you care to fill in the blank with! They don’t realize the hogs would have no qualms at all about ripping each other apart over food or flattening their babies when they decided to lay down, or the lovely fact that stupid chickens can be pretty darn cannablistic if they want to. The problem we in ag have is to try to come up with an equally emotional (and totally factual) appeal, ie; food coming in from outside the US is not covered by the same regulations leaving it wide open to tragic situations such as the milk contamination in China. Hopefully there are still enough people left in this country who will chose providing their family healthy, safe food at an affordable price who will actually realize we can’t go back to the 40 acres and mule type of ag. In the meantime all we can do is talk to every single person off the farm we possibly can and hammer home our message, and start insisting that our milk coops, beef, poultry, hog, egg, etc, etc., associations start putting our side of the story in the main stream media instead of putting our heads in the sand hoping things will blow over. That old saying about the best defense being a good offense rings true more often than not!
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
What Oprah and a lot of her comtemporaries fail to realize is that when they force US food and fiber producers to use more expensive, less effecient practices, and then go to the local grocery store and pass up US products in favor of cheaper imports — they are creating a nightmare for themselves. American livestock producers, operating under our present system of prevention of cruelty to animals, does a much more humane job than many of the foriegn countries we trade with. We have no control over how the meat and produce that is grown and shipped to the US is treated during the growing/shipping process. We have no idea how it is produced, what kind of antibiotic or hormone regimen it was exposed to, and in the case of plants what chemicals and pesticides were applied at what intervals. A whole new can of worms. I had much rather my food production be governed by the US authorities instead of some third-world entity that we know nothing about.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
If consumers think there are unacceptable practices used in the raising of livestock in this country, just wait until all their food is raised outside the dictates of the US!!!!! I am firnly on the soapbox and have been for 50 years. I dare ANYONE to find healthier, happier animals than mine even though these animals are destined from day one to either be food or produce food. I feel God granted me the grace of land that grows grass and the blessing of a good education. It is my service to God in faith that I am a farmer. We not only feed the nation, but we carry much of the social systems of this country on our financial shoulders, we are the rocks of our communities and we raise children who know they MUST contribute to the betterment of our society. And anyone wants to jump on our style of living? I don’t buy $500 dresses and drive $60,000 cars because I think it is immoral to waste money on such foolishness, yet I live a life of grace and service. Maybe there are places in this country where animals are neglected or abused just as there are places where humans are disenfranchised. But, stand up for what is right in the country and maybe there will be a groundswell of support for small farmers and we can once again become the backbone of the stongest, most courageous and most faithful nation in the world.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Speak out - I am 65 and have been in this business ever sence we hauled milk in cans. Yes, I am sadden to see what America has become. Where is her pride - her self-reliant - her pride in ownership. We are a nation of spenders not producers. Enought of gritching - now what are we going to do about it. GET INVOLVED. Yes get involved in your community. I belong to Farm Bureau - the local Rotary club - a church - help at the local school - and I tell our story.
Farm Bureau has formed a speakers bureau and I said I’ll give it a try. Why - cause we must tell our story. I start my story by saying I can do something you all can not do - “feed myself”. That gets there attention. I tell them the turth about China and Trade - Immigration and the need for guest worker program - Energy and what it cost to feed/pump/fertlize/transport and harvest. I talk about corn vs ethanol vs the cost of food - COOL and trace back - animal health and animal welfare. I talk about what we “AGRICULTURE” produce with pride for America. And, you know what, they listen. Now it’s your turn - it’s not hard just go to your local service club and tell them you want to tell your story to them. Just pretend your at the coffee shop and let it all out. Believe me, the American public wants to hear from ALL of us.
If the neighbors cows were out what would you do - if your neighbors tractor was stuck in the mud what would you do? Well Agriculture - AMERICA is stuck in the mud - what are you going to do?
Terry Jones - Emmett, Idaho
October 24th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
During her program, Winfrey said “I believe how we treat the least of beings among us determines our own humanity.” In and of itself, there isn’t a single person involved in animal ag who would disagree with that statement.
This was part of an article in Beef Cow-Calf weekly last week. Oct 17, 2008 2:39 PM, by Troy Marshall.
If Oprah really believes that statement, how can she support a pro-choice candidate and believe that animal life, is more important than human life?
October 24th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
October 25th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Sorry fellows I think many of you are really off base. If your operation will not stand up to a little scrutiny maybe you should re-think your business practices. I have been ranching for over thirty five years and I have seen more of this kind of stuff than necessary. I have made a living raising dairy, beef, chicken and pork most all of my life and have never seen it necessary to put any animal into a permanant pen where he could not turn around and or could not have the basic living conditions to move about without bumping into four or five of his other herd mates. You seem to have forgotten the show had very good comments about the farmers who had quality care as a part of their business. I am no tree hugger myself but many of the problems we face as farmers here in this country is our lack of good judgement in many areas both on and off the farm. If a spokeperson has comments that are not true they will dwindle in time, and have very little lasting effect. The opposite is also true.
No doubt this little note I have written will not reach anyone else because it is so opposite of what the atmosphere has been in this type of blog. If all the King’s men keep saying you are wearing no pants, maybe you should atleast take a look and see.
Cody Holmes, Missouri
October 25th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Has anyone ever looked at Oprah lately,she should eat a few less chocolate bars and maybe eat a little protein ,it might do her some good!!I get so pissed off when city folk come out and report back that my cattle are in the river and that there only there for 25 minutes out of 24 hrs,some day this country will be hungry and we will be long BROKE because of people like Oprah!! The good Lord put cattle on this planet for a reason.
October 29th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I think I have one possible answer to Karen Howland’s question about “where they will get enough food to feed millions of American people”. My own rumor, but I’ve heard it before…Obama is planning on pumping brazillions of dollars into the African infrastructure so that they will be able to SELL to us. Why stop at sending only manufacturing jobs overseas? I hope someone can find the facts about this. Only time will tell.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Excellent piece here; congratulations Amanda. I teach Crisis and Risk Communication in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication here at Washington State University in addition to my role as the senior public information officer for the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. The Oprah empire is perhaps the single largest consumer influencer in society. I cannot stress strongly enough the need for the entire food animal industry to unify, speak up, and step out. Namely beef, dairy, chicken/poultry, eggs, and aquaculture must unify on one issue–public awareness and appreciation of the industry AND individual products. Without a sustained media presence that reaches all demographics on mutiple channels, the FA industry will remain vulnerable to the opinions and societal access of influencers like Oprah, HSUS, and others.
The value and importance of American FA agriculture and related industries to our society as well as internationally can not be overstated or spoken too often. Right now, GM would love to have the public support the FA industries have.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I’m somewhat like cody holmes…be careful if you can’t stand a little scrutiny..
I’ve been a hog farmer for 32 years and a cattle/hog farmer for 8 years..I was an independent hog farmer until I had to sell out in 1995 because of hog prices..I’m not whining/crying,it’s just a fact of life I had to deal with…I sold to a larger integrator and I can tell you I am mass producing pork, just like a factory..no problem there either,we try to take care of our animals so they can take care of us..
Back to the scrutiny point, whether we are mass producing or small producing, scrutiny doesn’t hurt if the majority of people believe we are doing things right..if not, the majority can mobilize to change what they believe is wrong and then they can pay that increased cost for food (if in fact it does increase costs)…
Another point…in my opinion, my cattle operation is not a mass production operation like my hog operation…guess that is up for debate also, like most of what we are talking about…
I have said in a previous comment…What I love about our country is that we all can have our opinions and feel free to discuss them without reprisal…wonderful!!
One more point…I think I hear a fair amount of emotion in some of these comments…most of the time I think we need to try to keep emotions out of the discussion…
Sorry Amanda, for not agreeing with you or most of other comments, but please keep blogging…it is what is great about America…
Al Wright
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Amanda,
You are not alone, and you are absolutely right. Even if we are just little voices, we must try to make a stand. To me, looks like there is plenty of agriculture going thru Oprah’s body. The word hypocrisy does come to mind. She is all business and she has forgotten were she came from, poverty! Hard work, and trying to make it on this difficult economy is foreign to her now. She makes her millions quite easy now, so why should she get real and dirty and come to a real working farm to see what is like for so many folks just barely surviving out here. But as long as her ratings are high, and keep her audience shocked with unfair documentaries, I am sure the networks keep loving her and the money flowing. Unfortunately, people like her just don’t care once they get so rich and powerful. Now that her candidate got elected she is even more powerful. Vanity and pride are serious sins. I hope you keep us informed and good luck to you! Great job way to go!!
January 7th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Excellent blog Amanda!
I am also a college student - majoring in Animal Science at Montana State University. I too am fed up with high profile individuals making inaccurate assumptions of the agricultural industry. What most people in this country don’t understand is that agriculture is not just a business or a job for most people, it is a way of life. The land and animals mean everything to the people that own them.
Our country’s consumerism has created many of the problems city-folk now complain about. As mentioned earlier, cattle prices have not kept up with the times, they are the same as they were in the 1970’s. This means that ranchers have to produce cattle more efficiently than ever before, and healthier than ever before. A rancher, for example has to be an expert in disease prevention, nutrition, genetics, mechanics, rangeland management, global marketing, loans and investment, and business, not to mention have a whole lot of luck and support on their side just to make a living. Individuals have to produce more grass/hay/oats/corn etc. on the same amount of land they did 30 years ago. We have to constantly find ways to increase our production to sustain a growing nation while maintaining a cheap end product. Especially now, Americans want more bang for their buck.
I have 32 first cousins - none of whom live in a rural setting. Whenever any of the family comes to visit they fall in love with the place. I remember many summers when our home became a ‘home for lost boys’ - a place the relatives sent their children to get them back on track. At first the isolationism got to them, but after a few weeks, they boys and girls began volunteering to clean out the barn, feed the horses, and even started learning how to ride horse or drive the tractor. They didn’t mind getting up early to work all day and going to bed early-dog tired. Living on and working a ranch is something that is almost impossible to describe to someone who has never experienced it. Seeing it and living it seems to be one of the few ways people can truely understand.
That being said, I don’t agree with all agricultural practices. I don’t agree with five companies owning ‘90%’ of a single industry, like the hog industry. I don’t think that’s a ‘humane’ way to raise animals. I don’t like to see pictures of 10 chickens stuck in one cage, or a veal calf raised in confinement to keep their muscles tender. But, animals are raised in this way to create a profit, and, well, it seems to be working. One of my greatest fears is that something like that could happen to the beef industry. It has already happened to the chicken, turkey, hog, and meat packing industries! Most of the problem is driven by low prices and consumer demand for a cheap product! It is also because the agricultural community is not in fact one community! We are all isolated. We do not work together; and many have taken advantage of that situation for their own benefit. For christ’s sake, the beef industry itself cannot even agree!
I know this is long-winded, but the point i’m trying to make is that the rest of the country doesn’t understand the rural agriculturalists’ way of life any more than a rural agriculturalist understands theirs. We have to find a way to communicate our needs better to the rest of the country. They need to see what the average farmer/rancher/feedlot owner/feed salesman etc. works for every day. We cannot be isolationists.
Torey Schledewitz
Culbertson, MT
March 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I actually have wondered about the people that were on the jury when Miss Oprah made her really rude comments about the cattle industry. I am so sick and tired of everyone backing this woman up and thinking she is so wonderful. I’ve seen her ads about the Acai berry diet. So my question is this what food is she stuffing into her mouth to make herself so fat? I haven’t seen her shut up about anything if anything she opens her mouth wider. The people that were on the jury obviously aren’t ranchers or farmers because no one would have let her get away with the stupid remarks that come out of her mouth. My family raises cattle, pigs and feed, and I’m damn proud of what we do. What makes me angry when there are people who just accept things because a celebrity told them there is something wrong with how they grew up or how they are raised. We need a spokesperson who knows the truth and says it and is not afraid of being knocked down by Miz Oprah and any of the others who don’t have the slighest idea about what they are talking about! Believe me I’ve been on my soapbox for a long time and I’m tired of no one speaking their mind and telling these people to mind their own business. And of course I really dislike the people that agree that Oprah was wrong for messing with someone’s way of making a living. She wouldn’t like it if someone did that to her! But yet they buy her magazine! It is enough to make you sick! At least it does me!
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BEEF Daily is your online news source for today’s beef industry updates, every Monday through Thursday morning. BEEF’s Web Editor, Amanda Nolz, captures the essence of life as a South Dakota cattle producer and college student, as well as top headlines of the day. YOU can also weigh in your thoughts. Don’t miss a minute of the action; subscribe to the BEEF Daily e-newsletter today!Top Viewed Entries of 2009!
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