From Daniel Chapman
Monroe
To the editor:
While Mother's Day has passed, an article I read last week continues to bother me. For some reason, the dairy industry has been getting a bad name from people who are misinformed. I thought people like this were only from the big cities, but I was wrong. First off, new calves may need to be pulled from their mother, but most come on their own. Dairy cows do see their babies when they are born. Some cows are very good mothers, others may not even care for their calves and need our help.
It is false that cows spend their lives chained to a floor. Bigger dairies may leave their cows inside a building, but cow comfort is still very important. Cows are impregnated using AI (artificial insemination) to keep producing, which is much safer than having a bull and allows for more diverse genetics.
Most cows are not turned into hamburger at 4 years old. This is when they are entering the prime of their milk production.
I could not believe I was reading this article from someone living in Green County. I have been around cows, calves and heifers for many years now. Reading this article about why I should not drink or consume dairy products in this area is crazy. These kind of people put dairy farmers out of business. Cheese Days would not be what it is today without dairy farms. Too many times we hear on the news is everything the dairy industry has done wrong and the problems there are. Know that what you hear on the news is not happening on every farm. One bad farm does not make them all bad.
There are so many businesses in the surrounding area and beyond that will be affected if consumers do not purchase dairy product anymore. In Monroe, you have cheese factors, milk truck drivers, whey haulers, and feed stores who all depend on the dairy industry. If you don't support dairy farms, you are not support the community.
So, go and enjoy the dairy breakfast this year and see the true meaning of a dairy farm. I hope the writer of the article last week goes to the dairy breakfast and can get a better opinion of what goes one.
Monroe
To the editor:
While Mother's Day has passed, an article I read last week continues to bother me. For some reason, the dairy industry has been getting a bad name from people who are misinformed. I thought people like this were only from the big cities, but I was wrong. First off, new calves may need to be pulled from their mother, but most come on their own. Dairy cows do see their babies when they are born. Some cows are very good mothers, others may not even care for their calves and need our help.
It is false that cows spend their lives chained to a floor. Bigger dairies may leave their cows inside a building, but cow comfort is still very important. Cows are impregnated using AI (artificial insemination) to keep producing, which is much safer than having a bull and allows for more diverse genetics.
Most cows are not turned into hamburger at 4 years old. This is when they are entering the prime of their milk production.
I could not believe I was reading this article from someone living in Green County. I have been around cows, calves and heifers for many years now. Reading this article about why I should not drink or consume dairy products in this area is crazy. These kind of people put dairy farmers out of business. Cheese Days would not be what it is today without dairy farms. Too many times we hear on the news is everything the dairy industry has done wrong and the problems there are. Know that what you hear on the news is not happening on every farm. One bad farm does not make them all bad.
There are so many businesses in the surrounding area and beyond that will be affected if consumers do not purchase dairy product anymore. In Monroe, you have cheese factors, milk truck drivers, whey haulers, and feed stores who all depend on the dairy industry. If you don't support dairy farms, you are not support the community.
So, go and enjoy the dairy breakfast this year and see the true meaning of a dairy farm. I hope the writer of the article last week goes to the dairy breakfast and can get a better opinion of what goes one.
