Agvocate Vs Agtivists

Most consumers think that the word “agriculture” only has to deal with plants and farming. However, the word “Agriculture” is an extremely broad term that covers plant production to animal production. In the agriculture world, the terms “agvocates” and “agtivists” are terms that are gaining popularity by the day. There are many groups that fit under these subcategories of the agriculture industry. Both of these groups aid in the development of the agriculture industry despite having different values. Many people in the agriculture industry argue over the value of these groups and how they affect the public’s view of agriculture. Without these groups, positive changes in the agriculture industry would not be made and the industry would be at

a standstill. Groups like Agvocates, Animal Agriculture Alliance, and PETA help form the agriculture industry, whether positively or negatively.

According to Mike Haley, agvocacy is allowing other people to express the joys and discomforts of the agriculture industry while still respecting their opinions.This can innvolve communicating with those that are unfamiliar with agriculture that are curious about how the agriculture industry works. It is through communication and developing trustworthy relationships that the agriculture industry can be properly introduced to the public that is interested (Haley). The agvocate community allows people who are interested in modern farming the benefit of hearing the importance of agriculture and the way the agriculture industry works. Agvocates aim for a positive voice in the agriculture industry (Agvocate For…). A group by the name “Agvocates” help share this positive voice in the ag industry. “Agvocates” mission statement is to allow students with special needs to develop skills they will need throughout their life by allowing them to interact with various farm animals. The founder of the group, Josh Hargis, decided to

open this group due to an experience he had while teaching Animal Science to an autistic student. Hargis realized that the autistic student developed social skills after having the responsibility of raising a show pig. After the autistic student took grand champion, the autistic student was more confident in the classroom and had developed cognitive skills that will help him throughout his adult life. After helping another student with the same problems and seeing the same results, Hargis decided to open the non-profit in order to help special needs children develop cognitive skills through fun, hands-on experiences of raising/working with farm animals. This group not only helps special needs children but helps the public see how the agriculture industry has a positive impact on the industry. Groups the “Agvocates” allow the agriculture industry to grow positively in the public’s eye.
Anti-Agricultural Activism Groups have slightly different views that the Agvocate groups.

Anti-Agricultural Activism normally focuses on the use of dangerous chemicals and the impact of abuse in the animal sector of the agriculture industry. These groups normally use blunt information to get their point across. Groups like PETA and Animal Agriculture Alliance release videos exposing the cruel acts that are done to animals in certain slaughterhouses. Even though most slaughterhouses treat their animals with more respect than the slaughterhouses in the videos, the public only sees the videos that are released. They normally use protests and other means of public exploitation to get their word across. The Anti-Agriculture/Animal Rights group PETA allows the public to see into the most gruesome slaughterhouses that are housed in the United States as well as across the world. PETA stands for “People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals.” Their mission statement is to stop the use, consumption, and exploitation of animals in any and all situations (About PETA). PETA has released multiple videos on popular animal production factories like Pilgrim’s Pride, Hormel, and many more. They have even exposed colleges like Washington University for testing on animals. Animal Agricultural Alliance is a group that allows the public to learn animal abuse cases that happen in their very own state. For example, in the state of Kentucky, two animal abuse cases have been documented. One at

Churchill Downs in 2014 and the other being at the Iron Maiden Slaughterhouse in 2014 as well. Both incidences were released with videos to show the horrifying cruelty these animals went through. Despite this group not necessarily releasing videos themselves, they still allow the public to view these videos. Providing the public a map educates them on the possible local factories they can avoid if they want cruelty-free meat or other animal by products. In addition to providing the animal abuse cases in their state, the website also outlines all the various Anti-Agriculture/Animal Rights groups that a person could join if they are interested in that sector of the agriculture industry.