Farmer Freedom

Given HSUS uses religion-based attacks on animal agriculture, what can industry do?  Wes Jamison, associate professor of communication at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla., recommends using similar faith-based themes, and having producers, not industry, leading the charge.

Jamison explains that farmers must be out front; today the industry has little legitimacy.  “It has to be the farmers who deal with activist attacks because the industry has no credibility on the issue,” Jamison says.  He recommends using messages such as this example, with key words highlighted here for emphasis:

“Consumers trust us to bring animals from farm to family:  We farmers take that sacred trust very seriously.”

Jamison says we must ”re-consecrate the act of using animals” to disarm opponent arguments that animals are a mere commodity.  How should agriculture do that?  By re-framing the view of animal agriculture around respect and thankfulness, Jamison says.  Here’s an example of that sort of message:

“We acknowledge the sacrifice that animals make for us.  We treat them with respect and thankfulness.  Animal agriculture provides national food security and a way for our children to go to college.”

Jamison suggests that industry try new communications approaches.  For example, creating “I love meat”  T-shirts for fraternity members to wear on college campuses would beat activists at their own game.  Another example:  Propose “Vegetable Free Fridays” in response to Meatless Mondays.

Jamison says the key is to reframe the discussion to position meat eaters as “normal” and position opponents as “kooks.”

This entry was posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Animal Care, HSUS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.