From Anna Vierse:
My experience working with Barbara and the Indiana CAFO Watch organization during Spring, 2013 truly enlightened me, not only to the extent of environmental and food-source degradation occurring on American farms, but also to the shocking level of politics contributing to such malpractices. Having lived in a city or suburb my entire life, I had seen documentaries and read several journalistic exposés concerning the mistreatment of animals on farms the resulting negatively affect on our food quality, but interning at CAFO Watch made these conditions real for me—some of this was occurring mere miles away on farms in Indiana. However, change is not easy, and I witnessed politicians fight against sanitation and a safe environment merely for the benefit of their own pocketbooks.
Even if at times the research work I completed to support proposed bills or to provide hard data grew tedious, Barbara was inspiring with her passion and firm belief in her cause. I learned about the arduous and seemingly insignificant role of a grassroots or whistleblower organization, but also saw the invigorating effects of spreading such news with dedication. I experienced politics, the bill-making process, environmental activism, and now better understood the role of farms in America. But most of all, I witnessed the amazingly strong influence the common people can have in making a difference in our country.
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