Harold Brown (m): I spent most of my life in agriculture; I grew up on a cattle farm in Michigan (USA). And now I am a vegan and animal rights activist.

HOST: Compassionate viewers, welcome to Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants. Today’s program features the first of a two-part interview with Harold Brown of the United States who grew up on a cattle farm and also worked in the dairy industry for three years.

He eventually left the farm and became an animal advocate, a promoter of plant-based agriculture, an environmentalist and a vegan. He has formed his own non-profit group called “Farm Kind” and travels across North America to talk to audiences about sustainability, veganism, kindness to animals, and his experiences
as a farmer.

Harold Brown appears in two documentaries by US director Jenny Stein – “Peaceable Kingdom” released in 2004 and the re-make released in 2009, “Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home.” The films focus on farmers who were in the animal agriculture industry, but ultimately rejected their profession because of the inhumane treatment and slaughter of animals and the severe damage to the Earth caused by livestock raising.
During childhood, Harold felt deeply disturbed by the animal cruelty occurring on his parent’s farm.

Harold Brown (m): When my brother and I, were fairly young, my grandfather had bought this dairy steer, he was a Holstein, a black and white cow to the farm.

He was big, and we named him Max.  Max, he liked being petted, and we grew attached to him. Well one day I came home from school, and, Max was gone, and I asked my grandfather, “Where's Max?”
He said “Oh we had to butcher Max.” I cried; I was so sad that they killed Max.