GUEST OPINIONS

Hating on Big Food – Transparency is Key

By Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity

Are there antibiotics in my meat? Should I be afraid of genetically modified organisms? How is food production impacting our environment? Where are ingredients sourced?

Decades ago, we gave little thought to our food. But today, despite food being safer, more affordable and more available than at any time in human history, we’re increasingly skeptical and critical of today’s food system. It’s not surprising.

Food production doesn’t look like it used to. Over the past 40 years, food and agriculture companies and farms have consolidated, integrated and industrialized – they’ve become “big.” And in the minds of many, big is bad.

Trust research at The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) consistently shows a “big is bad” bias – a belief mass production creates more opportunity for error, industrialized food production is inherently impersonal and big companies will put profit ahead of public interest every time.

The latest research from CFI’s Illuminate Digital Cultural Insights sheds additional light as consumers consider sustainability factors.

Consumers are seeking clearer information about their food, especially protein sources. They believe a lack of transparency around ethical protein sources makes it difficult for them to be sure they are eating sustainably.

They also want to know about labor practices for food and agriculture companies. They believe a humancentered approach to sustainability requires a tangible commitment to promote a thriving future for everyone.

It’s a phenomenon driving change in the food system. We all want and deserve to know who’s producing our food – a farmer or food company we believe is committed to doing the right things for people, animals and the planet, not just the bottom line.

Layer on an avalanche of conflicting information, and it’s no wonder we question whether we should trust our food.

Innovation angst

While new technologies can help farmers grow the food we need using fewer resources, these technologies are causing angst too. The sentiment was expressed during a CFI consumer panel where all participants indicated they avoid foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The moderator asked if their opinion about GMOs would change if, for example, they knew the technology could be used to introduce a naturally occurring gene from an arid plant to create corn that could grow using less water – not only resulting in the use of fewer natural resources but allowing corn to grow in drier climates where populations couldn’t grow their own food before.

One panelist replied, “I find it hard to believe scientists would spend time and money to use technology to help something grow faster and easier, more than for profit.”

Seeds created with new technologies are developed to use less water and fewer pesticides, provide enhanced nutrition and grow in changing climates. But, this same technology causes some of us to question the motives of “big food.”

We love innovation when it comes to our smartphones, cars and televisions, but not necessarily when it comes to our food – food we’re putting in our bodies and feeding our children. There’s nothing quite as personal.

Innovation and technology will allow us to meet one of humanity’s most basic needs – safe, accessible, nutritious food – while protecting our planet. But, if the food industry doesn’t step up to earn trust, the public will continue to push back and perhaps delay or stop progress in its tracks.

We deserve transparency

We’re living in an era of unprecedented disruption in the food system as technology and consumer demand drive rapid change. The food system is working diligently to provide us with what we want and in a sustainable way.

It’s a delicate balance.

Consider the push for slower-growing chickens. With an animal welfare group calling for replacing fast-growing chickens – broilers bred for rapid growth and increased breast meat yield – many companies plan to increase production of slow-growing birds.

In fact, more than 200 companies, including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc., have made “better chicken” commitments, pledging to make the switch by 2026.

However, moving to slower growing birds means higher production costs and higher price tags for consumers.

If only one-third of broiler chicken producers switched to a slower growing breed, nearly 1.5 billion more birds would be needed annually to produce the same amount of meat currently produced, requiring a tremendous increase in water, land and fuel consumption.

As appealing as it might seem to return to the “good old days” of agriculture, rolling back productivity improvements would impact consumers and have a devastating impact on the environment at a time when we need to produce more healthy, affordable food for people around the world using fewer natural resources.

We need to produce more food in the next 30 years than has been produced in the last 8,000 years.

As consumers, we deserve authentic transparency which will allow us to better understand our food, where it came from and how it was grown so we can make informed choices about potential trade-offs.

How can the food industry step up?

The traditional food industry approach of attacking the attackers or leading with science doesn’t work in a world where there is greater interest and skepticism about food, and everyone with a smartphone expects instant access to unlimited information.

Facts and data alone don’t build trust. There’s a better way.

CFI’s peer-reviewed and published trust model shows communicating shared values is three to five times more important to earning trust than communicating science and facts. In fact, simply sharing science and facts galvanizes the opposition and makes it harder to find common ground.

As consumers, we simply want to know the food industry shares our values for safe, healthy food, caring for animals and protecting the environment, for example.

We want the ability to engage, too – to be heard, acknowledged and get changes to: andrea@wylr.net

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • P.O. Box 850 • Casper, WY 82602

Wyoming receives funding

As part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will invest $20 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to protect native vegetation and streams on public lands in Wyoming. This funding will be focused in two landscape areas – the LaBarge and Muddy Creek Restoration Landscape Areas.

The funding is part of the BLM’s announcement to invest $161 million in ecosystem restoration and resilience on the nation’s public lands. The work will focus on 21 “restoration landscapes” across 11 Western states, restoring wildlife habitat and clean water on public lands and strengthening communities and local economies.

“Restoration of the LaBarge and Muddy Creek landscapes is critical to sustaining native plant and wildlife communities, especially as visitation to Wyoming’s public lands continues to rise,” said BLM Wyoming State Director Andrew Archuleta. “Funding the restoration landscapes in Wyoming through the Inflation Reduction Act will help BLM build on our existing partnerships to sustain and improve the health and diversity of these public lands for current and future generations.”

Efforts in these restoration landscapes will improve the health of public lands which are being significantly degraded by invasive species, unprecedented wildfire events, unregulated use and climate change.

With these investments, landscapes will be better able to provide clean water, habitat for fish and wildlife, opportunities for recreation and will be more resilient to wildfire and drought.

For more information on the BLM’s restoration landscapes, visit BLM’s StoryMap at blm.gov

Reservoir release delayed

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office has delayed the controlled release of the Teton Reservoir Dam until June 5. While the dam’s condition is considered severe, it is being monitored daily and conditions have not changed.

The delay is necessary to allow the private contractor executing the release – Youderian Construction –time to mobilize equipment and operators to the site. Youderian Construction expects the operation to span seven days, excluding weather delays and unforeseen site conditions.

Abundant snowmelt runoff has filled the reservoir to historic levels and threatened the dam’s stability. A controlled release offers the safest and most effective method for lowering the dangerously high water levels.

BLM engineers and private contractors will remain onsite throughout the release to monitor and manage the operation.

Until further notice, the public should stay a minimum of 500 yards away from the Teton Reservoir Dam and the section of Little Sage Creek running between the Teton Dam and the North Platte River.

For more information, contact State Engineer Paul E.J. Spillman at 307-775-6313.

RCPP funding available

On May 19, the Biden-Harris administration announced the availability of $500 million in funding to advance partner-driven solutions to conservation on agricultural land through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

RCPP leverages a voluntary approach to conservation, expanding the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships. Increased funding for Fiscal Year 2023 is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, and this year’s funding opportunity reflects a concerted effort to streamline and simplify the program.

Program improvements will enable USDA to efficiently implement the $4.95 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for the program while improving the experience for partners, agricultural producers and employees.

Based on partner listening sessions and employee and partner surveys, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) identified seven key focus areas for improvement, each with a dedicated team working to address identified issues and provide recommendations.

These include simplifying and reducing the number of agreements, reducing lengthy RCPP easement transactions, improving the RCPP portal, consistent guidance and training for employees and partners, simplifying the technical assistance structure, improving the conservation desktop and simplifying the partner reimbursement process.

NRCS encourages interested applicants to participate in an upcoming webinar which will take place on June 7 from 12-1:30 p.m. and provide general information about this funding announcement.

For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov

ADVANCE Act passed

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee recently passed the ADVANCE Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). The bill will enable Wyoming to continue powering America to be the global leader in energy by ensuring the nation has the most sophisticated nuclear energy technology.

“Wyoming has played a key role in making our nation a global energy giant, including in the nuclear industry by leading the nation in uranium production,” Lummis said.

According to Lummis, the ADVANCE Act will facilitate American nuclear leadership, develop and deploy new nuclear technologies, preserve existing nuclear energy, strengthen America’s nuclear fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure, authorize funds for environmental cleanup programs and improve commission efficiency.

To view the full text of the ADVANCE Act, visit epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/1/2/12137f313c2e-4db4-8ff0-ea22c436545a/11BF21E2A4448E94 7D31B75F15C449B3.s.1111-capito-carper-text-manager-s-amndt.pdf

Price Road temporarily closed

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Casper Field Office will temporarily close Price Road, located 18 miles southwest of Casper, beginning June 12, to complete ongoing road construction.

Construction is expected to take up to eight weeks to complete.

This most recent and final phase of construction includes installation of a large concrete culvert, road surfacing and additional reclamation of areas adjacent to the road. The entirety of the 1.9-mile road will be closed during this time to ensure public safety.

The Price Road area is a popular day-use recreation spot located across from the Miles Landing boat ramp and off County Road 316. Work to reroute and upgrade the road began in August 2022.

The original Price Road route and surrounding area had become degraded from heavy use and off-route travel, causing unsafe conditions and damage to sensitive resources.

The project includes upgrading portions of the existing road to improve public access and mitigate erosion, as well as re-routing segments to prevent resource damage. Obsolete or unauthorized routes have been reclaimed and barriers installed to prevent off-route travel.

For more information, call the Casper Field Office at 307-261-7600.

April Prices Received Index up

The April Prices Received Index 2011 Base for Agricultural Production, at 130.8, increased 1.9 percent from March but decreased 2.2 percent from April 2022.

At 125.6, the Crop Production Index was up 5.8 percent from last month and 2.4 percent from the previous year.

The Livestock Production Index, at 135.8, decreased 1.8 percent from March and 6.2 percent from April last year.

Producers received higher prices during April for lettuce, broilers, cattle and broccoli but lower prices for market eggs, hogs, milk and apples.

In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes. In April, there was increased monthly movement for strawberries, milk, broilers and lettuce and decreased marketing of corn, soybeans, hay and cattle.

The April Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 139.7, is down 0.2 percent from March 2023 but up 1.5 percent from April 2022.

Lower prices in April for feeder pigs, wage rates, nitrogen and complete feeds more than offset higher prices for feeder cattle, hay and forages, gasoline and LP gas.

For a full copy of the Agricultural Prices report, visit nass. usda.gov. For state specific questions, contact Wyoming State Statistician Leslee Lohrenz at 800-392-3202.

PlayCleanGo kicks off

The Wyoming Weed and Pest Council (WWPC), in partnership with PlayCleanGo, is excited to participate in the fifth annual PlayCleanGo Awareness Week June 3-10.

This week is dedicated to stopping the spread of invasive species by educating recreationists about quick and easy ways to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.

“As people head outdoors this summer, we want them to know a little bit of prevention contributes to a greater effort of keeping Wyoming wild and beautiful,” said Donley Darnell, WWPC president.

For outdoor enthusiasts, protecting natural spaces from invasive species doesn’t take much.

In fact, it can be as easy as cleaning shoes, clothes, packs and pets before and after exploring; staying on designated trails; cleaning horses’ hooves and feeding them weed-free certified hay before adventuring; cleaning, draining and drying watercrafts and angling equipment to stop aquatic hitchhikers; buying firewood where one plans on burning it, buying certified heattreated firewood or gathering on-site firewood when permitted and inspecting and cleaning trailers and offroad and recreational vehicles before traveling to new areas with water or compressed air to remove mud, plant parts and hidden pests.

For more information or to take the PlayCleanGo Pledge, visit playcleango.org