It’s the factory farming stupid.

So before the right-wing extremists poke their heads out from some hole to claim that we want everyone to become vegetarians, let me set the record straight.

First, we at the Apple Cart neither support nor promote an all-vegetarian diet.  In fact, we hope that you will start to eat meat and that you will eat lots of it – provided you purchase your meat from Oregon family farmers who raise their animals in a way that doesn’t pollute the environment and doesn’t impact their neighbors. And, yes we want you to support farmers who raise their animals humanely. 

Ah…the “H” word.  Yup we said it – humanely. “Humanely” doesn’t mean that we’re expecting the farm critters to come in the house and lounge on the couch. It means simply treating the animals that you plan to eat with enough dignity and respect as living creatures and allowing these animals the room and freedom to enjoy life as a pig, cow or turkey before they become bacon, steak or a drumstick.

Recently a commentary written by food animal vet, Dr. Robert B. Chernson ran in our favorite “ag rag” the Capital Press. In the article, Raising Farm Animals Under Attack, Chernson defended the practice of factory farming as, “ modern agriculture” and a system that “provides producers an economic advantage.”  Our question: An economic advantage for who? 

The reality is, that the standardize system of producing animals in factory farms, allows agri-conglomerates to mass-produce animal products in order for them to undersell family farmers. 

Dr. Chernson’s response was intended to advocate for a no vote on a Californian ballot measure that “prohibits the cruel confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up and fully extend their limbs."  Sounds reasonable enough to me. 

But apparently, Dr. Chernson and his agribusiness cronies, would rather further the suffering of farm animals by confining them to crates and cages lying in their own feces in order to economically disadvantage family farmers and pad that bottom line of corporate agricultural interests.

The reality is that consumers don’t want products that were produced in a way that caused unnecessary animal suffering. Consumers desire meat and dairy products that are produced in a manner that is both humane for the animal and supports family farmers who are working to make a viable living without negatively impacting their communities.   

There is mass movement afoot for these types of products and it is time that the agribusiness companies realize that the “modern practices” are becoming obsolete. As consumers, we can help the welfare of farm animals and farm families by purchasing our meat, dairy and eggs from family farmers that participate in programs such as Animal Welfare Approved. You can find a farmer near you by checking out the Eat Well Guide or visit a farmer at your local farmers market.

In the meantime, maybe Dr. Chernson should take a gander at Darwin’s theories, because if he’s not careful when we as a meat-eating society evolve – he and his factory farming cronies will be the ones to die off.

Comments

[Andrew]

Great post, I especially like to eat local as much as possible. I intern with the Eat Well Guide, and we've teamed up with Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports) to issue the Local, Organic Thanksgiving Challenge this year. Will you join us? And share a recipe? Read more on the Green Fork www.blog.eatwellguide.org/2008/11/take-the-local-organic-thanksgiving-challenge