"We better stop, hey, what's that sound/Everybody look what's going down"

For What It's Worth...

One of my favorite songs is Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth."  I am not sure why, but I find the music calming, but at the same time, it makes me reflect on what is really true and important in my life.  For some reason, the lyric, "We better stop, hey what's that sound/Everybody look what's going down" seem to fit the mood of my last wrap-up post.

Although I believe the song was meant to bring both sides together in a sixties' protest, the meaning of this lyric applies to my reason for writing the blog.  Of course, beyond the reason of completing it for my course, I wanted to give people information that would make them stop and evaluate Factory Farming in our country.

Early one cold January afternoon in 2007, I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. After I read the chapter on the meat-packing industry, I had an epiphany.  I decided that after what I had read--about cows being slaughtered in inhumane ways and meat cutters forced to work after serious injuries, plus the unsanitary practices of this industry--I would no longer eat red meat.  I have never looked down upon anyone who makes a choice to eat red meat, but I cannot eat red meat after what I know.  What I find surprising is that several years earlier, I had read the classic, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, but I kept on eating red meat.  In addition to reading Fast Food Nation, I would recommend reading The Jungle as well.   My point is that everyone must make choices about what is right in his/her life, but I think that having knowledge is a powerful tool to help one make those choices.

I would also like to note that I realize that people on a budget cannot afford to spend more on organic or cage-free eggs, and I totally understand that as I too have a strict budget. I want to stress that I do not what to impose that everyone should stop eating animal products as this is a highly personal decision. 

So, for what it is worth...take some time to find out how factory farming is affecting the environment and food safety.  Also, take into consideration the treatment of farm animals and farm workers.

I do hope that everyone who took the time to read this blog learned something about Factory Farming.  I have enjoyed writing the blog as well as the reading the comments.

I have compiled a list of websites for you to check out if you found a topic of Factory Farming you would like explore:

Food Safety:

Food Integrity Campaign

Pasteurized Eggs:

Safe Eggs

Animal Welfare:

Ohioans for Humane Farms

Humane Society of United States

Environmental Issues:

Environmental Organizers' Network

Farm Sanctuary

Vegetarian Information:

PCRM Website



This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Mixed Topics, Eggcetera

Hello all,

This week, I have a mixed bag of topics regarding Factory Farming.  First, I would like to respond to the question a blogger posed,

 "How does an egg become infected with salmonella?"

I researched this, and here is what I found from Answerbag:

"Bacteria can be on the outside of a shell egg. That's because the egg exits the hen's body through the same passageway as feces is excreted. That's why eggs are washed and sanitized at the processing plant. Bacteria can be inside an uncracked, whole egg. Contamination of eggs may be due to bacteria within the hen's ovary or oviduct before the shell forms around the yolk and white. SE doesn't make the hen sick. It is also possible for eggs to become infected by Salmonella Enteritidis fecal contamination through the pores of the shells after they're laid."

Also, I'd like to note that there was a news article this week in which salmonella had been found at at Ohio egg farm; namely, Ohio Fresh Eggs.  As you may recall, I did a posting on Ohio Fresh Eggs awhile back.  I discovered a particularly disturbing video from Mercy for Animals.

WARNING - THIS VIDEO CONTAINS PARTICULARY DISTURBING IMAGES

Video from Mercy For Animals from Ohio Fresh Eggs

If you can watch this video without any sympathy for these poor de-beaked and diseased hens, I would be surprised.  And, let us not forget, there is a link between the hens in battery cages and the outbreak of salmonella.

Take a look at this article from Mercy for Animals, and you will see that Jack DeCoster, the man responsible for this summer's Iowa Salmonella outbreak is linked to Ohio Fresh Eggs.  "Ohio Fresh Eggs?"--that seems like an oxymoron if there ever was one.

Now, instead of posting the repulsive pictures found in the above video, I'd like you to view a picture of what a free-range chicken farm looks like:

Another topic I'd like to let everyone know about is some legislation that Ohio passed regarding animal treatment.  Here are some of the provisions of the legislation:

A ban on veal crates by 2017, which is the same timing as the ballot measure.


A ban on new gestation crates in the state after Dec. 31, 2010. Existing facilities are grandfathered, but must cease use of these crates within 15 years.


A moratorium on permits for new battery cage confinement facilities for laying hens.


A ban on strangulation of farm animals and mandatory humane euthanasia methods for sick or injured animals.


A ban on the transport of downer cows for slaughter.


Next week, I'll provide a summary of all the Factory-Farm topics I've explored in this blog.

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice.

Whistle While You Work

This week, I'd like to return to the salmonella-tainted egg outbreak.  What really surprised me was the fact that two farm workers had reported, among other things, that eggs were being repackaged at the Iowa farm they worked at, but no one listened.  Take a look at this article from Unbossed.com on how Robert and Deanna Arnold's complaints were ignored.  There is also a good summary from CBS news:Red Flags Went Unheeded.

Why is it that whistle blowers are seldom taken seriously?  I can think of many other instances in which our government had warning of an impending disaster, but did not take the whistle blower seriously.  There were warnings of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac crisis, and some believe 9/11, as well as the unsanitary practices at the Iowa egg farms, but why did we not listen?

While I can't come up with the answer for why the whistle blowers were not heard, I do think that there is a great new site that deals directly with the problem of food safety.  Check out the Food Integrity Campaign Website; it has many links to empower the consumer.

Speaking of empowering the consumer, I'd like to say that although I don't eat eggs, I realize eggs are a great source of cheap protein.  So, I'd like to let everyone know about pasteurized eggs.  Because of the special patented processes, these eggs are safe from salmonella and other harmful bacteria.  Check them out at Safe Eggs.  I know with the holidays coming up, many of us will be baking pumpkin pies.

So, for my question this week, I'd like to know what is it about our society that we ignore what is right under our own noses?  Please comment!

This blog is prepared by a paralegal student as a class project, without compensation. The content of this blog contains my opinion, and is offered for personal interest without warranty of any kind. Comments posted by others on this blog are the responsibility of the posters of those messages. The reader is solely responsible for verifying the content of this blog and any linked information. Content, sources, information, and links will most likely change over time. The content of this blog may not be construed as legal, medical, business, or personal advice