Out to Pasture: The Future of Farming?

Almost all of the animals we eat in this country are raised in so-called “confinement” operations – indoor facilities that house thousands of chickens, cows or hogs. Unlike the diversified farms that once were the norm, confinement operations tend to be highly specialized. Considering that humans have raised domesticated animals for thousands of years, this industrial style of production is a new experiment. There are rising concerns about the impact of industrial farming on our health, the environment, local communities, and the welfare of the animals. However, there are still farmers who raise animals outdoors, in diversified operations. Some would call them backward, but these farmers believe they are on the cutting edge of animal agriculture. This film tells their story. While the film discusses problems in industrial food animal operations, its main focus is on farmers who have either transitioned out of the industrial model or never entered into it. The 35-minute film profiles two chicken farms on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; dairy farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania; and three pastured hog farms in eastern North Carolina's Duplin County – also home to more than two million industrially-raised hogs each year. Community activists in the film highlight problems in industrial farming, but the farmers show the power of following a different path. It was produced between May and October of 2010. It was selected for a screening at the 19th annual D.C. Environmental Film Festival on March 17, 2011.er of 2010. It was selected for a screening at the 19th annual D.C. Environmental Film Festival on March 17, 2011.