National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production responds to OFBF storiesPublished on 11/13/2006 Editor’s note: A commission funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts and managed and staffed by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, this country’s top-ranked public health school, recently formed to examine issues surrounding confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production is expected to publish its final report in March 2008. Former Kansas Gov. John Carlin is the chairman of the 19-member commission. Buckeye Farm News ran stories about the commission on the OFBF Web site and in the Oct. 9 print edition. Following is a response to those stories from Carlin. Editor: This letter is in response to an article regarding the National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (NCIFAP) published 10/3/2006 on your Web site's "Buckeye News Now" section. I have serious reservations about the article. My first concern is the headline "Livestock commission may be biased." That could not be further from the truth. All 19 NCIFAP commissioners are well-respected individuals whose areas of expertise include veterinary medicine, public health, agriculture industry, animal welfare, government, child and rural advocacy and nutrition. Some have been critical of this diversity. I strongly defend it, because it represents the cross section of interests that exist within the food production system. As commission chair, it is an honor to work with such a distinguished and respected group of people, all of whom have important and varied views to offer. I also request that you print a correction regarding a glaring misstatement made by David White. He stated, "the commission will only issue a majority report." That is incorrect. The NCIFAP will only issue a "consensus report," which means every commissioner must sign-off on the final recommendations. Over the next two years, the independent NCIFAP will conduct an assessment of the industry’s practices and how they affect public health, the environment, rural communities and animal health and well-being. It will hold public hearings in various parts of the country to hear from all sides on several topics. At the end of our two-year investigation, the NCIFAP will issue a comprehensive report of its findings, including recommendations that will be made available to policymakers, industry stakeholders and the general public. The NCIFAP is committed to addressing the issues with open eyes and to making sure the consensus recommendations are based on science, are fair and economically viable. If you have any questions regarding the NCIFAP please do not hesitate to contact me or the NCIFAP staff. Sincerely, John Carlin, NCIFAP Chairman
OFBF update: American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman has sent Chairman Carlin a letter thanking him for an invitation to participate in and contribute to the commission’s work. Stallman also outlined AFBF’s interest in CAFO-related issues, expressed concern that the word "industrial" in the commission’s name implies a lack of impartiality and encouraged an open and ongoing dialogue with AFBF as efforts progress. Members of the AFBF staff have met with commission staff members in an attempt to learn more. In an effort to help the commission maintain the impartiality and objectivity it says it seeks, AFBF staff members provided the commission staff with copies of the "Making American Agriculture Productive and Profitable" report and other relevant materials. In the same vein, AFBF staff members also have agreed to provide the commission with the names of experts who could be contacted to assist in the preparation of the technical reports. AFBF also has been part of an informal coalition of animal agriculture organizations monitoring the commission’s activity and potential effects. Groups involved in this informal coalition thus far include various pork, cattle and poultry organizations and the American Meat Institute and Tyson Foods. AFBF will continue to monitor the commission’s efforts and take additional steps as events warrant. | |