Dairy animal welfare. Public mood and how we respond

Farm animal welfarism is a complicated, dangerous issue for animal agriculture today. The public mood is complex. Much of the public's positive perception of farmers and their practices is based on myths, not understanding. Many farmers do not rate the animal welfare issue as a clear and present concern. Consumers decide whether or not to eat foods of animal origin mainly on the basis of factors other than ethical concerns. Still, the job of educating our fellow citizens so as to engender their enlightened support of animal agriculture will need to be done deftly. Approximately 10% of our citizenry who are undecided on this issue ultimately will decide our industry's course. At this time, we in animal agriculture need to respond in a well-organized fashion. We should develop educational materials and programs about animal production practices for our fellow citizens, especially youngsters, and we should establish guidelines for the care and use of agricultural animals in agricultural research and teaching to ensure the continuing opportunity for scientists in agricultural businesses and in research and teaching institutions to use agricultural animals in their programs.