In October of 2009, Gary and Ranell Bridges left the city life in Raleigh and moved onto 21 acres in rural north-central North Carolina. Ranell, who considered herself a “country girl” and had grown up with horses, shared a dream with Gary of living and working on a farm, but neither had raised livestock. Their dream quickly began to materialize when they bought a herd of goats and a flock of chickens within the first month of their move. For the next year, as Gary and Ranell acclimated to farm life, the groundwork was laid for commercial production and in 2011, after being joined by their son, Austin, Two Bridges Farm began to sell goat meat, eggs and produce.

Fred Liebl of Wagon Wheel Ranch has been farming since 1970. Although he wasn’t raised on a farm, his grandparents were farmers in New York state where he grew up and worked on a neighbor’s dairy farm. His work with livestock continued during his time in the Airforce when he was stationed in Montana cattle country. While there, Fred worked on ranches helping with roundups and took the first pre-requisite courses towards his veterinary degree. After leaving the Airforce he attended veterinary school at the University of Georgia while farming hogs and cattle. Fred has remained in Georgia and settled on raising beef cattle on his 200 acres family farm, Wagon Wheel Ranch, in the Northeast of the state.

Lisa Kaiman raises Animal Welfare Approved dairy cattle and laying hens at Jersey Girls Dairy in Chester, VT. Prior to starting her own dairy in 1999, Lisa had worked on other dairies for a decade before starting her own. Lisa milks a herd of 20 Jersey cows in a “cow-friendly”, as Lisa calls it, intensive rotational grazing system and has a flock of about 250 pastured laying hens.

No one takes health and fitness more seriously than today’s top football players. So isn’t it kind of absurd that as we watch Sunday’s game we will all be bombarded by advertisements for some of the unhealthiest junk food imaginable? And as we admire the speed, strength and agility of our gridiron heroes, chances are that most of the millions of chicken wings and burgers that will be consumed at Super Bowl parties across the U.S. will have come from industrialized livestock farming systems that are damaging to the environment, to animal welfare, and ultimately to our own health.

As two titans of the football world clash this Sunday, there is one Titan football player who is already leading by example. Will Witherspoon is linebacker for the Tennessee Titans – and a sustainable farmer. Will is passionate about producing healthy and nutritious food on his Animal Welfare Approved Shire Gate Farm near Owensville, Missouri. As a professional athlete involved in one of the world’s most physical sports, Will is particularly aware of the health benefits of grassfed, high-welfare farming.

“My cattle are raised as nature intended, on grass, and aren’t fed growth hormones, antibiotics or other unnatural additives,” says Will. “As a pro football player, I can’t take over-the-counter cold medicine without letting my trainer know about it. So why would I want my kids eating beef from cattle fed hormones or routine antibiotics?”

Landon Farm is a small family run farm located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain. Farmer Jennifer Sisney strives to provide quality free range meats, vegetables and eggs in an environmentally sustainable, biodynamic manner.

Mark Sacco raises Animal Welfare Approved beef cattle and laying hens at Wm. H. Buckley Farm in Valley Falls, NY. Wm. H. Buckley Farm is committed to using sustainable agricultural practices while raising their herd of Belted Galloway beef cattle. The Belties, as they are called, are only raised on grasses and are never given growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics.

Evermore Farm is a family owned and operated livestock and produce farm located in Westminster, MD with easy access from Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Frederick, MD, and south-central Pennsylvania. Owners Ginger and John Myers are fourth generation farmers whose two children and two grandchildren are also involved in the farm.

Tammy Grimmett raises Animal Welfare Approved Icelandic sheep and laying hens on the 25-acre farm that she and her husband Greg own south of Kansas City. In 2010, they began raising the triple-purpose sheep breed, which are known for quality wool, meat and milk, because of its productivity and lesser-impact on the land, which allows a higher grazing density on their small farm than with larger ruminants.

Ask any farmer to list his or her major challenges and the issue of who will take over the farm when it’s time to retire will no doubt feature in the top 10. According to government statistics about 40% of U.S. farmers are 55 years old and up, raising real concerns about exactly who is going to fill their shoes. The sad fact is that there are fewer young people getting involved in farming than ever, and many young people see no future in the family farm. As a result, countless family farms are being bought up and absorbed by larger industrial operations. In my opinion this is one of the greatest tragedies of our generation.

This is why Shelby Grebenc of Broomfield, CO, is such an inspiration. Shelby is founder of “Shelby’s Happy Chapped Chicken Butt Farm,” located about 20 miles outside of Denver. And at just 12 years-old, Shelby is also the youngest Animal Welfare Approved farmer to date. Shelby represents a beacon of hope for the future. Her dedication to high-welfare farming is an inspiration to all of us – regardless of age.

RK Ranch sits on the west face of the Cuyamaca Mountains at 4,100 feet. Its elevation makes Julian a very different community than the busy city of San Diego just 40 miles away. Randy Leonard and his wife Michelle left the city in 2007 for a seven acre property off the grid; they rely on solar panels to generate electricity and a well to provide water.