Sometimes what we don’t know hurts us and others.
We all lead very busy and often stressful lives and do not give much thought to where our food comes from. Sure we all purchase our food at our favorite grocer or market, but where does it come from and how is handled prior to the neat little package we bring home to our family?
Did you know that most children under the age of 10 can not understand the concept that a chicken is a bird? They only know the word “chicken” as it relates to food. They do not realize that their “chicken nugget” was a living being before it became their meal. I use the chicken as an example here because that is what we call it alive or in food form. So, it is safe to assume this same population of children is indeed clueless as to what animal a hamburger or bacon comes from. It is important for us and our children to understand where our food comes from. With out this knowledge it is difficult to have sympathy and respect for other living beings other than ourselves.
I truly believe education is the key to evoking positive change in every aspect of life. Billions (that’s no exaggeration) of farm animals are killed every year to feed the population of the United States. I am not asking anyone to become a vegetarian, that’s simply not practical. I want you know where your food comes from, how it’s raised, handled and slaughtered. On factory farms, those are large farms usually owned by or are major producers for major corporations such as, Tyson, Smithfield, Sanderson Farms, etc… Animals for these companies are kept in the bare minimum of living conditions. This includes pigs, calves, chickens, ducks, cattle…They are not given enough space to behave in a natural manner. Chickens in “battery cages”, Pigs in “gestation crates” and of course calves in crates to become tender veal.
The lives of these, believe it or not intelligent animals, are filled with sadness, illness and stress. They are often subject to abuse by workers. These animals are subjected to being kicked, stabbed, thrown and dragged on their way to slaughter. During slaughter, these animals undergo electrocution to “stun” them. The factory farm worker is expected to work at a specific speed, set by their particular company. Sometimes electrocution is ineffective and the animal continues fully conscious through the line and then essentially butchered alive.
I myself do not eat meat for the above reasons. To sum it up, I can not eat anything that experiences so much pain and fear before it dies. When we are stressed especially in a prolonged state it is detrimental to our bodies in turn that level of stress for an animal can not possibly be very healthy.
There are organizations out there that make Humane Farming their business. They have standards set by Veterinarians and Scientists that ensure that each farm animal receives Humane Treatment From Birth to Death. Humane treatment of farm animals is a very realistic expectation we should demand from the people that raise and produce the food we eat. It has been said many times by animal lovers that if people just knew what is happening to the animals they eat people would be outraged and demand accountability, laws and change to happen. Did you know that there are currently NO laws that protect poultry (ducks, geese, chickens)? Not one law that provides even minimum protection for poultry.
That is all I am asking from you, to demand Humane Treatment for farm animals. I am including here a list of resources that will provide you with knowledge, and what you can do as a caring consumer. Don’t forget to teach your children too!
Humane Farm Animal Care: www.certifiedhumane.org 703-435-3883
The Humane Farming Association: www.hfa.org
The Humane Society of the United States http://www.hsus.org/farm/
Also the movie, Food Inc. This movie is a documentary of factory farming.
It is educational, but mildly graphic. Caution younger and sensitive viewers.
Also Buy Local anytime you can! Pay attention to the labels when you buy cheese and milk and meats. Good family farmers are suffering at the expense of mass produced food from factory farms. Some companies such as Borden derive all their dairy supplies from individual farmers, also known as a “farmers co-op” This is simply farmers working together to ensure each ones livelihood.