By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
New Years always brings with it retrospect’s of the past year and predictions for the year ahead. As a result we get “top ten” lists, “most” lists, trends lists and all types of year in reviews. So in the spirit of year-end lists, here is my top ten “quirky” animal news items for 2011.
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By: Leslie Ballentine, Farm and Food Commentator
There is a common saying among vegetarians that “If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be a vegetarian”. Having been to all types of meat plants I disagree. And so did one of North America’s largest processing companies.
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by Patricia Grotenhuis, lifelong farmer and agricultural advocate
Hunger relief efforts by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank have been given a big boost by a group of farmers, who set a world record in the process.
Although there were several date changes due to the weather forecast, on October 5, 115 farmers combined a 160 acre soybean field simultaneously in Perth County, Ontario in an event called “Harvest 4 Hunger”. The crop was harvested in 11 minutes and 43.9 seconds, according to the release sent by the organizers. Although it was not fast enough to beat a Manitoba wheat harvest record as the fastest harvest ever, it was a great effort.
More importantly, though, it raised approximately $250,000 for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to use towards fighting hunger around the world, exceeding the $200,000 goal set by event organizers.
Following the harvest, an auction was held to sell the soybeans. The release also states the first bushel sold to the public brought $1000, and the first two lots of 1,600 bushels sold for $36 per bushel to the grain trade, which is well above market value. It is estimated the yield was 8,000 bushels.
In addition to the crowd of approximately 3,000 people who watched the event, there were also two fixed wing aircraft, three helicopters and many video cameras documenting the harvest.
Once the final weights of grain are known, organizers will have a more accurate total for the amount of money raised. On the day of the event, lunch was available by donation to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and the public can “donate a bushel” for $20 on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.
The link for the website is: https://secure.peaceworks.ca/cfgb/donate/donation_make_form?notes=Donate%20a%20Bushel to donate a bushel.
Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of Christian churches and Christian-based agencies. It is active in hunger relief efforts in developing countries.
By: Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
A recent news item in the Vancouver press illustrates why we need to be critical of what we read, regardless of who it comes from. This particular news story highlighted the growing demand for animal welfare certified foods in B.C. To her credit the journalist went to a noted expert rather than a vested marketer to write her story. In this case she cites UBC professor of applied ethics and long-time welfare researcher David Fraser. According to her reporting, the animal welfare expert says the move (to certified humane) is part of a larger consumer trend of rejecting products from factory farms.
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By: Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
Not being a foodie, I never knew who U.S. food writer Mark Bittman was until he broke out of the food world into the mainstream with his 2009 bestselling book Food Matters, “a look at the links among meat production and obesity, global warming, and other nasty features of modern life.” According to his bio, “[i]t has good recipes, too.” Since then he has garnered a strong following of those who share his conspiracy theories and impractical opinions on the way farming and food production should be. He also says he has been a journalist since 1968.
So when I read his July 6 New York Times opinion piece, Banned from the Barn, I thought I was reading something from a cheap tabloid not a highly regarded newspaper.
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By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
Over the past year or two, coyotes have gained a lot of media and therefore public attention. Reports of attacks on pets and even people have become common in the news and at town and city council meetings across the country. For the farm community coyote attacks are nothing new. They are killers. It’s what they do. They’re wild animals. They are not, as some like to argue, misunderstood and unloved wild dogs.
But in recent years farmers, just as with urbanites, have found that predator problems are getting worse. And just as for urbanites, there are no easy solutions for farmers and rural landowners in dealing with the Wile E. Coyote.
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By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
Post Traumatic Syndrome and grieving isn’t something we usually associate with farm animal tragedies. But for those who have been through a tragic loss of livestock or poultry, it is something very real. I know from personal experience- having run a farmer helpline in the early 1980’s, that emotional support is an important part of the rebuilding process.
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By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and Food Commentator
What do these three things have in common? They get people’s attention. And thanks in part to new technologies and eroding respect for privacy rights, “Little Brother” is everywhere. 
Distrust of others and a sense of entitlement to know everyone’s business means less and less remains private anymore. The tabloid talk show, paparazzi, leakipedia and the move toward corporate transparency are all examples of that. Welcome too to the era of the “undercover investigation” which is just a nice name for spying.
Farmers must take the lead on animal welfare – their livelihoods depend on it. We like this article, published recently in the Guelph Mercury newspaper, that discusses this fact and a recent national funding announcement designed to take animal welfare even further in Canada – OFAC
Farmers understand benefits of animal welfare
Guelph Mercury
Owen Roberts
May 10, 2010
Healthy animals are profitable animals. And for farmers, profitability is the bottom line. Farmers who treat their animals poorly can face veterinarian bills, and other costly problems – such as a turned-off, unsupportive public. But right now, for the most part, consumers are on farmers’ side. And farmers aim to keep it that way.
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Posted by OFAC (This article first appeared in OFAC’s February, 2010 newsletter)
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is well known for its outrageous and attention-grabbing antics, “behind the scenes” pressure tactics and for capitalizing on the efforts of others. At the same time PETA (and other animal rights groups) use more subtle methods to exert their influence and line their pockets.
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