The Pipestone System - Helping farmers today create the farms of tomorrow

By Terry Wolters

Our industry is certainly under increased scrutiny. Since you and I want to maintain our license to be self-regulating, the whole circle of things we do—our production practices—becomes more important. Our dedication to sound practices and ethical care is a story each of us needs to tell.

A rancher may have 1,000 cows, and yet the public perceives his operation to be family-owned because those cows and the rancher caring for them are visible. But a pork producer with a 1,000 sows gets labeled a “factory farm” because consumers don’t have an accurate picture of what’s behind the closed doors of our hog buildings.

To do away with that cloud of mystery, we can choose to give the public a better sense of what’s happening in our buildings. Naturally, we can’t physically open the doors (and still protect our animals from disease), yet we can allow our neighbors to see us for who we really are.

We need to affirm our obligation to safeguard natural resources and the environment by carefully managing manure as the valuable resource it is. We want to reassure our neighborhoods and the larger local community that we’re concerned about the air we all breathe and about water quality. Without coming across as self-centered, we need to clarify our fundamental beliefs.

If we don’t provide livable conditions for our animals, we won’t be able to make a living as pork producers. Our commitment to public health is a message we need to share. We want breathable air for our employees. We also want safe water for our families. We want safe food. Pork producers want all the things other consumers want!

We also want to be welcomed and trusted within our local communities. The good reputation we create close to home can spread by word of mouth in the same way a bad reputation travels. Offend your neighbors and you’ll find your life getting more difficult.

Let’s acknowledge our neighbors’ concerns in an honest and sincere manner. Yes, some of them may not know a lot about modern agriculture. Why don’t we share the real story? If nonfarmers don’t know the value of what we do and don’t understand the care with which we treat our animals that might be because we haven’t taken the time to help them understand.

Here’s my best advice to any producer who wants to defend our right to self-regulation: 1) Take actions to protect the environment and ultimately build trust. 2) Acknowledge local concerns and address those worries honestly. 3) Be considerate. For example, avoid spreading manure on weekends when your neighbors are outdoors enjoying the weather.

There are those in our industry who continue claiming it’s our right to do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it. Those of us in Pipestone System take a different view. We believe we have a moral obligation to live up to the standards in PQA Plus and TQA.

When we apply a We Care sticker to the barn door, it’s because on the other side of that door, we’re doing right by the animals. On the other side of the door, we’re working to provide for our families without harming our neighbors.

Yes, I know you’re busy and you’ve been hit hard by tough financial times. Yet occasionally we all need to step out from behind the door and tell the story of our good production practices.

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