The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

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Factory Farm or Family Farm? You Decide

June 26, 2014

#MyFarmFamily

What is a “factory farm” and what is a “family farm?”

The Organic Consumers Association has been spreading this meme around the internet. They think it would be an excellent idea for people to use drones equipped with cameras to spy on those terrible “factory farms.” As the meme says, then we could find out what really happens on those awful farms.

One individual, who I won’t name, started an online fundraiser aimed at earning money so he could do this very thing. Within the first week he managed to pull in $30,000 to purchase his own drone that he can fly over “factory farms” and get the “real” scoop.

Talk about “guilty before proven innocent!”

Obviously a “factory farm” has a negative connotation and the Organic Consumers Association, along with our drone funding buddy, want you to believe that most farms in the United States are big, bad, and unsustainable — that’s why you should buy from their small, local, and environmentally-friendly farms!

But that mantra is just plain wrong. Our conventional farms are nothing like a factory. In fact, 96% of farms in the United States are still considered “family farms.” Many farms, such as ours, have incorporated for tax and liability protections. Our produce can be used locally just as much as any other farm’s. And we’re also getting more and more sustainable over time by being able to use less inputs and to get higher yields.

So, instead of just allowing people to smear our hard work, we wanted to do something about it.

My buddy Sarah has issued a challenge for all farmers:

Agvocates, farmers, bloggers and anyone who loves agriculture—I challenge you to make a photo collage with an aerial photo of your farm and pose the question “Factory farm or family farm? You decide.” and use the hashtags #MyFamilyFarm and also #FactoryFarm to get the views from there too. If you need a quick aerial of your farm, just find it on Google Earth. 

I’d like to challenge the same to all of you. Just because our farms are larger and more productive doesn’t make them anything less family than an organic farm. My photo collage is above and you can see more of them below. Whatever platform you use, just be sure to include #FactoryFarm and #MyFamilyFarm. I hope you’ll join us!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: family farms, farm meme, promoting ag, solidarity

Comments

  1. Sarah [NurseLovesFar says

    June 26, 2014 at 12:53 am

    Thank you for participating, this is a great post! You know what blows my mind about this? Random people just gave a journalist >$30 000 with no guarantee of what he'll do with it. He could vacation all year for all they know! I wonder what his 'accountability' will be?

  2. TheFarmersWife e says

    June 26, 2014 at 3:06 am

    Great post!! Hope we can get others to join in!!

  3. davy zealot says

    June 26, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    I remember an article of someone who actually did even better: saying nothing is wrong with the label nor inherently of the practice of factory farming!also perhaps you know about another "meme" with the photograph of calve boxes from behind and saying "no animal should be bred like this", whereas if you trace the imagine back to sources via reverse image search, you'll find another factory-family farm which shows the animals actually can go outside and have shade, both options available"of course if there's people wanting organic food in great demand, organic farming will be factory farmed as well, ironically. often owned by same corporations they think only engage in "gmo".

  4. jan says

    June 26, 2014 at 8:52 pm

    Great idea, So much false information is being spread about the sources of our food.

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

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thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Some of the #soybeans are starting to turn--finall Some of the #soybeans are starting to turn--finally!
Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. I took Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. 

I took this photo over the weekend. These beans should be turning yellow and drying for harvest. So why aren't they? Because...the spring drought.

Seeds need water to germinate. But after we planted we didn't have rain for weeks. So those seeds just sat in the dirt and never sprouted. Then, finally, it rained. And the tiny plants started popping up.

The problem? It was several weeks too late for planting. The question is whether they'll be ready to harvest before the snow flies. We have shorter seasons in Michigan, so it'll be close.
Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍 Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍
💜💜 💜💜
Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purch Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. It all counts.

#modernagriculture #foodproduction #usfarmers #usagriculture #usfarms #food #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #modernag #farms #sustainableagriclture #sustainablefarming
I visited one of my favorite local farm stands ove I visited one of my favorite local farm stands over the weekend. I thought I'd buy a couple zucchini and cantaloupe. But the zucchini looked more like clubs, and the cantaloupe was too ripe for my taste. So I passed on those and bought some tomatoes that maybe cost more than I would have preferred.

But you know what I didn't do? I didn't complain about the zucchinis' size. I didn't fuss about the melons' ripeness. I didn't criticize the tomatoes' price. Instead, I smiled at the lovely lady and made small talk as I paid and went about my day. 

Why? Because I remember what it was like being out by the side of the road hot day after hot day. I know that we all poured everything we had into that produce. I remember how defeating it felt when some criticized it. I know that the price is probably around market value, even if it's cheaper in the grocery store. And I know that the farm family behind that cash register is giving everything they have to chase a dream.

I won't be the one to rain on their parade. 

#Respect
Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa! #nationaldogda Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa!

#nationaldogday🐶 
#pittiemix 
#blacklab 
#mischa
Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. And we're loving it.
It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all of it.

#agriculture #farming #sustainablefarming #sustainability
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