Heads up – we’ve got some work to do, and I’m not talking about anything that involves dirt, diesel fuel or manure. I’m talking about positive promotional work for the dairy industry.

A cartoon in a recent Sunday newspaper called “Beakman and Jax” put the dairy industry in a negative light, and we need to jump in and change the negative to a positive. The artist was attempting to answer children’s science questions in a cartoon question-and-answer format.

Unfortunately, this author had limited knowledge and didn’t bother to research beyond what he knew. Or, if he did research, it appears as though PETA or HSUS are his main sources and he never thought about Googling anything else.

The kids asked a question about the age of dairy animals when they first give birth, and the response in the strip made a number of false claims, including:

“Almost all dairy cows are raised in factories where they’re fed surplus corn and soy – not the grass that is a cow’s natural food.”
“Factory cows get more diseases, so they are medicated constantly. Their food includes drugs like antibiotics and hormones. They also get gas, which can hurt their 4-part stomachs.”

“Factory cows live from 3-4 years before they die. Cows that eat grasses in meadows live and produce milk for up to 20 years. They’re ones farmers name and don’t number.”

(And, the answer provided to the question implied that animals actually do give birth at 15 months of age. The industry average for age at first calving is about 24 months.)

The comic strip is a nationally syndicated comic distributed by Universal Press Syndicate to more than 300 newspapers nationwide. Comic strips are obviously not objective or impartial, but if you’re posing as the “answer man,” shouldn’t you at least have credible answers? This is unacceptable to me, and I hope it is to you also.
Our friends at Dairy Management, Inc. have provided some ideas on how to approach this situation without standing on your soapbox with a big stick yelling at everyone who doesn’t know the truth, like I am prone to do.

Here are some better ideas than what I would have provided: If the comic ran in your local newspaper, draft a letter to the editor using the key messages below.

Remember to be authentic, transparent and polite and do not restate the negative comments; instead, highlight the practices on your farm that demonstrate how you care for your animals. Invite the editor to visit your dairy and see firsthand the care you provide your cows and the land. This will help you build a relationship with the editor, who may come to you for future stories and news:
This comic strip is an inaccurate depiction of modern dairy farming. At a time when kids are falling short of health experts’
recommendations for calcium, potassium and magnesium intake, it’s disturbing that reputable newspapers would publish misinformation that could potentially turn kids away from nutrient-rich dairy foods.

It’s important for children and their parents to know that dairy farmers are committed to providing high-quality milk, which begins with top-notch animal care. Dairy farmers provide nutritious diets, healthy living conditions and good medical care to all of their animals.

Cows have access to feed and clean water 24 hours a day and many dairy farms use “free-stall housing,” which means they can eat, sleep and drink anytime they choose.  After all, a comfortable cow will provide more milk.

For information about how modern dairy farm families care for their animals and protect the land while growing healthy farming businesses for future generations, visit www.dairyfarmingtoday.org
Additional key messages can be found at www.mydairytoolkit.com

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.