Retrospective Look at Meat Birds: Chicken of Tomorrow (Video)

[IRChicken]

"The Pullet Motel." "Rooms by the hour."

I think industrialization made it's way into every part of our lives since the late 1800's.
I think an important issue is how far they pushed the chicken breed. In the days of this film, they went from Bill Bixby to the Hulk, but today they've gone to a flexing Crusher. (Bugs Bunny)

Quote:
Marketing. Concentration of Companies. People becoming distant from the source of their sustenance.
Once chickens became big business and they are more easily accessible from a few providers, people slowly stopped keeping chickens and farming. This took people out of the loop, sensitizing them from the farmers perspective making it difficult for the average person to relate. Then, by seeing animals as pets and transferring this idea to chickens, enforces the desensitized perspective many people have today. Industrialization helped to make us a wealthy nation, but it has it's bad side effects also.

 

[weeders n feeders]

Quote:
There is a big difference between a farmer and corporate farms.

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
There is a big difference between a farmer and corporate farms.

not really.. the only difference is the corperate farmer has found a way to do what he does best.. and make a profit doing so.

the farmer, tinkers with 100 little projects, does each half assed cuz they have too much going on at one time to concentrate their efforts... and in the long run they still remain in the hole at the end of the year..

Ya, I guess you could say there is a difference...

Jody Kabat
a farmer...

 

[weeders n feeders]

Grew up on a farm myself. 365 acres of work. Mainly just my father and me. Beef, pork and crops. Yea I can see what you are saying kfacres. But I would still rather get something from a farmer any day over something from the corporate farms

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
now that is completely different... that is consumer preference, which is entirely legit.. support the little guy... man kind's nature...

but what your original post (thoughts) stated, was that a [/b]There is a big difference between a farmer and corporate farms [/b] , which isn't entirely true, refer to my post above.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Back when I was a kid, in a time with few meds and no vaccines for birds, the NHR was famous as a breed for its disease resistance. You know you're old when you can remember getting the "new" [and very controversial] polio vaccine; and parents wanted us kids exposed to the "childhood diseases" so we wouldn't get them as adults.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Back when I was a kid, in a time with few meds and no vaccines for birds, the NHR was famous as a breed for its disease resistance. You know you're old when you can remember getting the "new" [and very controversial] polio vaccine; and parents wanted us kids exposed to the "childhood diseases" so we wouldn't get them as adults.

Oh My God I haven't heard anyone mention that in YEARs! haha my folks were different though. My mom would *not* let me get exposed to things like all the other kids did. I kinda felt left out. Like having chicken pox was great cause it meant all your friends came over and you all had a "lets get infected" party. LOL.

But oh I remember when I did get chicken pox, and I wouldn't have wanted that as an adult! High fevers, hallucinations... wow. But I did get that polio vaccine. Still got the scar on my upper arm to prove it. Funny nowadays seeing only older people with that scar.

 

[triplepurpose]

Quote:
There is a big difference between a farmer and corporate farms.

not really.. the only difference is the corperate farmer has found a way to do what he does best.. and make a profit doing so.

the farmer, tinkers with 100 little projects, does each half assed cuz they have too much going on at one time to concentrate their efforts... and in the long run they still remain in the hole at the end of the year..

Ya, I guess you could say there is a difference...

Jody Kabat
a farmer...

Forgive me, but I have to respectfully disagree with this notion. There are several flaws in this sort of picture, which as a farmer who works hard to try to counteract the destructive methods of "industrial farming" (in whatever small ways I can), I just can't let pass.

Firstly, the sort of specialization theory kfacres refers to makes great sense in economics, but in agriculture it's been shown to be a disaster. Industrial agriculture is an ecological, social, and health nightmare, while diversified farms that are well-managed can actually improve (or at least cause no destruction of) the surrounding ecosystems and the human communities they sustain. That is what built this nation, after all--and not just economically, but culturally, in terms of national identity itself (remember Old Macdonald?

)

And the only reason that the "corporate farmer" these days is "making a profit doing so" is because of the government subsidies on corn and soy monocultures. Without them, those crops couldn't make a profit at all (actually they lose money), and without all the cheap (i.e., subsidized) corn and soy, other industrial ag operations like intensive indoor poultry "farms" and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) wouldn't be possible either--or at least, not nearly as profitable. Because it was those same subsidies that originally provided the groundwork for those "factory farms" in the first place.

Sky
another farmer

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
I deleted my first two response since I am sure they would have gotten me banned.

I am a Farmer with a diversified crop operation that is PROFITABLE. We use herbicides, pesticides, GMO crops, along with cover crops and crop rotation to produce corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. I recieved $136 in direct crop subsidies this year, that had NO impact on the profitability of my operation.

I am a frim beleive in the American Farmer's ability to produce the best food in the world, regardless of whether he is independent or chooses to work in a relationship with a large corporate business.

On of the overlooked factors in the industrialization of agriculture is World War 2 which pulled us out of the Great Depression and increased the prosperity of our country, pulled men from the farm with the GI bill, and forced farmers to become more efficient due to less labor and a greater demand for food and fiber.


Jim

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Corporate farms have many issues wrong with them, one of the biggest things is the drive to be profitable. With that said, bad things happen when big companies get greedy, including farmers. In no way shape or form am I saying a farmer, corporate or small scale, shouldn't make a profit.

Does corporate farming feed the word? Yes, right now it does. Will it 40 years from now? Probably. However, the problem I see is that corporate farms have the wrong mentality, why try to feed the world? What ever happened to feeding your community? It's that mentality.... "we need to feed the world" that got us where we are.

Dependent on herbicides, pesticides, GMO crops, and oil is where we sit today with that mentality. Is it wrong? Depends on who you talk to... I know that regardless on where you stand on the debate, there are real big issues on both sides.

For a consumer to judge a farm because of their practices or because of their beliefs is wrong. The only way to support something you believe in, as a consumer, is to vote with your food dollars.