Farm Animals: Organic vs. Conventional

Happy organic cows -

Unhappy, conventional, factory farm cows -

Happy organic chickens -

Unhappy, conventional, factory farm chickens -

Happy organic pigs -

Unhappy, conventional, factory farm pigs -

Happy organic turkeys -

Unhappy, conventional, factory farm turkeys -

Organic food animals are fed what they are supposed to be fed, and they live the way that is natural to them. If you have to eat meat, why would you want to eat something distressed and unhealthy?  Check out this page on Cruelty in the Animal Industry. 

 

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You Are What You Eat? Actually, You Are What THEY Eat.

When many people think of farm animals, they picture cattle munching grass on rolling pastures, chickens pecking on the ground outside of picturesque red barns, and pigs gobbling down food at the trough. 

Over the last 50 years, the way food animals are raised and fed has changed dramatically - to the detriment of both animals and humans.  Many people are surprised to find that most of the food animals in the United States are no longer raised on farms at all.  Instead they come from crowded animal factories, also known as large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Just like other factories, animal factories are constantly searching for ways to shave their costs.  To save money, they've redefined what constitutes animal feed, with little consideration of what is best for the animals or for human health.  As a result, many of the ingredients used in feed these days are not the kind of food the animals are designed by nature to eat. 

 Just take a look at what's being fed to the animals you eat:

•  Same Species Meat
•  Diseased Animals
• Feathers, Hair, Skin, Hooves, and Blood
• Manure and Other Animal Waste
• Plastics
• Drugs and Chemicals
• Unhealthy Amounts of Grains

Are these ingredients legal?  Unfortunately, yes.  Nevertheless, some raise human health concerns.  Others just indicate the low standards for animal feeds.  But all are symptoms of a system that has lost sight of the appropriate way to raise food animals. 

Same Species Meat, Diseased Animals, Feathers, Hair, Skin, Hooves and Blood:

The advent of "mad cow" disease (also known as bovine spongiform encephelopathy or BSE) raised international concern about the safety of feeding rendered cattle to cattle.  Since the discovery of mad cow disease in the US, the federal government has taken some action to restrict the parts of cattle that can be fed back to cattle. 

However, most animals are still allowed to eat meat from their own species.  Pig carcasses can be rendered and fed back to pigs, chicken carcasses can be rendered and fed back to chickens, and turkey carcasses can be rendered and fed back to turkeys.  Even cattle can still be fed cow blood and some other cow parts. 

Under current law, pigs, chickens, and turkeys that have been fed rendered cattle can be rendered and fed back to cattle - a loophole that may allow mad cow agents to infect healthy cattle. 

Animal feed legally can contain rendered road kill, dead horses, and euthanized cats and dogs. 

Rendered feathers, hair, skin, hooves, blood, and intestines can also be found in feed, often under catch-all categories like "animal protein products."

Manure and Other Animal Waste:

Feed for any food animal can contain cattle manure, swine waste, and poultry litter.  This waste may contain drugs such as anitbiotics and hormones that have passed unchanged through the animal's bodies. 

The poultry litter that is fed to cattle contains rendered cattle parts in the form of digested poultry feed and spilled poultry feed.  This is another loophole that may allow mad cow agents to infect healthy cattle. 

Animal waste used for feed is also allowed to contain dirt, rocks, sand, wood, and other such contaminants. 

Plastics:

Many animals need roughage to move food through their digestive systems.  But instead of using plant-based roughage, animal factories often turn to pellets made from plastics to compensate for the lack of natural fiber in the factory feed. 

Drugs and Chemicals:

Animals raised in humane conditions with appropriate space and food rarely require medical treatment.  But animals at animal factories often receive anitbiotics to promote faster growth and to compensate for crowded, stressful, and unsanitary living conditions.  An estimated 13.5 million pounds of antibiotics - the same classes of anitbiotics used in human medicine - are rountinely added to animal feed or water.  This routine, nontherapeutic use of antibiotics speeds the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can infect humans as well as animals.  Antibiotic resistance is a pressing public health problem that costs the US economy billions of dollars each year. 

Some of the antimicrobials used to control parasites and promote growth in poultry contain arsenic, a known human carcinogen.  Arsenic can be found in meat or can contaiminate human water supplies through run-off from factory farms. 

Unhealthy Amounts of Grain:

One last surprise.  While grain may sound like a healthful food, the excessive quantities fed to some animals are not.  This is especially true for cattle, which are natural grass eaters.  Their digestive systems are not designed to handle the large amounts of corn they receive at feedlots.  As a result of the corn-rich diet, feedlot cattle can suffer significant health problems, including excessively acidic digestive systems and liver abscesses.  Grain-induced health problems, in turn, ramp up the need for drugs. 

 Want to Change What Animals are Fed?

The rise in animal factories over the last 50 years has led to a system that is out of control.  Mad cow disease, increased liver abscesses, and the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are just some examples of the damage that comes from unwise and often inhumane approaches to raising food animals. 

As a consumer armed with information, you have the power to promote a modern approach to raising animals that is both productive and healthful.  You can help to effect change by supporting systems and producers that feed animals the food they were meant to eat. 

What You Can Do:

• Select certified organic meats, eggs, and dairy and those clearly labeled as using only vegetarian animal feed.
• Purchase meats, eggs, and dairy products from local farmers on the farm, at farmers markets, or by buying a share from a local farmer as part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. 
• Choose grass-fed and grass-finished beef and dairy products and pasture-raised pork, poultry, and egg products.
• Avoid factory farmed animal products altogether by choosing plant-based foods (go vegan). 

In pictures - Farm animals: organic vs. conventional.

What is organic?

What's the difference between genetic engineering and organic?

Is your favorite food safe?  A grocery store guide to buying the right brands.

The best video on organic agriculture ever!  Don't worry; it's short and sweet.

Let your voice be heard for organic.

Is Your Favorite Food Safe?

Greenpeace has put together The True Food Shopping List.  

What is it?  It is a list of food manufacturers who are committed to NOT using genetically engineered (GE) foods and a list of manufaturers who most likely use GE ingredients.  It starts out as a list of vague everyday categories, but when you click on one, you receive the 2 lists of the "good" and the "bad". 

The reason:  As we have learned so far there isn't a federal mandate to label GE foods.  Not knowing makes it hard to be comfortable with what you are buying.  The True Food Shopping List eliminates any guess work.  Though it's not 100% thorough, yet, you can begin now in making informed buying decisions.  And every time Greenpeace receives more information they update the List.   

I'm glad I read it.  I was surprised to see my favorite bread and cereal on the "bad" list.  However, I also saw the perfect alternatives on the "good" list.  Check it out.  (When you do, be sure to keep clicking "next" at the bottom so you can see all product categories.)

A Solution to High Organic Prices

Buying Certified Organic produce and products at your local supermarket can be both expensive and limiting, especially when they don't carry what you want or need.  Fortunately, you can buy directly from an organic farm by subscribing to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Subscribers can pick up every week, or bi-monthly, a box of organic produce from a pick up area in their neighborhood (ie: library, mall, your home, etc.).  Cost of membership varies by farm and region. 

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?

CSA is a partnership of mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters which provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food.  Supporters cover a farm's yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the season's harvest.  CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season, and assume the costs, risks, and bounty of growing food along with the farmer or grower.  Members help pay for seeds, fertilizer, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc.  In return, the farm provides, to the best of its ability, a healthy supply of seasonal fresh produce throughout the growing season.  Becoming a member creates a responsible relationship between people and the food they eat, the land on which it is grown and those who grow it. 

This mutually supportive relationalship between local farmers, growers and community members help create an economically stable farm operation in which members are assured the highest quality produce, often at below retail prices.  In return, farmers and growers are guaranteed a reliable market for a diverse selection of crops. 

CSA reflects an innovative and resourceful strategy to connect local farmers with local consumers; develop a regional food supply and strong local economy; maintain a sense of community; encourage land stewardship; and honor the knowledge and experience of growers and producers working with small to medium farms. 

There are over 1000 CSA farms across the US and Canada.
To find a CSA (or even a Farmer's Market) in your area, visit Local Harvest's website.

Love Your Planet, Choose Organic

The UK's Soil Association has put out the most amazing video concerning organic agriculture.  It's the best I've seen yet.  It gives you the most complete and thorough reasons for choosing organic, and they do it in an intertaining way.  It's cute, informative, and very eye-opening.  Watch it over and over, and share it with others.  Enjoy.

Eating Organic To Lose Weight?

For those out there who think organic and conventional foods are equally healthy aren't looking at the big picture.  Some conventional foods may have the same nutritional value within them as their organic counterpart.  However, what does your body have to go through to get to those nutrients?  And what else are you getting that you didn't intend?

I found this amazing article on how the human overweight body can naturally lose weight simply by switching to organic.  Here's an excerpt:

"If you feed your body with too much fat, additives, chemicals, and toxins then they cannot be properly disposed of.  The result of this is that these toxins, poisons, and fats are stored in your body until your body can actually get around to getting rid of them.  These fat deposits throughout your body can lead to a condition known as 'fatty liver,' which will significantly impair your weight loss efforts. 
Eating healthy food that is high in fiber, low in fat, and free of chemicals and toxins is one way to cleanse the body of this condition.  Organic food is an excellent choice because it often meets all of the above criteria."

Read the entire article, and tell me what you think. 

If you're still not convinced of the health benefits of organic foods, check out what Dr Weil has to say on the subject:

For beef - " If you have to eat beef, try to get organic varieties.  Organically raised animals are not fed the dreadful feeds responsible for transmitting BSE" (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy/"mad cow disease"). 

For chicken and turkey - "Buy organically grown chicken and turkey if you can, to minimize consumption of antibiotic residues and other toxins found in conventionally raised birds." 

For eggs - "Eat organically produced eggs from free-range chickens when possible.  They taste better, are more nutritious and are less likely to have residues of antibiotics and other undesirable compounds."

For fruits and vegetables - "Try to eat organic produce whenever possible.  Organic produce is grown without the use of toxic agrichemicals."

Our bodies are meant to digest only what nature produces.  Feeding it chemicals and toxins causes your body to either not know what to do with it (therefore possibly storing it for later), or makes it work harder to get rid of it.  This can prevent your body from performing at optimum levels like burning fat, fighting infection, preventing disease, etc.

Your Voice for Organic

While the profiteers and the politicians are headed one way with our food system, We the People are headed in quite another direction.  A mass movement is growing to take back control of our nation's food economy and culture. 
There has been surging consumer demand for organic food.  What began as a fringe market selling out of funky health-food stores and the rickety VW buses of ex-hippies is now mainstream.  Our top export markets insist on organic production.
The demand for organic food is getting stronger every day.  Let your voice be heard in what you buy.

Local Fruit and Veggie Stands

Out and about this weekend, I noticed more and more fruit and vegetable stands.  And, of couurse, I pulled over to every single one of them.

If you've never bought produce from one of these before, then you're missing out on how much more flavorful a tomato, a red pepper, or an apple can taste compared to produce that's been sitting in the store's for a while after their long journey across country (and sometimes across the globe).  It makes you wonder, if the flavor is mostly gone from the long-distance, store-bought variety, then what about the nutritional value?

Fiji Organic Project

The Fiji Organic Project is a project of Earth Island Institute.  Their mission is to "promote sustainable agriculture particularly in the sugar cane industry, to strengthen the Fiji economy, while at the same time preserving Fiji's unique natural environment and ensuring the health of Fiji's farmers and citizens."

Their goals:

• To assist Fijian sugar cane farmers in the transition to organic production methods.
• To make Fiji a leading global competitor in the burgeoning organic foods market.
• To build capacity amongst Fijian students, farmers, educators and professionals, and promote self reliance in development projects.
• To create a productive and self-sustaining business venture with the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

They are set out to accomplish these goals in 3 phases.  However, they need your help to get the first one going. 

Do you know of a foundation or organization who may be interested in this project? 

Do you have fund raising ideas?

Visit the Fiji Organic Project for more details.

Surrounded by some of the most spectacular coral reef ecosystems in the world, Fiji's unique natural environment will be destroyed if the harmful agricultural practices are not changed.
Support the Fiji Organic Project.

Say no to genetic engineering!

Organic Apple Festival

TODAY, Saturday, September 12, in Maxatawney, PA, the Rodale Institute is hosting their first annual Organic Apple Festival.  The times are 10am-5pm and admission is free! 

Events Include:

• Pick your own organic apples,
• Wagon tours,
• Children's games and crafts,
• Cider press demonstration,
• Apple compost demonstration,
• also for the kids - Story time under a tree

They will have food, cider, games, music, and more.  So come on down, up, or over - grab a basket for some apple picking - and have a good, wholesome, earth-friendly time. 

Organic Fortnight

Organic Fortnight (September 5-20, 2009) is a nationwide campaign highlighting all the great things about organic.  Up and down the UK, people in shops, schools, cafes, churches and farms will be hosting events and raising awareness about why organic is the healthy choice, the best for animal welfare and the right thing for the planet. 

The largest event during this time is the Organic Food Festival.  This takes place at the Bristol Harbourside on Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th.  This is where they showcase all things organic.  The theme is Taste the Future, but it's not all about food.  They cover everything from clothing to skin care to home design.  The purpose is to highlight the growth of the organic movement and increase recognition of the role organic production can play in creating a sustainable future.