If you walk into any Chipotle location across America, you'll likely find a sign that says "FYI: This restaurant is currently serving carnitas made with pork that meets or exceeds all of our animal welfare standards, but not all facets of our antibiotic protocol." As a proud agriculturalist, this sign caught my attention when I finally noticed it my last trip to one of their stores. (I don't eat at Chipotle often due to the way they portray agriculture, but I do make an exception sometimes since its a favorite of many of my friends who are not involved in the field like I am.)

Growing up in a farming family and being raised showing livestock, the usage of antibiotics is something that I strongly stand by. Antibiotics are a good thing. They're used to prevent illness and care for sick livestock. The FDA sets a withdrawal period for each and every drug. Withdrawal periods are a time in which livestock cannot be slaughtered to allow for the drug to work its way out of the animals system. This means there is no drug residue or traces of it left in the meat when its processed, making it safe to eat.

But this isn't the first ploy Chipotle has used to make buyers believe that they're the 'good guy'. The company has also put out a Hulu series entitled "Farmed and Dangerous". According to the shows website, it's described as a "comedy series that explores the outrageously twisted and utterly unsustainable world of industrial agriculture." Like many other farmers, I find nothing about the series comical. They attack large scale agriculture, when in fact they're large scale food. While I do appreciate their concern for the way their food is produced, I don't appreciate the way they go about things, bullying producers who have different opinions than them to create a further demand for their product. It's awesome to want people to talk about their food, but it's not awesome to turn people against the hands that feed them.

The fact is that Chipotle feeds on the disconnect the vast majority of the general public has from food production, producing cases of what many in the industry have described as food fear. They use this food fear to their advantage to sell their food. The company capitalizes on the fear people have of things like antibiotics and GMO'S and then promises happy, free range livestock from suppliers to make consumers believe that their product is the best. Kristen Reese, a local Ohio sheep producer, self proclaimed foodie, mother of two and blogger states:

"I would argue that, rather than "Big Ag" trying to peddle poison for profit, the real deception out there is "Big Chipotle" peddling lies and misinformation to give a perceived benefit to their products over the competition - goading consumers into ponying up more cash for their "healthy" burritos."

You can read the rest of Kristen's response here at http://mattandkristenreese.blogspot.com/im-farming...

The truth is burrito making mecca knows how to sell. In turn though they're turning their customers against the backbone of America, our farmers. So to Chipotle; I ask you to really get to know the farmers you've been cutting down. Watch and learn first hand about their production practices and why we really do what we do. You may be surprised at what you learn.

To the consumers; Educate yourselves and don't be afraid to ask questions. Do not fall for the signs you see, or the shows on TV. Don't play into their gimmicks. Producers aren't the bad guy.

And to our farmers; Don't be discouraged and don't give up. Welcome those who would like to learn. Don't stay quiet, be proud and use your voice, its louder than you think.

In the very near future producers will be tasked with feeding a rapidly growing population. It's predicted that our worlds population will reach more than nine billion by the year 2050. That's a lot of hungry mouths to feed. Rather than working against one another, we should be working together. It will be nearly impossible to feed the world if we don't embrace and utilize our advancing technologies and production practices. If our consumers continue to turn against our producers, there will be no way for us to survive. Like Kristen says "Let's stop slinging inaccurate information and farmers and Chipotle get down to what we both do best, raise food and make burritos."

Think about this the next time you find yourself craving a Chipotle burrito, and remember that if you ate today, thank a farmer.