Malcolm DeKryger Pork Commentary, President, Indiana Pork Advocacy Coalition, October 19th 2011

Malcolm DeKryger

President, Indiana Pork Advocacy Coalition

Belstra Milling Company, Demotte IN

Both as Chairman of the Indiana Pork Advocacy Coalition, and in my own business, I deal with livestock producers in several different areas of the state.  Through all these contacts, I have heard on numerous occasions about local opposition to the construction of new livestock facilities.

At times, there are people in the community who have genuine concerns about how a new hog operation moving into the area might affect their home and family.  This type of concern is what the pork industry takes very seriously. These are questions that can be addressed when an honest dialogue can take place between the concerned citizens and the farmer wishing to build the barn.

In most counties, these concerns become widespread news once they reach the county newspaper.  Many times, by working through these issues at a public meeting at the county level or by the farmer reaching out to the concerned neighbors on an individual basis, these concerns can generally be resolved.  In the past few months, however, a disturbing trend has been altering this typically local-level discourse.  In a couple of cases in particular, after efforts were made by the farmer and his family to address the neighbor’s concerns, the public attacks in the newspaper kept on coming; both against the pork industry in general and against this family in particular.  Upstanding rural citizens have been intimidated and emotionally injured by these tactics.

At this point, I came to the sad realization that these local issues are beginning to escalate from legitimate concerns by a neighbor questioning another neighbor about an incoming hog facility to yet another attempt by a statewide anti-CAFO organization to insert its aggressive anti-livestock agenda into what is rightfully a local issue.  The type of blatant misinformation that has been published about our industry in certain local newspapers in the past few months is irresponsible and is eerily similar to the unsubstantiated, fear-based language I have seen many times before used around our state by activist organizations to scare our neighbors and assert an anti-livestock agenda.

Our country needs an abundant food supply.  Our local communities, including their family farmers, deserve to grow and prosper.  Valid concerns about an incoming livestock facility by our neighbors are important to livestock producers and will be taken seriously every step of the way.  However, when concerned neighbors are exploited either by statewide or national advocacy organizations to further membership numbers and a general anti-livestock agenda, we are all entering dangerous territory.  When any type of new business moves into a community, members of that community have a right to be informed and understand that development.  Outside influencers with no vested interest in that community have no right to enter the discussion. Local communities should not be pawns in a state or national level policy debate.  We need to focus on what is best for the citizens in the communities in which we live, not what is best for a group of misguided activists attempting to hijack discussions in which they have no right to participate.