One thing dairy lovers and Vegans can agree on right now is that our world is hurting. There are people going without food. Unemployment is soaring and hunger is on the doorstep for many. Food pantries across the country are asking for help. Reporting the need for their services more than doubling, almost overnight. Meanwhile, both livestock and crop farmers, as well as their respective industries, are scrambling to handle the massive change in buying that has come along with people staying home and businesses closing their doors.
Originally, this post was going to be the introduction of a fundraiser to buy cheese curds and string cheese for food banks. I am passionate about feeding people so seeing milk being dumped when people were going hungry has been keeping me up at night and I felt driven to try and do something.
When I woke up this morning to a whole bunch of nasty comments from Vegan activists telling me how awful I was for being a dairy farmer, my idea changed. I have pointed out many times that while someone choosing a vegan diet doesn’t bother me at all, trying to shame and bully others into a vegan diet shows way too much privilege. To be completely fair, I don’t see whole, plant-based foods getting the respect they deserve from many of my peers either and I have seen just as nasty comments from the pro-animal-ag folks as Vegan activists. Neither side is perfect.
One thing I do know is that animal agriculture as a whole does a lot to fight food insecurity through our different programs and organizations, but I have not seen that same kind of effort from those who push for a Vegan world.
So instead of this post introducing a fundraiser to buy dairy products for food banks, this post is going to start a little friendly competition.
Dairy lovers, I have created a Go Fund Me where you can donate money. All funds raised will be used to buy cheese curds and string cheese for food banks.
Vegans, I have created a separate Go Fund Me where you can donate money. All funds raised will be used to buy nutrient dense vegan options for food banks.
Links to each fundraiser are posted below.
Here are the details-
- Both GFM accounts have a $10,000 dollar goal.
- Every cent raised from both accounts will be used to buy products that will be distributed to food banks in the greater Wisconsin area.
- When possible, I will use the funds to purchase food that is either distressed or doesn’t have a home. Meaning cheese made from milk that would have been dumped or produce/vegan options that are at risk of being wasted. I will focus on purchasing whole foods that are nutrient-dense for the vegan donation. If you have a connection or a suggestion of vegan products to purchase, please leave me a note in the comments. Use your real email address so I can contact you for more information if needed.
- The competition will end on May 1st.
- I will post a full accounting and proof of how the money was spent and updates along the way.
- Whichever GFM has raised the most money at the end of the competition, I will personally make a donation from my own pocket.
- To make it fair, I have selected to turn ads off on this post so Vegans aren’t helping to financially contribute to what I do via page views.
I know times are tight for many of us, regardless of our dietary choices. There is no minimum donation amount and every dollar from either fundraiser will go to feed those in need.
So it’s time to step up and vote with your dollar. It’s your chance to be the change in the world that you want to see. Your chance to put your money where your mouth is. Pick your favorite cliche and go vote!
Stephanie
How is this being shared with vegans since it’s highly unlikely they follow a pro dairy blog?
dairycarrie
They are all over my facebook page with their comments and I’ve been leaving the link for them. They couls share it in the same groups they share dairy farmer posts to tell others to harass the farmers.
Shannon
My comment was simply a differing point of view and it was deleted and I was blocked. How immature. Vegans are going to donate elsewhere through someone they can trust. You can’t even be trusted to acknowledge a differing opinions on your profile.
dairycarrie
I allowed all view points for a long time. However, when your brethren continually tell me that they wish I was raped, that I got cancer and died, when they threaten my children… I made the decision to not allow it anymore.
Shannon
So, you’re saying that because others who supposedly live a vegan lifestyle bullied you, you’re going to lump every vegan into the same pot and delete my rational comment? Where does that make sense? I could do the same for animal ag advocates and omnivores, far greater number of horrible people in that category considering it’s the majority of the population. Your Facebook story and all your posts attack vegans as a whole due to their difference in lifestyle and simply wanting to end unnecessary exploitation of others. I think you’re in some serious need of growth. You started this as a competition to gain more funding from dairy supporters by putting them against vegans. You are the problem.
dairycarrie
I don’t have time to wade through comments when your peers start attacking me en masse. You don’t get to use my platform, the one I built to argue your point. End of story.
Shannon
You clearly saw my comment and blocked it. You are wading through and deciding that every point that doesn’t agree with you is dismissed so there is no option for a healthy debate and then you slam all of us opposed as a whole. You’re ignoring every point I have made here and you continue to cry about vegans as a whole day after day because a few supposed vegans made nasty comments. You are the problem with humanity and in my opinion the pressure you continue to put on your fellow man through social media is appalling. We all know you’re doing this for the sake of raising more funds for dairy by turning this into a competition against vegans. I wonder how many new naive followers you’ve gained from your continued vegan bashing. Vegans as a whole have endured far more abuse simply by living this lifestyle. Not even abuse through peaceful activism, which is typical from animal ag farmers and omnivores. Abuse simply by making the choice that is best for our health, our children’s health, our fellow man’s health and the planet. Abuse that stems from ignorance and the refusal to accept scientific evidence. You’re in need of some serious growth. Good luck with that.
dairycarrie
My page isn’t a discussion group. I don’t owe you anything. You don’t get to make demands from me. You’re not my customer.
Melinda Molenda
I think that what you are doing is a beautiful thing. Everyone deserves to have food. I appreciate that you’re helping people who would have gone without. I came across your website from a post of yours that was shared on a vegan page. I know some of them can be nasty, and I think it’s terrible that they would say such cruel things to you. Shame on them. I can’t speak for all vegans, but I’m vegan because I want to do what I can to care for the earth and to leave it a little bit better than it was when I got here.
The truth is that producing meat and dairy is not sustainable, and it uses ten times more resources to produce it than it does to produce plant products. More and more people every day are switching to plant-based foods instead of dairy because of this, and many dairy farmers have switched to farming almonds and even oats since it’s become so popular. Even though almonds aren’t great for the environment, producing a cup of almond milk still uses less water and resources than a cup of milk form a cow. Even though dairy products taste good and they have nutrients, our bodies don’t assimilate them as well as plant products. Science has shown that the human body thrives on a plant-based diet. I recommend watching the movie The Game Changers on Netflix if you haven’t heard this before.
There are so many other great-tasting alternatives to meat and dairy that don’t harm the environment nearly as much and are better for our bodies.
I look for ways I can change and do something for the greater good, even if it means losing some of my own comfort or convenience. If my actions are harming others, I try my best to quit doing that thing. Animals have this sense. There was a study on rats that showed they would choose the less tasty food, when they realized that the more tasty food would cause their neighbor rat to get a shock. We all know that animals have less developed brains than us humans, but I think there’s a lot we can learn from them.
I can see from your posts on your website that you have a good heart, and you really do want to help and not harm. I’m not asking you to change your whole operation and switch to making oats. That’s entirely up to you. Some decisions are more rewarding than others.
Michael Dello-Iacovo
“One thing I do know is that animal agriculture as a whole does a lot to fight food insecurity through our different programs and organizations, but I have not seen that same kind of effort from those who push for a Vegan world.”
I think this is disingenuous. Even if you don’t agree with it, I’m sure you are aware that many scientists and vegans argue that animal agriculture is bad for food security as a whole. When you say you have not seen that kind of effort from those who push for a vegan world, I think what you mean is that you don’t think their efforts that have the intention of fighting for food security are actually doing so.
This is a nice idea, and I’m sure it has the best of intentions. However, I imagine many vegans, myself included, would prefer to support organisations they know and trust to support food security.
Joan Maxwell
Thank you for your support of the food shelves/banks. This is a great competition! Farmers and those involved in industry are the most generous group of people that I know! Farmers are giving their products to food banks rather than it going to waste! Processors and check-offs are finding ways to support the food insecure!
Keep up the fight!