What Would Happen If…

It is another edition of What Would Happen If…last time we focused on plastic bags and their invasion to our everyday society.  This time, I started thinking a little bit more about our food sources and…

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF FACTORY FARMS NEVER CAME TO BE?

In order to get your mind around this concept you must first realize that the majority of the animal products that you find in your average grocery store to fit your average budget come from factory farms.  You also have to know what a factory farm is, why it came to be, and what is the big deal?

Factory farms evolved with concern for the ever increasing population and in support of urbanization during the Industrial Revolution.  The right idea was there to ensure that people had enough food to eat and room to live.  The more people there were, the less farm land that was available and the more lucrative certain crops can become – therefore, factories began growing livestock. 

According to the EPA a factory farm is defined as an operation which stable or confine and feed or maintain for a total of 45 days or more in any 12 month period more  than the number of animals specified in categories that are laid out:  For example – 1,000 beef cattle, 2500 hogs over 55 pounds, or 125,000 chickens are allowed to be within one factory farm.  These confines have no grass or vegetation during the normal growing season.  Now, if you read this, you can imagine from the last sentence alone that it can’t be natural to house grazing animals in a building where there is no vegetation -  can it? 

Further, in Noah’s ark the animals came two by two and lived amongst other species to work together…are there other animals present in the confines of factory farms?  No. It is all the same kind of animal in these buildings, and usually so many of the same kind of animal they can’t even see each other because they are all in their face, or in some cases, can’t turn around because their feet have grown onto a cage. 

So, while the idea started off for the benefit of mankind, it has in fact taken a larger toll on the population than one might think. 

Land requires to have things planted in it.  Before there was machinery to “harvest” the crop, cattle would walk through this open space and graze – repopulating the ground and assisting in keeping the soil fertile with other elements to grow a new crop in the new season.  Behind the cattle would come the chickens, they would pick up any seeds that the cattle turned over and get some exercise while doing it. 

During grazing the animals wouldn’t receive any antibiotics or hormones, they wouldn’t need to because they had strong enough immune systems to fight off a small virus or bug from their fellow animal, and in turn, those hormones wouldn’t get passed on to the humans who decided to have steak or grilled chicken for dinner.

Natural growth patterns in humans and particulary children would take place if these natural patterns won the popularity vote over factory farms.  Ever notice how kids these days seem to be developing at an astronomical rate?  That could be in part because 40% of all meat and poultry in 2005 was raised in a factory that pumped the animals with large doses of hormones and medicine.

•  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service, each year  900 million animals that are raised in factory farms (this is 10% of the entire number) never reach the slaughterhouse for their purpose because they die from stress, injury, and disease.
• In 1954, farmers utilized half a million pounds of antibiotics a year to raise food animals.  Today, 50 million pounds of antibitotics are used for food animals, but 80% of this poundage is put in the animals’ food to make them grow at a considerably faster rate – however, their heart and organs can’t always keep up with their growth, hence the previous fact listed.
• 81 million Americans become sick and 9,000 die each year from foodborne illness.  This is generally caused by microbes in food that are spread from animal feces.  80% of ground beef and poultry that was sampled contained these microbes – from feces. AKA your food is being used as an elimination station.  Easilydone when animals live in such proximity they mistake feces for their feed.

Frankly, I don’t care to eat an elimination station, or animals who have died in vain…so what can we do to get back to the days of the family farm where animals graze and live a full long life with their health in tact before giving you an enjoyable dinner?  Or, just full stop after they have lived a full ong life.

1. Consider becoming a vegetarian or vegan.  These folks eat foods that are not animal flesh, or vegans choose not to use or eat any animal products at all. Interested?  Visit GoVeg.com to get a free vegetarian starter kit.
2. For those of us who can’t give up meat, consider going to your local farmer’s market, co-op, or butchershop to purchase locally grown, traditionally farmed food.  Usually your butcher will know the farmer directly and you could even ask to visit their facility. 
3. If you don’t live in an area that has local farmers present, considering looking for the organic options at your local grocer.  You may pay a few cents more, but the peace of mind for your health and the treatment of animals more than makes up the difference.  Plus, remember, meat should not be the main focus of your entree, rather it should be viewed as a side dish with vegetables as the main focus to provide you with more nutrients.  If you keep this focus, you will soon realize less dollars spent on the organic meats because you won’t eat nearly as much meat as before.
4. Lastly, consider being a small advocate.  Start by eating vegetarian meals 2 times a week to lower your meat consumption.  Then look for ways to show your support by calling your senator, informing your neighbors of the affects, or even educating yourself by watching some eye-opening films. Two of my favorite films on this subject are Food, Inc. & Fresh. 

Tagged as: Animals, Community, What if...