By MEGGIE. I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The U.S. pork industry never seems to get a break as producers deal with unsavory prices, a high cost of production and above all else, pressure from animal activists to make tremendous changes in how pigs are raised.

To help make sense of the activist movement, Wes Jamison, professor of public relations at Beach Atlantic University, presented a different side of the story during the Midwest Pork Conference on Sept. 16 in Danville, Ind.

Jamison said the growing divide between the agriculture and non-agriculture community and is changing how consumers connect the animals on their plate with the animals they now view as part of the family.

He explained there is a growing transition of animals such as dogs, cats and horses to becoming beloved members of the family.
“Consumers are having a difficult time distinguishing between the animal they love and the animal they eat,” Jamison joked. “On top of that, your public can’t understand what you’re trying to communicate, while your opponents are getting inside the minds and hearts of consumers.”

He said there are four specific reasons why more and more consumers are easing toward joining animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States, which now boasts an estimated 10 million members.

The first of four factors is urbanization and that more animals are living inside the home now than ever before.

“What happens when people move to the city, the barnyard moves too,” he said. “You view that animal (pointing to a photo of a baby pig) as a unit of production or a pork chop, and they view it as part of their family.”

Secondly, anthropomorphism indicates that consumers are projecting human qualities in their pets – dressing them up in human clothes and taking them trick-or-treating, for example. Third, the teaching of evolution contributes to the vitality of the animal rights movement.

“In 1854, Darwin came up with the theory of evolution,” he noted. “So we went from a culture thinking we were unique, to a culture that says we’re scientifically very similar to animals. So animals are now living inside the home as part of our family, then we find out we’re a lot like them.”

Finally, Jamison said the fourth and final factor is equality.
“Well, if they are like us, then we should give them their rightful political rights,” he laughed. “No, wrong – these are pork chops, people.”

“So where do we go from here,” Jamison questioned the audience. “Well animal agriculture has been ashamed for too long. We’ve continued to sanitize agriculture for consumers, we need to show them that it’s okay to slaughter a cow or pig and quit hiding it. Allow the processors and food retailers to help tell your story or it’s over. You better own this or your going to see livestock production going offshore.”

Jamison foreshadowed the release of a new campaign being launched on college campuses to help bridge the gap and build new bridges for the livestock industry.

While he couldn’t speak much to the details as of yet, he said the new campaign will include Internet marketing and work closely with college fraternities and sororities to celebrate the eating of meat.
“Until you mobilize and organize, you have to act like it’s a movement and a cause or no one will support you,” he said.
Jamison explained that the animal activists utilize fear and guilt to build interest in their causes, while animal agriculture has traditionally gone the science and economics avenue.

“Give us your money and you’ll feel better about the way that animals are raised. Remember, these animals are just like members of your family. They are just as smart, intelligent and sensitive. Why would you want to eat them anyways,” he mimicked the activists. “This creates a lot of pressure for consumers. In fact, they (activists) are empowering consumers to feel bad about eating pork.”

Jamison added that the agriculture community needs to give consumers permission to eat meat and “own every bit of what you do.”

“Animal welfare has nothing to do with animals, it’s about people,” he said. “You need to reorient yourself with your consumers and change the way they view animals.”