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Beware of animal activists posing as feed salesmen

If an unfamiliar person enters your farm and claims to be a feed company salesman, you better check to see if he is being truthful.

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AFIMAC-Rovers-JIm

If an unfamiliar person enters your farm and claims to be a feed company salesman, you would be wise to investigate if he is being truthful.

According to Jim Rovers, senior vice president of AFIMAC Global, a new tactic of animal rights activists is to enter a farm and identify themselves as a new representative for a feed company. They do that in an effort to become familiar with farm operations and the people involved with the intent of doing things that the operator would not approve of, such as damaging property, turning farm animals loose or shooting video footage with the intent of painting the farm in an unfavorable light.

 “We’ve had some feed sales people that show up, and they’re not feed sales people. They enter your barns, they do different things,” Rovers said May 9 at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in Kansas City, Missouri.

Rovers, whose company helps agricultural operations with crisis plans that include dealing with activists, advised those attending the summit that if they do have a case of someone introducing themselves as a new feed company representative, and they have not been earlier notified that a new sales representative has been hired, contact the feed company mentioned and start asking questions.

Rovers, along with Sophie Cranley, AFIMAC Global risk mitigation specialist, spoke at the summit session, “Protecting our Plates: Are You a Target for Activists?” about current trends in activism, security considerations and activist tactics. Rovers and Cranley are based out of Canada.

Other Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit coverage

See other news reports from the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholder Summit:

How alternative proteins will challenge the industry

Retailers, restaurants want to hear more from farmers

One Health Certified label program reaches milestone

Most consumers on panel don’t purchase cage-free eggs

How important animal welfare is to 6 consumers

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