No mRNA vaccines for our animals. What livestock vaccines are required anyway?

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April 21, 2023

Our farm has gotten a slurry of emails and calls from rightfully concerned customers asking if we use or would use mRNA vaccines for our animals. That answer is simple.

No, we do not and will not use mRNA vaccines for our animals.

In fact, we put an icon at the top of our homepage a couple months ago stating exactly this.

As for other vaccines, we have never and do not routinely vaccinate our animals. For various reasons, a select few of our animals have received vaccines in the past. We are working to slowly sell those animals and will be 100% vaccine-free by 2025. You can read more about our vaccination practices here.

For the rest of this blog post, let’s explore the current vaccination requirements for livestock and poultry and what developments there are in vaccines in food.

Vaccines in livestock and poultry are recommended, NOT required. It’s a choice.

Just like raw milk and marijuana, vaccination requirements in the United States are regulated state by state. Vaccinations are not regulated by the federal government.

To my knowledge, there is no state that requires vaccines for fish, livestock, or poultry within their state. Right now, it’s the farmer or business’s choice to vaccinate or not.

However, if an animal travels from one state to another, the USDA or the state may require vaccination.

Basically all states require some type of identification or veterinary certificate proving the animals are free of disease to cross a state line. Overall it seems that negative tests are valued more than vaccination.

The USDA may require vaccination when there are state-federal disease eradication programs. And, there are some states that require vaccination for animals crossing the state line. For example, California requires entering dairy cows to be vaccinated for brucellosis before entry into the state.

Vaccines in food, especially mRNA vaccines, is definitely something to be concerned about in the future.

As the health of humans, animals, and the planet declines more and more and as we continuously try to industrialize and engineer everything (ahem fake meat), vaccines are becoming more and more popular. As it stands now, there’s very little regulation, which makes creating new products relatively easy.

Here are some vaccine things that are in the works:

Some mRNA vaccines for livestock are here, and many are in development.

mRNA vaccines have already been licensed for pigs (and dogs and cats). Despite internet rumors, the fact is that none have been approved for cattle or poultry… yet.

This isn’t new news. Big pharma companies have been working on developing mRNA vaccines for animals for a long time. For example, Bayer has been working with BioNTech on pet and livestock mRNA vaccines since 2016. They are coming soon!

Edible vaccines are being researched.

People won’t need to remember to “get the shot”, they’ll get boosted every time they eat! Active research is being done on lettuce, corn, rice, wheat, bananas, and other foods. Gene editing is being used to turn plants into mini bioreactors that produce vaccines that you can eat.

Vaccines for insects are coming, too.

In January, the USDA gave conditional approval for the first vaccine for honeybees. It would protect them from American foulbrood, an aggressive bacterium that can spread quickly from hive to hive. To get full approval, the vaccine manufacturer would need to show proof of “safety, purity and certain degrees of efficacy”. If they do, this would be the first ever vaccine for insects.

The real concern here is informed consent. We should have the right to know if there are vaccines in our food.

Right now, vaccines in food are like the Wild West. It’s lawless. A farmer or food producer does not need to provide any labeling that indicates whether vaccines were given or are present in a food.

This is the opposite of informed consent. At Miller’s Bio Farm, we believe that everyone has the right to know exactly what they’re eating. That’s why we provide SO MUCH info on our site and are happy to answer any questions.

There are many lobbyists and legislators working toward requiring conspicuous labeling of vaccines in food. Unfortunately, they aren’t getting much movement.

Here are some recent or current bills:

Missouri’s HB1169 would require conspicuous labeling for any product that has the potential to act as a gene therapy or that could introduce genetic material to product’s users. Foods or products would need to be labeled with the words “gene therapy product“.
Arizona’s HB2762 would require disclosure for products made from fish, livestock, and poultry that received mRNA vaccines and prohibits these from being labeled as organic.
Idaho’s SB1018 and SB1093 would both prohibit the manufacture or sale of any food that contains a vaccine or vaccine material unless conspicuously labeled.
Tennessee SB88/HB32 would prohibit the manufacture or sale of any food that contains a vaccine unless conspicuously labeled.
Tennessee’s HB842/SB369 removes the requirement for livestock vaccines, allows mRNA vaccine-free meat labeling, and removes Ag commissioner’s authority to order livestock vaccines.

I’m very curious to see what the future holds for mRNA technology, food, and our right to choose.

The terminology around vaccines and GMOs is getting tricky. Here are some terms to look out for:

“Bioengineered” is the new “GMO”.

“Precision breeding” is a new term for genetically modified animals. In the UK, laws have been amended so that bioengineered “precision bred” animals can now be marketed as non-GMO.

“Gene therapy” is what mRNA vaccines are. They are using gene editing technology to provide gene therapy. Similarly, “gene editing” is being used in the meat industry to create “better” animals.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to know your farmer, remove processed foods from your diet, cook at home, and vote with your fork.

If you want informed consent, if you want vaccine-free food, if you want natural logical ethical food, ask the questions. I know I will. We are creating a better food system together.

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Sources:

Farming Practices

Opinion

Health and Nutrition

Pastured Meat

Raw Dairy

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

Raising Pork the Old-Fashioned Way: Miller's Bio Farm's Commitment to Quality At Miller's Bio Farm, we're not trying to reinvent the wheel, we're bringing back the farming practices that sustained communities for generations. As an Amish farm, we understand that good stewardship of the land and animals isn't just about business; it's about honoring creation and providing wholesome food for families. When you buy pork from us, you're getting more than just meat. You're getting the result of careful, intentional farming that puts the well-being of our animals, our land, and your family first. Let's be honest: most grocery store pork comes wrapped in pretty words like "natural" and "humanely raised," but these labels often don't mean much. It's easy to put nice words on a package, much harder to actually do the work of raising animals properly. We'd like to show you how we do things differently here at Miller's Bio Farm. What Makes Our Pork Different Good pork starts with good practices. For us, that means healthy soil, happy animals, responsible harvesting, and thoughtful management of everything that happens on our farm. Here's what that looks like in practice: Pasture-Raised the Way Nature Intended Pigs aren't meant to spend their lives standing on concrete in windowless buildings. They're curious, intelligent animals that need fresh air, sunshine, and room to express their natural behaviors, rooting in the dirt, foraging for food, and socializing with other pigs. On our farm, hogs live outdoors on pasture in the woods where they can do exactly that. We move them regularly to fresh ground, which keeps them healthy and gives the land time to rest and regenerate. This practice, sometimes called rotational grazing is farming wisdom that's been passed down for centuries. When pigs root and forage on fresh pasture, they're naturally fertilizing the soil and helping plants grow back stronger. The land becomes more fertile season after season, storing carbon and building topsoil instead of depleting it. No chemical fertilizers needed, just pigs doing what pigs do best. This kind of farming takes more work than confining animals in one place, but it produces better results for everyone involved: healthier pigs, healthier land, and better tasting pork. Raising Animals with Respect Our approach to animal care reflects our values as an Amish farming community. We believe animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their lives. Processing with Care When harvest time comes, we work with a small processor who shares our commitment to humane treatment. Our animals are handled calmly and respectfully, with immediate stunning to ensure they feel no distress. This isn't just the right thing to do, it also affects meat quality. Animals that are stressed at slaughter produce tougher, less flavorful meat. Properly handled animals yield tender, delicious pork that you can taste the difference in. Studies also confirm what traditional farmers have long known: animals raised on pasture produce meat with better nutritional profiles, including higher omega-3 fatty acids and more vitamins. Wholesome Feed, No Shortcuts We raise heritage breed pigs, traditional breeds known for their hardiness and flavor. These animals thrive on pasture with supplemental non-GMO grain, and they don't need antibiotics or growth hormones to stay healthy. In industrial pork production, antibiotics are mixed into feed daily to prevent disease in overcrowded conditions. This practice is creating drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health, a problem we don't contribute to. Our pigs build strong immune systems naturally through good nutrition, clean living conditions, and low-stress environments. It's the way farming worked for centuries before shortcuts became the norm. Caring for God's Creation As stewards of the land, we take seriously our responsibility to leave it better than we found it. That's not just good farming, it's part of our calling. Building Soil, Not Destroying It Industrial agriculture depletes soil through intensive tilling, chemical dependence, and continuous monoculture cropping. This approach might boost short-term production, but it's not sustainable. We farm differently. Our rotational grazing actually improves soil health year after year. As pigs move across pasture, they naturally incorporate organic matter into the ground. Rest periods allow plants to regrow with deeper roots, which prevents erosion and captures carbon from the atmosphere. The result is living, fertile soil teeming with beneficial microorganisms soil that produces nutritious forage without synthetic inputs. Handling Waste Responsibly Large scale pig operations often store waste in enormous lagoons that leak pollutants into water supplies and release harmful gases into the air. These systems create environmental and health problems for surrounding communities. Our approach couldn't be more different. Because our pigs are spread across pasture and woodlands in manageable groups, their manure distributes naturally as valuable fertilizer rather than concentrating into a waste problem. When winter weather requires us to bring pigs into shelter, we bed them deeply with straw or wood shavings. This creates a composting effect that safely breaks down manure without environmental contamination. We also plant diverse pasture species specifically chosen to absorb nutrients and maintain ecological balance. Not all pigs like to go in the open shelter in the winter time and that's perfectly fine with us! The Real Story Behind Your Pork Chop Many people wonder which type of meat is most environmentally friendly. The truth is, it's not so much about whether you're eating pork, beef, or chicken, it's about how that animal was raised. Take beef as an example. You've probably heard that cattle are terrible for the environment. That criticism applies to feedlot operations where thousands of cattle are confined in small spaces and fed grain-heavy diets. But cattle raised properly on well managed pasture actually improve the land and sequester carbon. The animal itself isn't the problem; the farming method is. The same principle applies to pork. Factory farmed pork has serious environmental and ethical problems. Pasture raised pork from a regenerative farm like ours is a completely different product. One challenge specific to pork is that pigs need grain as part of their diet, they can't survive on grass alone like cattle can. This means sustainable pork production requires access to sustainably grown grain, ideally non-GMO corn and soybeans from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture. On our farm, we're committed to sourcing feed from responsible growers who share our values of soil health, biodiversity, and chemical free farming. What You're Really Buying When you purchase pork from Miller's Bio Farm, you're not just buying bacon or pork chops. You're supporting a way of farming that's been proven over generations, one that respects animals, regenerates land, and produces genuinely nutritious food. We're proud to raise pork the right way, even though it's more work. Because at the end of the day, that's what good stewardship looks like. And that's something worth bringing home to your table. Check out our: ✔️Corn & Soy Free ✔️ Vaccine, Drug, GMO-Free ✔️Heritage Breeds ✔️Woodland Raised PORK COLLECTION HERE: https://millersbiofarm.com/sto...

No mRNA vaccines for our animals. What livestock vaccines are required anyway?

No, we do not and will not use mRNA vaccines for our animals.

Vaccines in livestock and poultry are recommended, NOT required. It’s a choice.

However, if an animal travels from one state to another, the USDA or the state may require vaccination.

Vaccines in food, especially mRNA vaccines, is definitely something to be concerned about in the future.

Some mRNA vaccines for livestock are here, and many are in development.

Edible vaccines are being researched.

Vaccines for insects are coming, too.

The real concern here is informed consent. We should have the right to know if there are vaccines in our food.

There are many lobbyists and legislators working toward requiring conspicuous labeling of vaccines in food. Unfortunately, they aren’t getting much movement.

The terminology around vaccines and GMOs is getting tricky. Here are some terms to look out for:

Now, more than ever, it’s important to know your farmer, remove processed foods from your diet, cook at home, and vote with your fork.

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From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566