First and foremost I support FFA!PETA is not happy though !!!
www.peta.org/teachki nd/humane-classroom/ ffa-4h-school-agricu lture-programs/

@MalluGuy : I didn't know this. The animals in these programs are typically destined for one of two heartbreaking fates: to be sold at auction for slaughter or to be used as "breeders" (and likely sent to slaughter later, once they're no longer profitable). 😢

@Knk : That is the reality of farming for food! They aren't pets !!

agreed not pets. my friend paid her college by raising cows and selling them!

I couldn't do that. I love animals too much.

I found this information on PETA website about a Pearland girl by the name Alena Hidalgo. Quite an interesting case:Alena Hidalgo of Pearland, Texas, spent months getting to know Gizmo, the pig she purchased through the FFA. It didn't take long for the two to bond as Alena played with Gizmo and cared for him every day. She saw him as the unique, sentient, intelligent being he was-not as food or a "product" to make money from. So when the time came to send Gizmo to slaughter, Alena knew that she had to do everything in her She raised her voice and fought for weeks. Along with her friend Kayree, Alena not only persuaded her school to let her send Gizmo to a local sanctuary but also fought for the life of another pig named Kurtis (who, unfortunately, was sent to slaughter by another student). At the sanctuary, Gizmo is able to spend his days living freely, with no risk of being slaughtered. As for Alena, she decided to go vegan and quit the FFA.power to save him.

@Mars00 : Good for Alena! I didn't read that far. Thanks for sharing. It's interesting because we watched a South Korean film a few years ago called Okja that was very touching. It was about a young girl that risked everything to prevent a powerful, multinational company from kidnapping her best friend which was a pig named Okja.

@Knk : My sister watched that movie and told everyone not to watch, that it was too sad / emotional! ; )

@PearlandDotCom : It was a sad/emotional movie but worth watching.

@Mars00 : My kind of girl! While these animals are not supposed to be pets, they are raised as pets and taught to trust humans. I think it is horrible, and it must be so scary for them, to go from being loved and pampered to the slaughter house. To me, this is just wrong. I do not, nor will I ever attend or support the rodeo or anything that goes with it.

@Knk : Are you a vegan

@1Gloria : You don't have to be vegan you just have to be rich and gullible so you can afford to eat what you think is organically raised cruelty free meat.

I hardly think I am gullible. I grew up on a farm and ranch and still have a ranch today. You don't have to buy organic. Our cattle eat pure grass and hay and are not labeled organic. And no, I am not rich. Ranchers really don't make that much after the expense of raising a calf.

@1Gloria : I was just trying to convey that I believe a lot of labels like "organic" and "cruelty free" are just marketing terms geared towards more affluent buyers.

I agree. Definitely "cruelty free" because there is no such thing.