PROBLEMS OF ANIMAL AGRICULTURE

Animal agriculture is an important part of what goes on in California and much of the world, and has been the focus of the media recently:

• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (sometimes called Mad Cow Disease): apparently the result of cows being fed rendered sheep carcasses, demonstrated graphically the dangers of what happens when ecological principles are violated.

• Food Safety: Peter Jennings of ABC-Television, in a series of stories on food safety at the end of 1997, reported that the use of antibiotics in animal feed nationally has created resistant bacteria that then become a public health problem, as the antibiotics are no longer effective.

• Organism Contamination: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobachter are responsible for sickness and death by those who consumed contaminated meat. In 1997 approximately two-thirds of the turkeys available in public markets were shown to be contaminated with Campylobachter; this was reported nationally just days before Thanksgiving.

• Dairy Farm Pollution: In 1997 California dairy farmers were cited in the San Francisco Chronicle for mismanaging manure and the resulting runoff and pollution.

• Hog Production: The television news program 60 Minutes did a story in 1997 on large hog operations and their pollution of air and water, as well as their impact on the quality of life in the communities that house these operations; other news organizations have reported on these facilities.

• Cryptosporidium was suspected of making thousands sick in Milwaukee in 1993; the disease-causing organism was thought to have originated in animal manure.

All of these problems associated with animal production suggest that we need to think about the place and practice of animal agriculture in our food supply, now and in the future. These are agricultural system problems that are very complex, so the solution to these problems will not be simple and will take time, thought and dialogue. It will also require us to look at animal agriculture from an ecological perspective, while considering economics, global human community concerns, and moral values.

SAREP has funded a number of projects that deal with animal agriculture. Over the years we have funded separate projects on raising beef and sheep using better pasture management, grazing management in ley farming systems, organic wool production, sheep marketing, environmental monitoring of rangeland, and rotational grazing field days for dairy producers. We have provided funding for researchers looking at the Cryptosporidium issue in beef, and at the environmental fate of selenium given to intensively grazed beef cattle. Last year we funded a project to help ranchers and university researchers develop sustainable marketing alternatives for grass-fed natural beef, and supported projects looking at the history of grazing in forests, and problems of sediment buildup in watersheds due to cattle ranching. In the latest round of grants (SAREP Funds New Projects) we funded two projects that examine dairy manure management. One looks at the use of dairy lagoon water in the production of forage crops, while the other analyzes the impact of dairy waste and crop nutrient management on groundwater quality.

These projects may provide solutions to particular animal agriculture issues, but the larger issues will not be solved by our small grants. What we need is public discussion of the broader issues, and alternative proposals on how we and others can work together to tackle these big problems. The crucial issues with antibiotic resistance and some of the other larger concerns must be addressed by scientists, producers, industry representatives and regulators.

We have experience with biologically integrated plant-related systems--Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) and Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS)--which bring together a consortium of farmers, researchers, industry representatives, and non-profits for successful collaborative efforts to address common agricultural production practices and problems. This model could be used for animal agricultural systems--perhaps Biologically Integrated Livestock Systems (BILS). It would be modeled after the successful BIOS and BIFS programs.

Partnerships that address the long-term sustainability of these livestock farming systems would go a long way toward identifying and suggesting solutions to some of the crucial issues.--Bill Liebhardt, director, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.