Factory Farms or Family Farms?

Before I get into the details of how we raise our pigs, I have to clear the air about a very common misconception:  Pigs today are raised on factory farms not family farms.

First of all, I dislike the term "factory farm".  This phrase has gained traction over the years, supported by people who oppose modern livestock production.  By using the phrase it implies that there is no longer a human/animal connection and that aspects of good animal husbandry and well-being have been abandoned.

To be fair, I understand that when you drive down the road and see a barn that looks like this:

Or see images like this:

It is easy to assume that the pigs in these barns are not well taken care of because most people are used to seeing pigs outdoors, wallowing in the mud.  It may also follow that there is no way these pigs can be raised by family farmers that care about their animals.

As a matter of fact, the majority of pig farms in the United States are owned and operated by families.  Many of these farms have been in families for multiple generations.  

In future posts, I'll  provide my experiences of why and how we raise pigs indoors.  Until then, I encourage you to learn more about how family farmers are providing the best care for their pigs in modern production systems in the following videos:

Three Generations of Farmers

What it Means to be a Family Farmer

Meet a Family Farmer