The farming meatrix

Fri Nov 14 16:41:30 GMT 2003

Hi all,

If your computer has audio check out this rather wonderful flash animation 
about sustainable vs. factory farming

http://www.themeatrix.com/

Tony Gosling

There are many reasons why you should buy sustainable food from independent 
family farms. Not only is it better for you and your family, it helps the 
environment, the animals, workers and rural communities around the country.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/why/

Health
More and more health benefits are being found with sustainable meat. 
Grass-fed beef has two to six times more omega-3's than factory farmed, 
grain-fed meat. Omega-3's are a "good" fat that help our cardiovascular 
system, our brain functions and may help prevent cancer.

Eggs from poultry raised sustainably out on pasture have 10% less fat, 40% 
more vitamin A and 400% more omega-3's. Free-range chickens have 21% less 
total fat, 30% less saturated fat and 28% fewer calories.

Visit the Sustainable Table site regularly. We will constantly be adding 
more information and health facts on sustainably-raised meat.

Environment
Sustainable food is raised on small, family farms, where the manure from 
the animals is used to fertilize the land. On unsustainable factory farms, 
thousands of animals excrete tons and tons of waste every week. Millions of 
gallons of this untreated waste in often held in open-air lagoons and 
pollutes the surrounding air, land and water.

If you would like more information on the impact of factory farms on the 
environment, visit the GRACE Factory Farm Project's web site.

Animals
Sustainably-raised animals are treated humanely and are permitted to carry 
out natural behaviors such as rooting in the dirt and pecking the ground. 
Factory-farmed animals are crammed together in unsanitary conditions, where 
they suffer horribly and are often sick. Most never see sunlight and their 
feet never touch the ground.

Click here to find out more information about the welfare of farm animals.

Workers
Workers on factory farms operate in very dangerous conditions. Some have 
been overcome by the gases from the manure lagoons and have died. They are 
often paid minimum wage and have no rights or say in their job. Many 
workers on sustainable farms are family members. Smaller farms offer more 
opportunity for worker involvement.

Rural Communities
Studies have shown that factory farms can tear apart rural communities. 
Most large-scale corporate farms buy the feed and all the materials they 
need from far away, which hurts the local economy. Sustainable farms are an 
integral part of the community, where money made on the farm is filtered 
back into local businesses.

There is a lot of controversy over factory farms. Families have been torn 
apart as they try to decide whether they should support a factory farm 
moving into a community. Other families have been divided over whether or 
not to sell their operation to a large corporation. By doing so, farmers 
sell away almost all of their rights.

The small family farm is in such a crisis that suicide is a huge problem in 
rural communities.

Click here to find out more information on the impact of factory farms on 
rural communities.

So, Why Buy Sustainable?

Only you can answer that question, but above are many reasons why you 
should. Every dollar you spend on food sends a message to business -- the 
more you spend on sustainable food, the more sustainable food will be produced.

You'll also be helping animals, the environment, workers and rural 
communities while helping to preserve one of the greatest American 
traditions -- the small, independent family farmers. And while you're doing 
that, you'll be helping to protect your health and the health of your loved 
ones.

For more information on sustainable meat, browse through the Sustainable 
Table site -- our Issues section lists all the major issues that surround 
sustainable and unsustainable food.

After you understand exactly what is happening, you might want to visit the 
Shop Sustainable section, where we list various ways in which you can find 
sustainable meat. And make sure to check out the Eat Well Guide, a national 
online directory of sustainably-raised meat sold in stores, restaurants and 
directly from farms all around the country.

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CHAPTER 7 - http://www.tlio.org.uk/chapter7/
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