Last week I received my annual calendar from the humane society and the envelope to send in this year’s donation. I used to think it was a great cause to help spay and neuter all the cute puppies and kittens, like the ones on the calendar. But this year I found out my donation may go toward putting local farmers out of business.
Before Christmas I received my email from the farmer, Danny Rohrer, announcing the Christmas farmers market. If I ever thought going to a little farmers market means having fewer choices, his list of items available proved me wrong. Here is what is offered just from this one farm: beef includes ribeye, strip, filet, porterhouse, T-bone, skirt, flank, sirloin, and sandwich steaks; boneless chuck, sirloin tip, and rump roasts; stirfry, stew cubes, shinbones with meat, and ground round. Pork includes boneless loin roasts, pork chops, boneless butts, ribs, smoked ham roasts, ground pork, bacon, Canadian bacon, and nine flavors of sausage. Lamb includes loin chops, arm chops, racks, stew cubes, boneless shoulder roasts, and ground lamb. Chicken includes whole birds, split breasts, legs/thighs, and backs. Other items: Lebanon bologna, sweet Lebanon bologna, beef sticks, and summer sausage; hot dogs-both all beef and beef/pork combination; eggs, Caprikorn’s cheese, and jellies; turkey bacon, ground turkey, and turkey sausage. If you would like a special cut, possibilities include Maple Lawn Farm turkeys, standing rib roast, prime rib roast, beef tenderloin, pork crown roast, boneless pork loin, smoked ham, fresh ham, etc.!
Shortly before market day, I was shocked to read in the local paper that the Humane Society of Washington County, MD, seized almost 100 animals from Danny’s farm; I have supported and reported on this farm and others at the West Frederick farmer’s market. The story spread to the Washington Post, the farmer was charged with over 300 counts of animal cruelty, and lost his restaurant contracts, many of his customers, in addition to most of his animals.
The humane society told the press that the seized animals were emaciated, neglected, deformed, and dying. I wondered how a farmer with animals in that condition could provide so much high quality meat; it didn’t make sense. A field service officer with the humane society said they were not able to take all of the animals[1] so I set up an appointment to visit the farm after the market closed and see those animals for myself.
Danny said that when the humane society arrived with their warrant, they knocked over one of the cows and euthanized it on the spot. He went in the house and called the sheriff and was told that there was nothing the police could do except recommend the farmer sue the human society. He has heard that the Washington County commissioner’s office gave the humane society authority over the sheriff’s department and has been told that the humane society could not have pulled off the seizure in nearby Frederick County. Here are pictures of some of the cows that were taken away (remember you can click on photos to enlarge them).
Danny said that some of the female cows get thin when they’re nursing and the humane society took some of the mothers and left the babies who were too young to be on their own. The field officers also chased the cows around the fields trying to catch them and would not assist with cows who fell and needed help. Here is a picture of one of the mothers that was taken by the humane society that left a baby wandering alone. The second picture shows a cow that was chased and fell (you can see how it slid in the mud). Danny asked the field officers for help getting this cow to stand but they refused and the cow was stuck for almost two days.
I asked the farmer about the comment in the paper that the animals were running for (the humane society provided) food. He showed me where hay is piled in the fields, protein-mixture buckets are placed throughout the fields, and food bins are in the barns. He said the humane society dumped their food on top of manure, right next to a food bin, for the animals to eat off of the manure. I also saw plenty of clean water provided in containers that prevent the water from freezing in cold weather. Here are some of the other farm animals.
We went out to the field to visit some of the remaining cows and the farmer spread a bag of feed across an area of the field. Some of the cows came over and the others were too skittish after the recent chaos. The humane society tried to get Danny to sign over his rights to the seized animals and he refused. The animals are temporarily on other local farms while the case is pending. Danny has to pay about $45,000 per month ($15 per animal per day) for their upkeep in the meantime.
The farmer’s personal veterinarian that knows the animals, locals who want to help farm animals in a humane way, and authorities including the humane society could work together to develop programs for small farms. Like if a farmer does need some help, donations to the humane society should assist; but why an inhumane seizure? It’s a sad case from all perspectives.
This week I will make my Hungarian chicken paprikas with chicken from the Rohrer farm, and I wish the best for small farmers and hope they all raise happy animals.
[1] “Frederick farmers market seller faces 318 animal-cruelty charges after seizure,” The Frederick News-Post, December 19, 2014.
