In An article by tom, He talked about there being differences on ideas between vegans and omnivores on industrial agriculture. He argues that rather than collaborating these two groups rather argue about culinary preferences. In a reading he found, 99% of the meat we eat is from factory farms. This is more of a problem because they suck in about 40% of corn in these big industries and a majority of factory farming puts abuse on animals, environment, workers, and even public health.
Also, Tom says "Why go after pasture-based dairy farming when gigantic industrial milk processors rule the market?".In "Brave new farm" by Mason and Finelli, He talks about the abuses of animals in the factory farming industry. Many animals are forced into small cages for their entire lives or are thrown away because they are not useful to producing goods.They connect to Toms article by saying that "virtually all poultry products and most milk and meat in the US come from animals mass-produced in huge factory-like systems". Most people think of animals as getting their meat from roaming on grass lands. They believe this produces people's daily milk supplies but many people dont realize it mainly comes from factories.Also in Masons article he says that "most of the milk produced in the US comes from cows in intensive confinement, most commonly kept tethered to a stall". Many of these animals that are forced into these factories are treated unfairly. To keep animals from harming themselves and others, the factories practice debeaking and castrating animals without anesthesia. Also because of the harsh environment, many of the conditions they live through cause them health problem. Tom say that factory farms are a cause of health problems and that is because factories need to keep alive the animals by feeding them antibiotics. Eventually some of the diseases become immune to the antibiotics and eventually transfer to humans and cause us sickness. For those who do not know what kind of farm factory diseases that have spread to Humans, there is mad cow which "was caused by feeding cattle the rendered remains of sheep"(Mason).Another example is Avian influenza, which in chicken the disease mutated.Tom wants the vegans and omnivores to see that problems like these that dont just affect animals but it affects us too. By understand that these problems exist , they can help stop this system that causes problems in our health, environment, and right of animals for those who see it that way. Also the Use of 40% of all corn in factory farm or 10% worldwide use of corn goes into factories when it probably could be used else where. People see that many see animals as pasture feed by logos but that is only one percent. In Masons article he says that" logo[s are] misleading because the program did not ensure that animals were cared for".
Another reason that the two groups should join together is because many laws do not protect animals against inhuman act. There are many laws like the "Humans slaughter act of 1958" and the "twenty eight hour law" but these laws dont help factory farm animals. Plus, the government doesnt try to enforce the laws onto the factory farms and Tom says that "the abject failure of government regulators to reckon honestly with the powerful meat industry". If the government cant do anything about factory farms, then the people can because they are the ones who buy and give the factories profit.
Our thought of what is naturally produced on a pasture is not correct. Vegans and omnivores should work together to get a better food source that doesnt have many problems to it. For all the reasons of misleading of logos and health problem we should work together to get rid of factory farms.
Links:
Toms article: http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-23-introducing-the-vegan-omnivore-alliance-against-animal-factories
mason's Article: http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/mason01.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/calmaction/4943711033/sizes/m/in/photostream/
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