By Katherine Gibson (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: June 4, 2014
When most people think about chicken farming, SWAT teams and evil masterminds are usually not the first things that come to mind. However, BC’s newest dynamic duo, the “Chicken Squad,” is kicking butt and taking names in a new trailer that mixes poultry education with pure entertainment.
The trailer, which features local chicken farmers fighting against the use of steroids and hormones in chicken farming, gives audience members the opportunity to learn more about the poultry industry.
As “Chicken Squad agent” and local farmer Ravi Bathe notes, many people are misinformed about what the industry entails. For instance, although hormones and steroids have been banned in Canadian chicken production since 1963, almost two thirds of British Columbians believe the chicken they consume has been altered by these products.
“I think some of [the misunderstanding] can come from movies, talk shows, or even TV shows that [people] see,” Bathe says. “They don’t necessarily represent how [farmers] raise chicken in Canada, but when you see [steroid and hormone use], people might think that’s the way that everyone does it.”
Besides the fact that using hormones and steroids in chicken is illegal in Canada, Bathe also believes keeping these substances out of chicken farming is important to maintain consumer confidence.
“We have some of the highest [chicken farming] standards in the world. It’s a great quality, clean, healthy product,” he says. “We have farm food safety … animal care, [and] bio security programs — all of these ensure that we are producing the best quality product possible,” he continues. “You know if you’re buying BC chicken … you’re getting a top-notch product that you can be confident in.”
The overwhelming popularity of the trailer has also strengthened the public’s desire to engage with and understand the industry. As Bathe explains, Twitter has been one of the most effective and positive tools in opening the doors of communication.
BC chicken farmers themselves have also reacted positively, noting the importance of sharing their passion for chicken farming with the public.
“We have to show people what we do, why we love to do it, and how we love to do it,” Bathe says. “The average person doesn’t know where their food comes from or they don’t accurately know … They go to the grocery store or the market and buy it but they don’t really know how that chicken was raised.
“I hope that [the trailer] has helped … people understand that farmers are fun and they love what they do,” he continues. “We love to feed our fellow humanity — our fellow people. We take real passion in doing this.”
As for future adventures with BC’s favourite hormone-fighting chicken squad, the public will simply have to wait and see.
“I’m hoping someone from Hollywood will call and tell us that they want to do a full motion picture but I’m not holding my breath on that,” Bathe concludes, laughing. “We want to keep this going. We’ve got momentum now … Will we do something else in the next couple of years? I hope so.”
