In 2012, HHVM started the first Cow protection farm and spiritual center in Redmond WA and subsequently a second cow protection farm in Black Diamond/Auburn, WA.
Maharaj wrote an article on cow-protection:
After the battle of Kuruksetra, Krishna installed Maharaja Yudhistira as king of the Kuru empire because he was endowed with godly qualities by virtue of accepting Krishna as His spiritual teacher as well as other great devotees of Lord Krishna such as Bhisma. (It is said that during the reign of Maharaja Yudhistira, there was regular rainfall, the earth produced all the necessities of mankind, cows were happy and their udders were bloated with sumptuous milk so much so that they fertilized the pastures with milk. Thus the citizens of the kingdom lived an opulent, healthy life and cultivated spiritual values that helped them evolve into pure devotees liberated from all the vices, illusions and sufferings of degraded human life.
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (aka Srila Prabhupada) explains how to have a peaceful, happy and prosperous society through cow protection, land stewardship and Krishna conscious leaders and citizens:
The basic principle of economic development is centered on land and cows. The necessities of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc. One requires all these items to fulfill the material needs of the body. Certainly one does not require flesh and fish or iron tools and machinery. During the regime of Maharaja Yudhisthira, all over the world there were regulated rainfalls. Rainfalls are not in the control of the human being. The heavenly King Indradeva is the controller of rains, and he is the servant of the Lord. When the Lord is obeyed by the king and the people under the king’s administration, there are regulated rains from the horizon, and these rains are the causes of all varieties of production on the land. Not only do regulated rains help ample production of grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grain, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do people need economic development in the shape of tools and machines? Can tools and machines supply vigor and vitality to men and animals? Can machinery produce grain, fruit and milk, or jewels and silk? Are jewels and silk, along with varieties of foodstuffs prepared with ghee, grain, milk and fruits, not sufficient for man’s pure, luxurious and healthy life? Then what is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinemas, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything more than the doggish mentality of quarreling individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and the war fields at the whims of a particular man? (SB 1:10:4)
Lord Krishna says He is the seed-giving father of all species of life in this world. (Bg 14.4) Every living entity is the child of God, who naturally does not tolerate even an ant being killed such as people stepping on ants purposely or children pouring lighter fluid on ant hills and burning them for entertainment. There are stringent laws of nature that God has established that act whether we are aware of them or not. According to the Manu Samhita, the law book for Vedic Society, killing a cow for meat is an act of ignorance that has dire karmic consequences for all the persons involved in the act including the permitter of the slaughter , the butcher, the seller, the transporter, the cooker and the eater. The following prayer says Lord Krishna is the well-wisher of cows and Brahmana priests:
namo brahmanya-devaya
go-brahmana-hitaya ca
jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
govindaya namo namah
“My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world.” (Visnu Purana 1.19.65)
Srila Prabhupada comments:
Brahmanas are the symbol of spiritual education, and cows are the symbol of the most valuable food; these two living creatures, the brahmanas and the cows, must be given all protection — that is real advancement of civilization. in modern human society, spiritual knowledge is neglected, and cow killing is encouraged. It is to be understood, then, that human society is advancing in the wrong direction and is clearing the path to its own condemnation. A civilization which guides the citizens to become animals in their next lives is certainly not a human civilization. The present human civilization is, of course, grossly misled by the modes of passion and ignorance. It is a very dangerous age, and all nations should take care to provide the easiest process, Krsna consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger. (Bg 14.16 — purport)
Cow protection is very important for the stability and health of society. Five categories of citizens of a state should receive special protection: Brahmana priests, women, children, seniors and cows. When these five receive special attention and protection, the prosperity and spiritual well-being of society will proceed successfully. Protecting cows and all citizens of the state is the duty of responsible leaders of society. Srila Prabhupada explains the importance of cow protection for a healthy life with enhanced intellect and peaceful longevity which helps to promote the spiritual qualities by which one can come closer to God:
Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gita, advises go-raksya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one’s life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarine milk from their milk bags. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.6.12 Purport)
In another quote by Srila Prabhupada, he reveals how to live happily without scarcity by cow protection and producing grains. By protecting all breeds of cows and especially the Indian Gyr cow, one obtains sufficient milk; and by producing food grains humanity is nourished.
Jamadagni was more powerful than Kartaviryarjuna because of performing the agnihotra-yajna with clarified butter received from the Kamadhenu. Not everyone can be expected to possess such a cow. Nonetheless, an ordinary man may possess an ordinary cow, give protection to this animal, take sufficient milk from it, and engage the milk to produce butter and clarified ghee, especially for performing the agnihotra-yajna. This is possible for everyone. Thus we find that in Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna advises go-raksya, the protection of cows. This is essential because if cows are cared for properly they will surely supply sufficient milk. We have practical experience in America that in our various ISKCON farms we are giving proper protection to the cows and receiving more than enough milk. In other farms the cows do not deliver as much milk as in our farms; because our cows know very well that we are not going to kill them, they are happy, and they give ample milk. Therefore this instruction given by Lord Krsna — go-raksya — is extremely meaningful. The whole world must learn from Krsna how to live happily without scarcity simply by producing food grains (annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]) and giving protection to the cows (go-raksya). Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhavajam [Bg. 18.44]. Those who belong to the third level of human society, namely the mercantile people, must keep land for producing food grains and giving protection to cows.
This is the injunction of Bhagavad-gita. In the matter of protecting the cows, the meat-eaters will protest, but in answer to them we may say that since Krsna gives stress to cow protection, those who are inclined to eat meat may eat the flesh of unimportant animals like hogs, dogs, goats and sheep, but they should not touch the life of the cows, for this is destructive to the spiritual advancement of human society. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.15.25 Purport)
In the next quote, Srila Prabhupada reveals the ancient wisdom by which mothers can protect their children from calamity and sickness by mantras, cow dung and urine:
Even in the houses of the cultivators, who were not very advanced in the modern ways of civilization, the ladies used to know how to chant mantras to give protection to children with the help of cow dung and cow urine. This was a simple and practical way to give the greatest protection from the greatest dangers. People should know how to do this, for this is a part of Vedic civilization. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.22-23 – Purport)
Traditionally in the Indian villages mothers have protected their children by reciting Vedic mantras (especially Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare which is recommended for this age) and bathing their children with a mixture of water and fresh cow urine. They have used a mixture of powdered, dry cow dung and purified cow dung ash mixed with powdered neem leaves made into a paste with water, milk and yogurt and smeared on the body of the child. After it dries, the paste is washed off the skin, which is then moisturized with a mixture of pure cow ghee diluted with coconut oil. Thus the child grows up with radiant healthy skin and protected by the mercy of Lord Krishna and His holy Mahamantra.