CONFRONTING FACTORY FARMS
Insights from the Trenches ()

Wednesday, June 21, 2006 | 12:15 - 1:30PM
Sheldon Hall W1214 




A panel presentation with members of the Global Resource Action Center for the Environment’s (GRACE) Factory Farm Project Team. Team members include farmers, ranchers, and economists from across North America who work with rural communities, family ranchers and farmers to oppose industrial animal production and defend the health and well-being of communities. 

   The GRACE Factory Farm Project Team

The GRACE Factory Farm Project (GFFP) works to create a sustainable food production system that is healthful and humane, economically viable, and environmentally sound. When invited by regional or grassroots groups, the GFFP helps rural communities, family ranchers and farmers around the country oppose the spread of new factory farms, and close down existing operations that adversely affect the health and well-being of communities.

Headed by economist Dr. William J. Weida, the GRACE Factory Farm Project Team (GFFP) consists of independent family farmers from across North America, as well as key staff members from the New York office. The team of consultants include two ranchers in Colorado, a rancher in Missouri, a hog farmer in Iowa, a crop farmer in Illinois, a cherry orchardist in Washington, an economist in Idaho, and a grain farmer in Alberta, Canada. Each team member has fought factory farms in his or her local area, and many have been helping groups in and around their communities for years. The Team provides assistance in their home state and beyond, collectively reaching every region in the U.S. and Canada.

The GFFP is a vital resource that analyzes the promises and problems associated with proposed or existing factory farms, and develops community-based solutions to the problems caused by industrial agriculture. The services provided by the GFFP are free of charge to rural residents, community groups, and local entities working to stop factory farms.

The GFFP provides assistance in many areas, including:

• Community organizing and support
• Identifying 'major' players, concerned citizens, important elements of the opposition, and general preferences of the local government
• Providing regional economic impact and development analysis of proposed or existing factory farms
• Generating scholarly research on social and economic costs, externalities, employment impacts, and multiplier effects of factory farm operations
• Teaching communities how to access, understand and use existing regulations concerning the development of factory farm facilities
• Providing assistance in compiling and understanding scientific data and studies
• Providing credible research about the health effects of factory farms
• Providing access to research, studies and literature from all parts of the country
• Participating in hearings and other speaking opportunities in order to educate the public and government officials about the realities of factory farms
• Sharing information and resources

The Meatrix II: Revolting is the sequel to the award-winning smash hit The Meatrix. The film, a humorous spoof on the “Matrix,” takes a look at the gap between our illusions about where food comes from and the reality of industrial dairy production. Click on image to view.