Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
one facility. We had the safeguards of diversity and variety in our food supply, and
now we have nearly lost them.
A campaign of educating the public, which includes legislators, must ensue. Small-
time raisers must contact elected officials and let them know how important our vocation
is to the survival of the American lifestyle and to many, many breeds of heritage birds.
Maintaining Diversity
The current legal system continues to produce far-reaching food recalls and public anxi-
ety about food safety. As a result, consumers increasingly want to know where their
food comes from. They want safe, humanely raised food; many also want to buy food
raised locally to support their local economy. If you are able to raise a few heritage birds
in your backyard, using safe, humane methods, you can meet the demand of these con-
sumers.
HERITAGE BREEDS
Marjorie Bender and the American Livestock
Breeds Conservancy, North Carolina
M
ARJIE BENDER
served as research and technical program director for the ALBC
(American Livestock Breeds Conservancy) for a number of years. I first encountered
her shortly after she started working for ALBC in 1999, taking over after another
dedicated worker, Carolyn Christman, had laid the groundwork. Marjie and I both
were attending our first ALBC annual conference, held that year in Illinois.
I was immediately impressed by Marjie's dedication and enthusiasm for her job
and mission. She pursued grants, accomplished projects, and produced news releases
to get heritage breeds of poultry into the media spotlight. She conducted a follow-
up census of heritage turkey breeds, then waterfowl, and finally — a big task — the
chickens. Along with the team at ALBC, she developed criteria and definitions for
heritage birds.
With the help of SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) grants
Marjie put together a project that changed the future of heritage turkeys. It was hard
for me to accept at first, but her plan worked. Get people to eat them and they will
taste the difference; the demand will follow, she said, and she was correct. She turned
the tide, and heritage turkeys are making a comeback.
