End Animal Livestock Programs

TeachKind receives many calls and letters of complaint about animal livestock programs. Our files are crammed with news photos of crying young boys and girls forced to give up their calves, lambs, and other animals at auctions as if they were no more than prized pumpkins or tomatoes. Youth agriculture programs allow children to raise and grow to love animals and then expect them to send the animals they've showered with attention and care off to a violent, terrifying death. It's cruel to the animals and emotionally abusive to the children.

Youth livestock programs have no place in a society where eating meat is unnecessary for human health and survival. Programs that purport to teach students about modern farming techniques do nothing of the sort. Modern farming operations have thousands of animals kept in crowded confinement with little to no contact with humans. School agriculture programs don't teach children about the reality of factory farming. They also teach children that their natural affinity and respect for animals is wrong, that they shouldn't cry when the animals who trust and enjoy their company are betrayed and sent off with strangers to be slaughtered.

We encourage you to start a dialogue with your students about the ethical concerns of modern animal agriculture. Learn more about the issue by watching "Meet Your Meat" online. Order a free copy of "Meet Your Meat" (ages 14-adult), "My Friends at the Farm" (ages 7-13), or "Let's Ask the Animals" (ages 8-10) from TeachKind to show your students. Download the printable PDF of the "Meet Your Meat" Lesson (ages 13-adult) or use the online "Where Do Eggs Come From?" Lesson (ages 5-adult) to aid you in discussing the issue with your students.