Greetings lovely viewers and thank you for joining us on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants.

Pigs are among the most intelligent animals on Earth. In fact, according to scientific studies, their intelligence level surpasses that of a three-year old child. They are also very sensitive and caring beings as shown by the fact that mother pigs sing to their piglets while they are nursing.

Dr. Sarah Boysen of Pennsylvania State University in the US concluded that pigs are able to focus with a greater intensity than a chimpanzee. In fact pigs are also very sociable and are always communicating using body language and oinks or squeals.

Recognizing the sentient nature of our porcine friends, many pig farmers have made the noble decision to leave the industry and seek a peaceful livelihood. Today will introduce you to more of their heart-felt stories for the conclusion of our two-part series entitled, “Courageous Pig Farmers Transition to a Peaceful Lifestyle.”

And every time a pig had a fever, I felt pity for them and also cried. Once, a pig had a fever, I used a wet towel to wipe them and placed it on the pig like I did for my child. After I kept setting the wet towel on them for awhile, they became conscious again. How happy I was! I felt that pigs are just like me, so I loved them. Now I cannot raise animals for meat any more.

Graciously sharing their inspirational changes are Randall Ball from Ohio, USA who now owns Paradise Found, a local organic produce distribution service, Thái Nguyễn and Kim Phạm from southern Âu Lạc (Vietnam), who are now organic dragon fruit cultivators, and Hsu Chun-De in Formosa (Taiwan), now the president of Yunlin County’s Nature Research Institute and the founder of Noah’s Ark, a project to preserve the island’s water plants.

Livestock production is a breeding ground for all sorts of diseases such as mad cow disease and swine flu, as well as for violence and cruelty. There are a host of reasons why all factory farms should be immediately closed including the safeguarding of our health, enhancing economic well-being, improving animal welfare, ethics and environmental protection.

Pig farming was industrialized and pigs were raised in high density. Eventually even the rivers became putrid, and we have to deal with the water pollution problem.

First, the swine flu is spreading very rapidly around the world, bringing death to people. This flu acts very fast, and is very powerful. Second, the daily waste from raising animals pollutes the environment and our health and our community’s health.

The contaminated water also seeps into our groundwater, and pollutes our water source. For example, in some places like Yin Lin County, people still use the groundwater, which is very bad for our body. It is because there are some harmful substances in pig feed, like zinc, copper…etc. These minerals more or less affect our health.

The waste from pig farms has a terrible impact on the surrounding ecosphere. The untreated waste from thousands of pigs is often dumped into deep pits known as “lagoons.” Typically several hectares in size, these lagoons release toxic gases and odors, while eventually leaching millions of liters of the dangerous liquid into the ground.

The air is also contaminated with noxious gases such as hydrogen sulfide, the inhalation of which can cause severe respiratory illnesses and even death. Enormous amounts of deadly greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide that rapidly accelerate climate change are released by factory farms as well.

Looking back, we have been polluting the Earth ever since we started to raise pigs. The streams have become filthy and stinky. We used to play in the streams when we were little. Now, no one dares get close to the creeks. The water is always dirty and smelly. All the fish have died off, and the water plants have become extinct. The pollution is very serious.

I think anyone can see there's just ecological disaster, the amount of waste and pollution they're putting into the air and just to be around them, the stink is unbelievable. But it really means that more nutrients have gone into the water than they can assimilate and heats up the oxygen; the stream becomes devoid of oxygen and the fish die. Well, there's probably no greater pollution than what's coming out of these factory farms.

We should try our best to stop killing, because eating animals consumes a lot of grains, and it is bad for the environment. In order to fill up our stomach, we use up tens of kilograms of feedstock in exchange for one kilogram of meat. It’s very harmful to our Mother Earth. So of course being veg is better. And we support it.

Adopting more frugal ways to reduce waste and eliminating the overuse of our precious resources is also an important point that Mr. Hsu notes. By leading a more virtuous lifestyle, inner contentment can be more easily realized.

We should reduce our material desire, and elevate the quality of life, which doesn’t necessarily cost a lot of money. You can be very content with such a life. It’s very good.

Oh God! Now I feel so light and can fully love the animals. Now I love animals so much. So, I advise people to stop raising animals for food. Growing dragon fruit like this makes me feel so carefree and much happier than before.

Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television. Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants will be right back after these brief messages.

For the health of the community and the world, to preserve the environment, to keep the water fresh and clean, I ask that people change jobs to keep our environment pure and to avoid harming our community.

We know that they (livestock) need to eat grains. How many kilograms of grains do they have to eat in order for us to have a kilogram of meat? Approximately 20. Lambs need to eat 50 kilograms of grains to produce one kilogram of meat. We are in a food crisis; it’s more economical and eco-friendly to be veg.

Thank you for joining us for today’s program on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants featuring pig farmers who have made the highly admirable transition to peaceful occupations.

Not only do the farmers grow crops now, but they apply organic agricultural methods that are healthy for humans and the environment. In one of the longest studies ever conducted on organic farming practices, research by the US-based Rodale Institute has found that organic soil management not only minimizes fossil fuel use, it can also reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide by up to 40 percent by acting as an effective carbon sink.

Scientists recommend us to use organic fertilizers. I scatter this coconut powder on top, and the trees grow very well.

When I changed to using organic fertilizers for dragon fruit, then there isn’t any trace of nitrate in the dragon fruit. So the dragon fruit I grow are clean and safe to eat.

What are you spreading?

I am spreading coconut fibers. It is very good for trees. We bury organic fertilizer below and put coconut fibers on top of it, trees will grow roots faster than using chemical fertilizers. Trees like this very much, producing big fruits because coconut fibers give nourishment to the roots. Roots actually will die if you use too much chemical fertilizer.

Located in Yunlin, Noah’s Ark is Mr. Hsu’s ongoing effort to prevent precious local water plants from extinction after dams were built in the area without consideration of their harmful ecological impact. Wetlands dried up and biodiversity is threatened. Mr. Hsu has collected about 100 species of plants that now safely grow in Noah’s Ark.

How did you come up with the idea of the eco farm? What’s the motive and reason behind it?

When we raised pigs, we polluted the environment. Some life forms in the streams have disappeared. Our motive is to compensate and make up for our sin. That’s why we are involved in using waterwheels to generate power, and we are concerned about the bio-food chains in the lakes and wetlands. We used to cause pollution to these ecosystems. And the organisms in the rivers have all disappeared. We want to get them back.

Lightness of heart, ease of conscience, better health, improved relations, spiritual peace of mind… these are just some of the amazing benefits that these former pig farmers and many others like them have reaped through their more tranquil and benevolent lifestyle.

The key point is to have a deep understanding about the environmental issues, then you will feel it is natural to switch and opt for an alternative, a better way of life.

With their steadfastness of spirit and persistence to do what’s right by their conscience, the animals and environment, these former pig farmers have stirring words of encouragement for those still in animal farming – walk away from the industry and step into a new life of tranquility and bliss.

My sincere advice from my heart is that people should change jobs, do not raise animals for food anymore. Raising animals for food affects the environment and waste water goes into our canal, polluting the only water source we all use everyday. Also, H1N1 (swine flu) can be transmitted to humans. We don’t know when or who among us will be infected. I advise people to switch from raising animals for food to growing vegetables to assure good health for everyone in the society.

When I got the deeper level spiritual aspect to my connection to all beings and my relationship to them then I became a vegan and it's really been easier. This idea that with our meals, we caused the suffering and create this destruction, it's like a ceremony that we carry into every aspect of our life. Are we going to celebrate life or are we going to celebrate death and destruction? So that's really the choice.

Let’s together Be Veg, Go Green, and Save the Planet!

Supreme Master Ching Hai was the invited the Guest of Honor for a videoconference on climate change entitled, “Global Unity: Together in Saving Lives,” held in Hong Kong on October 3, 2009. She gave her full support to all the heroes that are making a switch to organic vegan farming.

Nowadays, there are more and more good opportunities for the farmers, retailers, transporters. They just do the same, instead of transporting pigs, they transport organic vegetables, etc. Or the farmer retailers, they could switch from the meat business to organic vegetable farming.

It took a great amount of courage in the beginning to change their whole life career around, but all of them would guarantee that it was worth it, more than worth it. It’s worth the great freedom of their heart, their spirit and happiness of their family as well, and health.

We are truly grateful for such courageous people as Randall Ball, Thái Nguyễn, Kim Phạm, and Hsu Chun-De for their endeavors to protect human health, help the animals and heal the planet through their eco-friendly lifestyles. We pray more farmers will very soon join this life-saving and planet-sustaining organic vegan agriculture trend.

For more information about Hsu Chun-De, please visit

Thank you for joining us today on Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants here on Supreme Master Television. Coming up next is Enlightening Entertainment after Noteworthy News. May all God’s creations live in great harmony and true happiness.

Can we avoid today’s common medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer?

I knew that diet cause disease and I knew that there was a possibility for people to stay healthy living on a diet, primarily of starches, rice like in this case. And it wasn’t inevitable you had to get sick.

Be sure to watch Part 1 of “Dr. John McDougall, Enjoy Optimal Health for Life” Monday, December 14 on Healthy Living.