Chris Chinn is throwing open the barn doors at her family’s farrow-to-finish Missouri hog farm and inviting guests to take a tour, thanks to the power of YouTube.
“In today’s world, putting a face on farming is a necessity,” says Chinn, a fifth generation farmer who runs a 2,400-sow operation near Clarence, Mo., with her husband, Kevin, his parents and his brother. “It’s important to use online tools like blogs and social networking sites to reach a wider audience and stand up for agriculture.”
The five-minute “Truth about Modern Pork Production” video shows daily life inside the farrowing room and finishing barns. Chris, who narrates the video, describes the farm’s nutrient management plan to protect the environment, details how the barns’ computerized climate control systems contribute to the animals’ comfort, and explains the importance of animal well being, from proper nutrition to veterinary care.
“We hope this helps people understand why we use modern technology on farms and the benefits it brings to our livestock,” says Chinn, whose husband shot the video with a camcorder. “Our motivation is to maintain our business and way of life so we can pass the farm on to our two children some day.”
Consumers respond positively
Many of the YouTube viewers who have commented on Chinn’s video echo the sentiments of WorkingMom13, who wrote, “This is really an informative video. It explained several things about pigs that make me realize how much better it is for them inside those buildings. Pig farmers really care about how the pigs are taken care of.”
Consumers are hungry for knowledge about modern agriculture and food production, says Chinn, who e-mailed the link to her YouTube video to her many e-mail contacts, including local media. “While people are inerested in livestock production, they want easy-to-understand explanations without a lot of details. I encourage more pork producers to share their story and build trust with consumers.”
Content originally posted at: www.pork.org.
1 comments:
This is a great video. It really is as close as some people will get to visiting Chinn's facility. Also, MO Farm Bureau really encourages producers to make videos or other online publications telling the story of Missouri agriculture.
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