I think some on the forum may be taking some comments made out of context,it's not a rancher versus rancher,how one raises his/her cattle compared to another.I thought we we're more talking about how the animals are treated once they are sold and start thier feedlot existance till slaughter and the way thier housed and fed.You folks on here have beautiful operations of which a starter first generation guy could only dream,not knocking that.It's the corporations that drive my comments.What does occur to me is that the situation of folks in the midwest far from a source where they could direct market thier animals to folks with disposible incomes is not an option,and you're producing to the market that is available to you,and i support you on that and understand there's alot of people to feed in this country and the world,and you guys are doing your part to keep the food flowing smoothly and and at a price people can afford,i'm not knocking conventional producers here,most guys i know are.The model of Ag that most appealed and made sence to us as small producers living close to a good sales base was to direct our product to folks whom have a sence of social responsibility for the envirorment and want food raised in the same fashion and are willing to pay what the farmer and rancher fill is fair for thier efforts,they want from pasture to slaughter to plate,and we want the whole consumer dollar,no middle men,healthy animals.I don't knock corn fed raised beef,grew up on it and know many people that prefer it,i just found something that fit my operation and beliefs as far as how animals going into the food system should be raised and went that route,to each his own,should'nt be a seperating factor amongst us producers,since all of our circumstances are very different.I fill overall there's a good perception of farmers and ranchers at least in this area and people want to connect with us and hear our side and stories if we let them,"King Corn" is another interesting documentry.