Hi

[Sierra]

I just saw the Meet Your Meat video. I didn't know animals were treated this bad, but I was wondering how many farms treat them this way. I'm sure there are more farms out there that treat them humanely.

We recently went through the whole ordeal about factory farms, seeing as my dad is a grain farmer and he just sold 80 acres of land to a dairy farm coming in. We know the dairy farmer, his brother, and his father very well, and I know they would never permit such a thing like this. I can't remember what the people are called, but they will have those people checking in on them all the time. They are always being checked, and I know nothing of this sort would be allowed. We saw another diary farm and they are so strictly checked that they loose points if a light bulb is found dead. They have to replace it by the next time they come or there is severe penalties.

My question is, why haven't the law enforcement done anything about this? I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed to last very long, would it? I wouldn't think those people would be in business very long.

They are in the process of building the dairy farm here, and it is looking very nice. I know the people will take good care of the cows.

Is there anything wrong with this? I guess my biggest question was why hasn't the law done anything about it?

I know the dairy farms that I know of are so strictly watched nothing even close to this would even be allowed to happen.

[roosterboy]

Nothing like in that movie happens around here either, but I'm sure it happens in the US somewhere, and in alot of places. Every state is different.

[CavySpirit]

Roosterboy, what planet do you live on? NAME the slaughter houses you've visited, please. I'd like names and locations.

Sierra, I'm sure there are more farms out there that treat them humanely. And just why are you sure? My question is, why haven't the law enforcement done anything about this? I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed to last very long, would it? I wouldn't think those people would be in business very long.

I'm sorry, but this is incredibly naive. Just because you want to believe it doesn't happen, it doesn't? It's a HUGE, proven problem all over the place. I'll post some more info and links when I get more time.

[Sierra]

Thanks so much. I'd just like to know what places do this. I can't believe law enforcement isn't stricter on these places, certainly this is breaking tons of laws.

You're right, I don't want to believe it. But that tape is proof that it does happen. I'm just wondering like how many actually do that, or is that a small percent of them? I don't really know.

[chrishall1979]

Most large scale slaughterhouses is where this happens. Smaller farms typically handle killing with a little more decency. They may slaughter a few head a day. A few head of cattle isn't going to satisfy the countries needs. We eat millions of tons of meat every year. Youd probably be surprised to know that for every person who turns vegetarian, on average saves about 25 cows lives a year. Now that gives you an idea of scope. If the farm down the road killed 2 cows a day every day for a year that would feed about 30 people. There is over 294 million people in the US. Who's feeding the rest?

Hint - Large slaughterhouses who handle large amounts of cattle. In some cases thousands a day. You think they have time to be humane? And why doesn't the government care? Because cows dont re-elect them, and they are a large portion of the nations economy. When you're paying the countries bills, politicians and law enforcement tend to turn a blind eye. PETA is the organization for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It's not government sanctioned in any way. Really not much is sanctioned for animals despite what you think or believe.

Its not just the meat industy, it's logging, and development etc... This year Bush and Congress failed to protect 600 million acres of the Tongass Forest from logging. For those of you who dont know. It's the largest breeding ground and sanctuary for the American Bald Eagle. Our beloved National Symbol can't even be protected.

Let me assure you that your farm up the street is in the vast minority. Or maybe you and I have a different idea of cruelty. The milking industry is just as bad. To give milk a cow must be pregnant. So shes constantly giving birth and being inseminated again. Imagine if you were forced to be pregnant for 80% or more of your life while constantly being milked? How long do you think you'd live? Not long, and neither do dairy cattle. Imagine if when you gave birth to your beautiful child is was shoved ina crate to make a more tender meat for some people and you never saw him/her again. Ahh thats the beauty of the dairy industry. Not to mention after a life of giving us milk, once they don't produce they are slaughtered with the rest.

So in answer to your question probably more then 95% handle animals the same way you saw in that video.

Cases of abuse are illegal. But abuse is smacking them around, not slitting their throats and letting them bleed out. Or stuffing turkeys with more food then they can process until their legs break under the sheer weight. Or breaking a pigs legs so they cant run away. Or hanging them by their feet. Or dumping live chickens in vats of acid to de-feather them faster. Or burning the beaks of baby chicks so you can tube feed them easier, etc...

So again, what's your definition of cruelty? The industry doesn't share it.

Chris

[chrishall1979]

And as a quick sidebar. Animals in total. In the US we consume more then 1 million animals an hour! AN HOUR!

Thats 24 million animals a day!

Thats 8,760,000,000 a year in the US alone!

Almost 9 billion living things killed so we can fill our tummies every stinkin' year!

So how many of that 9 billion total belongs to your farm down the road? Or any "farm" you've ever been to? Where do they all get killed? Slaughterhouses just like the ones in Meet Your Meat. And no it's not different from State to State. It's the FDA. It's regulated federally, not on a state by state bases. Just a little more perspective for you guys out in fantasy land.

Chris

[Sierra]

So why aren't they regulated better?

[chrishall1979]

Well Sierra I posted 2 messages. The first one explains your question. So much of the US's GNP is based on the meat industry. The government won't bite the hand that feeds.

Chris

[Sierra]

That's awful.

[mncavylover]

They aren't regulated better because of several reasons.

1. There are too many problems to be dealt with here. Too many slaughterhouses to check out.
2. The gov't wants to save the money it would spend to do checks, as it would have to pay the inspectors for thorough checks.
3. Why would the gov't want to draw attention to something like this? They've hidden the info pretty dang well, haven't they, if people don't know where their food is coming from.

Those are a few reasons I could pull out from the top of my head. I hope they make things clearer.

[heabrook]

Sierra,

Slaughterhouses aren't regulated for the same reason why cigarettes and alcohol are legal.
They make MONEY. Keyword---> MONEY.
Did you read what Chris said? About 24 million animals are consumed in one day!
Can you fathom how much money that makes?

Ha, do you honestly think that our health is what matters? Cigarettes and alcohol kill people everyday.. why are they legal? Why is the pharmaceutical industry not regulated appropriately? Money!

Why are animals tortured, starved, and murdered? Do you still think that that turkey dinner looks good?
Don't be afraid to believe it..... be afraid for the animals who die every minute in inhumane ways. I don't want to stress "inhumane" too much because I don't want you to think that it is ok to eat animals if they die in "humane" ways. In fact... nothing is humane about killing an animal. Nothing.

[AngelsCavies]

also there could be one right next door of you or right down the street of you. I jsut wish that they would have more farms and not kill in a un humane way.

[chrishall1979]

I play guitar and sing as my second job. I had a show at a small coffee shop once. Usually I don't do coffee houses but was going to as a favor to a friend. When i got their and was hauling in equipment and what-not. I heard these horrible shreiks. I asked the owner and he said in the back of his shop they slaughtered pigs. Well needless to say after i stopped screaming at the guy. My gear went right back out to the car and I never played or got paid, I just left. Many fans and friends of mine went home dissapointed, his business suffered, and Im happy to report went out of business a month or so later. I'd like to think I had something to do with that. Truth being told he just wasn't a good owner.

But it's all about money. Why would anyone slaughter pigs and sell coffee up front? Because meat bring in money and coffee houses.....well theres a reason I usually dont play them...they don't make much money. So neither do I. Anyway theres a stry from the archives.

Chris

[mncavylover]

Wow, that's awful! I'm glad to hear you didn't put up with any of it.