Animal Rights Legislation Would Make Eggs a Luxury Food

[Lollipop]

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/06/animal_rights_legislation_would_make_eggs_a_luxury_food.html

 

[Iridian]

The article makes it sound like this is a bad thing. I am not seeing it that way. I think more humane/kind ways of treating laying hens can only lead us in the right direction. Battery cages are horrendous, cruel and unnatural. That is just my take on it.
-Iri

 

[EdenCamp]

What is bad about it is just what the article goes on to point out - more government interferrence where it dosen't belong. FDA is understaffed to monitor the safety of our food chain now - this would not help that. How is greatly increasing quality food prices going to help PEOPLE that are all ready struggling to feed thier families? One of the primary factors in obesity is that bad foods are cheaper and people can't afford better. Animal rights should NEVER be placed above the welfare of humans.

Government and the OPINIONS of a few extremists should not be allowed to interferre with commerce or individual choice and freedoms. Animals are food for humans. If you choose not to partake, no one is going to make you. Afford those who choose otherwise the same courtesy. The market responds to the dollar. If you don't want to support battery cage eggeries - take your dollars elsewhere.

It wasn't long ago that legislation was tried to be sneaked through that would make it illegal to grow, hunt or raise food even for your own consuption. Be careful about the freedoms you give away by empowering the government where it does not belong.

 

[Iridian]

I do understand what you are saying about the government in our business, I'm not a fan of it either!

On the flip side, (and I'm not being snarky here at all) what motivation would any of the big corporations have to change their operations to more humane practices? No matter what changes, however minimal, it is going to cut into their profit margin and I honestly don't ever see them doing this on their own.

I honesty don't know enough about the large poultry companies profit margins, but it seems like they have enough time to make changes without a huge drastic collapse. They have until 2029 (17 years) that seems reasonable to me, but I am not a business expert either.

You are absolutely correct about using our dollars wisely and I do not support battery cage operations with my money. We are also stewards of this beautiful planet and it is our responsibility to use its resources fairly and gently.

with respect,
Iri

 

[EdenCamp]

Remember Dolphin safe tuna? Didn't take legislation. Just informed consumers.
Dollars spoke and businesses listened.
Education and choice over laws and "legal" interference in freedom of choice any day.

The trouble with an overabundance of laws taking away freedom of choice is that while some
may be in the direction of your choice - as many or more may not be.
How would you feel if the law came in and told you that you had to confine poultry in tiny battery
cages like that as it gave you unfair advantage?
How about if laws told you that you couldn't can or produce your own food without certification, inspections and the "proper" equipment?
I'd guess you wouldn't anymore than I would.

People are up in arms over not being able to buy unpasturized milk and cheeses now.
We have to be real careful what we ask for.
There is nothing more precious than choice and what few freedoms we have left.
Please don't wish them away and make it easier to take them faster than they are being taken.

Let your choice and your dollars speak - not a politician and laws.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Interesting conversation. I'm not sure what my position is on it.

I'm basically against battery cages, but many so-called cage-free producers aren't good either. So, IMO it's all a lot of feel-good stuff without real improvement and the consumer pays too much and the animal suffers. I'm not really sure this should be legislated either. I'm really not for a lot of government intervention. Heck, we're seeing the government try to tell people what they can and cannot eat.

I don't believe that most people want to be informed as to the plight of a chicken. Many people wouldn't know a chicken if it came up and pecked them. These people have no idea where their food comes from and seriously don't want to know. Perhaps they deserve what they eat.

I find factory eggs to be inedible. The chickens I see in shows such as Modern Marvels and Dirty Jobs have pale combs and wattles, are crowded in cages, and aren't fed a nutritious diet. I understand to produce enough eggs for demand is important, but I really don't want eggs from that kind of bird.

 

[sumi]

I'm totally with you there. I won't eat battery eggs either.

I'm just wondering... pre WW when the battery cages came into being, what did people do for eggs? And what's their excuse for still using this method? Convenience? We have enough space on this planet to give those battery hens a bit more room. Which would they don't have to be debeaked and de-toed as well.

We do not have resort to cruelty to meet food demands.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I haven't been able to find the actual text for this, but was amused to see that many welfare groups are *against* this thinking it was proposed by large corporate groups, and many large corporate groups are against this thinking it was proposed by animal rights groups. Not sure who is behind this one, and can't really comment on it until I can read the full text.


Quote: Just yesterday, someone brought me some of their surplus store bought cage-free eggs. I looked up the 'farm' out of curiousity, particularly because they had a photo of a beautiful barred roo with glossy feathers on their label, and I was like "yeah right". Indoor dirt pen with laying racks and overpacked, poorly feathered commercial laying birds. FYI they also have leghorns packed into cages for their non cage free eggs, and they supported this bill. Makes me think that it is exactly as you say...aimed to make people feel good with no real change.

Can not wait til we move and I can own chickens!! Best way to tell how one's food is being raised.

 

[Iridian]

Yes indeed everyone has made very good points on this subject and I've enjoyed discussing it.

I totally agree Skywarrior, our nation has a huge "disconnect" with their food and where it comes from in general.

My father used to be a dairy farmer, but recently retired early. All of his brothers and father were also dairy farmers from Holland. His reasons for leaving the business early was:
1) government involvement and control over pricing.
2) not being able to keep up with the large/ factory style companies (he had only about 400 head)
3) the crueltly involved (which stemmed a lot from the large factory companies trying to automate and quicken everything)
It is a big deal for my dad to admit his soft side to just about anything (big old school-tough guy ), so when he told me about the cruelty of the business I was really surprised and actually very proud of him for sharing with me.

There are obviously no simple solutions here. Thank you Eden for sharing your points with me, as I'm totally leaning towards non-legislation now too. Education has to be the key and connecting with our food and its source once again.

-Iri

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Education can really make huge changes, and very positive ones.