This brought me to tears!!!

[Reinbeau]

Why are people surprised? I'm not including people who read here, but the general public just doesn't know where or how their food is produced. Thinking their meat comes in little plastic wrapped styrofoam packages, they don't even think of the fact that what they're eating used to be a living being. I am not against eating meat at all, what I am against is the mindlessness in this country today as to what is happening to their food. This video is hideous, but representative of how cattle are handled in the industrial food chain.

If you want to begin to explore all things food, a good place to start is by reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It isn't awful, it isn't dry, it's very educational, and entertaining, enlightening - it will make you think and will help you understand what is going on with our food today.

It'll also scare the pants off of you - or it should. The industrial food we're offered (advertised, pushed, etc) is frightening. It's the source of most of the illnesses we're suffering with as a society (obesity being a huge problem now with the processed food we eat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc).

As long as we continue to support them by buying their products as produced they'll continue to raise our food with little thought to the source and all thought to the bottom line.

 

[ilovemychickies]

I saw that! I can't believe that people can be so ruthless.

 

[turnerstar31]

I agree Reinbeau a lot of people have no clue what comes in those little packages that you buy.

 

[theOEGBman]

Im not suprised at all, I've seen these videos before and many more horrible ones. It still disgusts me. Are we not allowed to be disgusted just because it happens every day?

 

[sunnysidecluckers]

I don't think we should be all that shocked that this happens. Anything for money!!! They don't care about consumers as long as they get what they want. It happens to just more than cows. It is a sickening thing. That is why I want my own mini farm someday or find a free ranging cow that I could split the cost with someone as it grazes and gets ready for slaughter . That would be nice.

 

[KKluckers]

I saw it on the news too. It made me sick to my stomach. I have seen videos of slaughter houses killing chickens and that is why we decide to start raising them. At least I know when I butcher my animals they have had a happy life and are not in conditions like these cows. I just dont know why people dont do more about it and why they would treat these poor animals this way to begin with.

 

[kstaven]

I have been around agriculture my whole life and I think it is disgusting. I was not shocked by it though. The general public DOESN'T want to know the realities of what the industry has turned into. They just want it cheap and convenient. Nothing else matters to a vast majority of the population. You would see a bigger rebellion if a McDonalds was to shut down nation wide tomorrow. That is the sad truth of what we have become.

Dairy cows do end up as beef. That is true. But even a decade ago the dairy cows going to market would not have been in the sorry state they are allowed to get into now.

The other thing is, we are discussing USDA certified and supposedly monitored facilities here. It becomes obvious that the very organization set up to set standards is either on the take or has chosen to turn a blind eye. Or they are totally incompetant.

 

[jjthink]

Such great and caring people on this site! Thank goodness for you.

We can be disgusted, sickened and powerless or disgusted, sickened and powerful. What to do?

Sign petitions like the one above in my earlier post, and send it to everyone in this country you know, asking for them to please do the same if they are moved by what they see.

Without delay, support - financially or otherwise - effective organizations dedicated to ending inhumane treatment of farm animals. Give memberships as gifts. At the very least, circulate their news bulletins and action alerts to everyone you can think of.

Educate everyone you can about this sort of abuse and offer alternatives- where and how they can buy meat from animals that were humanely treated, as well as eggs from chickens that were not raised in hell. Vote with our pocketbooks.

Letters to the editor that inform and educate. Educational sessions at a school, church, community center, club, etc. Chats in the grocery store line, or anywhere else. Polite - and savvy - chats. Maybe around a product in your cart -"isn't this great - now they have eggs from a wonderful farm nearby that treats their chickens kindly unlike....." There are umpteen creative opportunities to gently educate in a non-lecturing way.....

Write to food stores and tell them you would like to them to carry humanely raised meats and eggs - suggest brands if you know them. Commend stores that are doing so, via letters, the spoken word or more publicly if you can.

Write the companies that are cruel to our animal friends and tell them of your disgust and disappointment - tell them you won't buy their products. Copy your state and federal legislators.

Become aware of legislation that will either harm or help the animals and organize opposition or support, as appropriate.

Human apathy, more than human greed/cruelty, is the greatest enemy of these beautiful creatures in our world. I say this because I believe there are more people who would like to see humane treatment than there are people who would callously harm these animals, but the good guys are largely a silent majority. This is so sad, because as the good witch said, we've had the power all along.

Countless wondrous animals have suffered beyond comprehension year after year waiting for the good guys to use the power they already have. Thanks to all BYCers who are amongst those using the power of their pen, persuasion and pocketbook to make a positive difference.

JJ

 

[Reinbeau]

Eat locally, and know where you food comes from. Try to find a source of grass-fed beef, feeding them grain is what makes them so sick all the time that they need antibiotics to even live to slaughtering age! I only buy eggs from local farms where I can see how they live, and happily I've got three nearby who have very happy hens! (this spring I will finally get my own girls). I'm still searching for a grass-fed beef source, I know I can go to Whole Foods (I call it Whole Wallet) but I'd like to get it locally if I can. If more of us do these simple things and stop buying from the industrial food chain it'll get noticed, for sure, because as we all know, money talks.

 

[birdnutz]

I think everyone on this board has a realistic idea of where our food source comes from. But for the majority of people "they don't want to know".As long as theres no inconvienience to themselves they won't do anything. My own DIL won't eat my home grown eggs. Told her about battery hens,her response was"so,I'll still buy them anyway." Compassion is not her strong point. Unfortunatly I don't think she's alone.
With all the focus on the slaughter house has anyone thought about how they got into the condition they were in to begin with? Maybe the USDA needs to go a little further back on their history. What kind of care were they getting at the previous local? I know there are calves born right in the trucks as they are being hauled to slaughter. Usually sickly little things,what is done with them? The drivers around here have offered them to people in the past. I've never had the chance to get them. But I do know that it happens.
If they had a USDA inspector on the premises,he should have charges brought against him also. But alot of times the laws are alot more lenient about whats allowed then you think. After having the pet store and being licensed to sell exotic pets,I kept my pets alot more humanely than the law demanded. Cage sizes being unbelievably small. Think battery chickens.
Sorry about rambling. But I believe that human nature being what is is,that most people turned the channel when this was aired.Not because they didn't care. But because they didn't want to have to do anything.