Out to pasture: A look at farming practices and pasture raising animals

More and more, people are getting upset about the way our food is produced in the “civilized world”.  Large corporations have continued to become more and more efficient in meat production, but is that truly what is best?  Does it really bring down prices?  Should it?  Here’s a look at what some farmers are trying to promote to better practices and to answer some of these question.

CLF teamed up with the Video and Film Arts Department at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) to produce Out to Pasture: The Future of Farming? films in 2010, which explore important issues in our food system.

CLF and MICA also collaborated to produce a film about sustainable food animal production entitled Out to Pasture: The Future of Farming? (34 minutes) CLF’s Leo Horrigan plays the role of producer for Out to Pasture and Allen Moore, a MICA professor and independent filmmaker, directs the film. Out to Pasture contrasts industrial-style confined animal production with farms that raise food animals outdoors in diversified operations, striving to be sustainable. Several of these pasture-based farmers are profiled and they tell their own vibrant stories of bucking the trends in farming. They discuss how they got started in farming (three transitioned from confinement operations), what’s important about their farming methods, how their conventional-farm neighbors view them, how to keep young people on the farm, the future of the food system, and other compelling topics. The film also features Robert Lawrence, director of CLF; and John Ikerd, a leading thinker on sustainable agriculture issues.