FEATURE
INDUSTRY PROS: HELPING YOU TELL THE ANTIBIOTIC STORY We’re all concerned about health. While antibiotics are not used to treat viruses, responsible use of antibiotics remains a vital part of animal health, welfare, and care. Consumer confidence in animal agriculture and food safety is still an ongoing challenge for beef producers. Dr. David Williams of Kentucky has been involved in animal nutrition feed manufacturing for over 40 years as owner of Burkmann Nutrition. He is also a beef producer who spends his ‘tractor time” thinking about how to help his industry. Dr. Williams, along with several other members of the Kentucky State Beef Council, attended a symposium on antibiotics and animal agriculture with a special section featuring the value of communication.
Videos detailing their experiences and how they use what they learned are being presented by the National Livestock Producers Association, a contractor with the Beef Checkoff. Dr. Williams is featured in the video Industry Pros: Helping You Tell the Antibiotic Story meant to help beef producers with tips and techniques to effectively communicate to each other and to consumers. “We’re increasing our use of social media, spotlighting different farm families, highlighting how committed the farm families are to animal welfare and food safety,” says Dr. Williams. Dr. Williams also values opportunities to personally talk to people who may not be informed about animal agriculture. Dr. Williams tells about an annual farm-
city breakfast that hosts 200 urban and suburban friends along with farm families. “We have the opportunity to explain to them directly from those of us in the community, in the food business, and particularly the beef production business, the safety practices, the animal welfare practices and how food is produced in America to the highest safety standards in the world,” he says. Farmers and ranchers understand the need for careful stewardship of antibiotics, and work hard to use them judiciously and responsibly so we all will have them when we need them. Many believe there is a disconnect between what they are doing every day and what the public hears.
They work every day to safely feed families with outstanding quality, nutrition, and affordability. Sharing and communicating directly to consumers allows them to address misperceptions by demonstrating values they have in common: protecting everyone’s health. About Telling the Story of Antibiotics The Telling the Story series is brought to you by the National Livestock Producers Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff and the Kentucky Beef Council. NLPA and KBC are committed to helping producers tell the great stories about their life, their animals, and their part in fighting antibiotic resistance along with the human and environmental health professionals. The goal: Understanding one other.
West Kentuck y Select BRED HEIFER SALE Selling 225 Spring Calving Bred Heifers
Saturday, November 21, 2020 12:00 noon CT
Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market Guthrie, Kentucky For more information contact: Kevin Laurent, University of Kentucky (270) 365-7541 ext. 226 Mark Barnett, KY-TN Livestock Market (270) 483-2504
See these heifers at: www.kyheifersale.com All heifers are guaranteed bred to bulls with known EPDs and have met stringent requirements for health, quality and pelvic measurements. All heifers qualify for KY Cost Share Most qualify for TN Cost Share
WEST KENTUCKY SELECT BULL SALE
Selling 12 Angus bulls—24 months old Immediately following the West Kentucky Select Bred Heifer Sale.
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COW COUNTRY •
OCTOBER
2020
• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N
