ILLINOIS FARM FAMILIES TAKES CHICAGO MOMS TO HOG FARM

Tricia Braid

Apr 10, 2015  |  Today's News

Just a few weeks ago, moms from the Chicagoland area visited the Gould Hog Farm. These moms applied and were accepted into the 2015 City Moms program, the signature outreach program of Illinois Farm Families. Illinois Corn Marketing Board is joined in funding IFF by Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Midwest Dairy Association, and the Illinois Farm Bureau. The mom's toured the farm and had a chance to ask any questions they'd like. Here are a few points on the positive outcome of this tour.

  • 25 City Moms were very or somewhat concerned about animal welfare prior to the tour. That number drop to 10 after the tour.
  • 20 City Moms were very or somewhat concerned about the use of gestation stalls prior to the tour. Afterward, that number was 11.
  • 22 City Moms were very or somewhat concerned about the use of antibiotics. Showing the greatest gain, only 3 moms were concerned after the tour.
  • 21 City Moms were very or somewhat concerned about the use of hormones, as contrasted to only 4 after the tour.
  • 14 City Moms were very or somewhat concerned about labels or marketing claims for pork products. After the tour, that number was only 2.

ICMB feels that the IFF program is valuable and that the lessons learned on these tours and in other aspects of the program should be applied in many aspects of our work. 

Support for the livestock industry, and in this instance, the pork industry, is important to IL Corn farmers. Livestock remains the #1 market for corn worldwide. In Illinois, the pork industry is our #1 livestock customer.

Find out more about IFF at http://www.watchusgrow.org.