Life on the Bansen farm. Nicholas D. Kristof for the New York Times.

Susan Seubert for The New York Times

If you find the article firewalled, the takeaway is: “Like many farmers, Bob (a dairy farmer) frets about regulations and reporting requirements, but he also sympathizes with recent animal rights laws meant to improve the treatment of livestock and poultry. “You hate to have it go to legislation, but we need to protect the animals,” he said. “They’re living things, and you have to treat them right.”