Explaining agricultural practices to someone not involved in agriculture can be challenging at times, but as a rule of thumb it is best to connect with your audience by finding common ground. I had an interesting conversation with my mom recently about misconceptions in agriculture where I did just that – found common ground. Finding…
It has taken me about seven months to write this blog post. I knew I had a good story to tell seven months ago, but part of me was hesitant to share it because I didn’t want to admit that I once had doubts about the industry that I now am so passionate about. Like I’ve…
This guest blog is by one of our past interns, Kirk Kaczmarek, reflecting on his summer internship experience. Since finishing my internship with the Animal Agriculture Alliance, I’ve had time to visit my brother at college, see both sides of my family, halter break some calves, and reflect on my experience in D.C. Working with…
If you had come up to me a few months ago and told me that I was going to drop out of school and move to Washington, D.C. with 15 credits left until graduation, I would have laughed and silently questioned your sanity. And yet, here I am – thrilled to be the newest intern…
Thirteen years ago, my family and I gathered in our living room on Sunday evening to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Thoughts of having to go to school the next day lingered in my head. I knew the show was coming to the end because everyone was cheering “Move That Bus” in anticipation for the…
When Facebook debuted I was a freshman in high school and the social media platform was all any one could talk about at the lunch table. Everything revolved around the conversations being held on Facebook. I found it quite annoying and was hoping it was just a fad. I held off joining the Facebook brigade until I…
I missed my father’s birthday last week. No gift, no card, no call; I forgot. I remembered the next day and gave him a call. I figured I could wish him a happy birthday in a public way to help make up for it. He’s not on Facebook so here it is: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!…
Science was always my favorite subject in grade school and during my undergraduate career. My favorite class in college was biology and despite the stress level, I found chemistry to be fascinating and I loved the challenge. Was it always easy? Of course not – it was science, and its level of difficulty was one of…
This past Monday, I was sitting in my Washington D.C. apartment when I received a phone call from my mother; she wanted to FaceTime. I didn’t even know she knew how to that. I sat down my book, “The Fred Factor” and picked up her call. As I peered into the screen of my iPhone4,…
If you had cream in your coffee this morning or had meat for dinner last night, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wants you to seek help for your “addiction.” PETA supports a new group called Meat and Dairy Eaters Anonymous by providing sites for their meetings. The support group follows a 12-step program like…
Kay Johnson Smith, President and CEO at the Animal Agriculture Alliance, joins us this week to share her experience at Discovery Cove which is owned by Sea World. When I was a child, the worst thing you could do in my home was lie. It was my parents’ most important rule, and we knew no…
In my previous blog post, I examined the various “ag-gag” laws across the country. These laws vary widely in their scope, intentions and effects. Some farmers living in states with these laws may fear they do not go far enough to protect against undercover activists. Farmers living in states without these laws may fear that…
