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Burger King

  • 03-04-2007 8:54pm
    #1
    Schlemm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 799 ✭✭✭


    http://yumsugar.com/196620

    Although I'm not a fan of fast food myself, I'm really glad to see that they've taken this small but very brave step in a society that is driven by the demand for low prices. McDonalds also took a brave step when they improved animal welfare by redesigning some of their slaughterhouses with help from Temple Grandin.

    Lower prices means that farmers do not get paid as much for their meat, and have to increase production to make a profit. As a result, the animals have to work harder too and there is a greater incedince of production diseases and disorders, and a greater reliance on, and use of, hormones and antibiotics on farms.

    Now I'm not an animal welfare nut and I eat meat/dairy/eggs, but I have worked on lots of different kinds of farms all over Ireland (dairy, beef, sheep, pigs) and visited abbatoirs, so most of my attutides to farming are based on my own experience. By and large, the standard in Ireland is quite good (especially compared to places like the USA, where it is common for dairy cattle can produce about 10,000 liters of milk in a lactation! - the Irish average is about 4500 L per lactation). However, due to the demand for cheap meat and competition from imported meat (as well as loopholes in labelling legislation which allows, in some cases, for imported meat to be labelled as Irish), the industry is under constant pressure. Although the EU has done some good work in banning the use of certain hormones and practices, consumer attitudes are still the key driving force for farming practices. The areas of intensive pig and chicken production are fairly tough going, and the animals often have a very poor quality of life.

    Having learned about the production process, from birth through rearing to slaughter, it puts a very different perspective on the meat, dairy and eggs that you buy and eat. I always buy free range chicken and eggs, although it is very difficult to find free range pork. As we see organic farming gain popularity, perhaps people will demand higher standards in their meat too, and farmers and animals alike will reap the benefits. Many top chefs will advocate using good quality meat, and Jamie Oliver has spoken out about some of the poor standards in meat production. 'Buycotts' will work better than boycotts, so the next time you're shopping for meat, think about where it's come from! With so many issues facing today's farmers, be sure to buy Irish and support good standards in farming.


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