The pork industry has had to deal with fights on many fronts over the past several years. For instance, we have zealots who want to limit large-scale production on the basis of environmental pollution or who want to make us all vegetarians or who want to mandate our sow housing systems or who want to limit our use of antibiotics or who want zero risk from a food safety perspective or who think that all food should be local or organic. Each one of these has a very active “fight” with polar viewpoints. But we need to step back a moment and reflect how fortunate we are that we have radical activists. The only unfortunate part is that we do not have radical activists on the side of the industry. However, that is not my point.
The point I am making is that because of our country’s free enterprise system and all the liberties we enjoy, policies are established democratically with input from essentially everyone or at least from all who wish to provide it. Sure, it is difficult to accept that it is a good thing hearing some emotional response with what seems like no logic when you are embroiled in an issue argument. But I maintain that this is for the best. We move the needle slightly with every one of these discussions and usually to the benefit of society. For the best decisions however, both sides need to have their zealots so all decisions rendered on the issue in question move us toward the best solutions.
Our two national pork industry organizations do an outstanding job of providing a voice of reason to all of these issues and more. They have not been afraid to jump into the fray going toe-to-toe with the most extreme, uncompromising fanatics on a wide variety of subjects. How frustrating it is for them to present their logical arguments against these self-centered individuals who have no logic and little regard for science viewpoints. However, they still continue to present these viewpoints on behalf of all producers in this country and indeed for all of us in this large, modern pork industry. But the point is that we can have our viewpoints and the advocates of each of these critical issues can have theirs. What’s more, we can all voice our opinions to try to move the issue in “our direction.”
Years ago, at a meeting of the National Swine Improvement Federation, several speakers from Europe talked about their national testing and improvement schemes. After a few Americans lamented the fact that we do not have a national program and all of our improvement takes so much longer, the late Dr. Lauren Christian spoke up from the back of the room and said, “yeah, it’s hell living in a free enterprise system.”
That was a long time ago, but I will never forget that statement because it summed it all up perfectly. Our system may be slower to reach the right decision – whatever that may be – but I maintain that most often we do get it right and the issue is resolved in the best manner for the industry, for society, and for consumers.
So the next time you are deeply involved in an issue and feel like pulling your hair out or punching someone because of some illogical fanatic taking a stand on the other side, remember that this is democracy at work. The right to voice our opinion – whether for or against and issue – is one of the incontrovertible truths that make this country great.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Meisinger is the Executive Director of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence. To contact Dr. Meisinger, e-mail him at: drdave@iastate.edu or call him by phone at: (515) 975-3557.
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