Michael Pollan On The Big Beef Recall
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.21.08
145 million pounds of ground beef was recalled after the Humane Society of the United States released this undercover video, showing "downer" cows being moved to slaughter with forklifts and other nasty things that will put you off your dinner. Newsweek did a terrific interview with Michael Pollan, who is no vegetarian but is a vociferous critic of the American meat industry. He explains the problem with eating downer cows, "Whatever the risk, do you want to be eating meat from sick cows?", the reason that the production line moves so fast (economics- that is why a hamburger is 99 cents) and:
How can a consumer who wants to continue to eat beef avoid food from factories that break the law?
Photo credit: Ken Light
Pollan's answer:
"I've written a lot on industrial meat production, and it's very interesting to see how people react. Some people react by saying, "That's it, I can't eat meat anymore." Other people look at this and they put it in a box. They don't make the emotional connection between their 99-cent double cheeseburger and this process that we've seen in the video. Still other people decide they want to still eat meat, but they want to eat meat they feel good about. They want alternatives. Luckily for us, there are some really good ones. There is meat produced in small batches, from ranchers that keep their animals not in feedlots standing in their own manure but in pastureland. They are slaughtered in small plants, just a few head a day. It does tend to be more expensive, but you get what you pay for. What it takes to get a 99-cent double cheeseburger are these kinds of shortcuts: downer cattle and 400 head slaughtered an hour. But cheap food has a very high cost. ::Newsweek
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- American Food System Fertilized With Industrial Chemical Melamine
- Bulge Report: The Banana Diet
- On Moving Toward Vegetarianism: Teenagers
- If You Eat Meat, You Should Pay Higher Insurance Premiums: PETA
The problem is that no one enforces anything to require contaminated meat to be recalled, and when it is recalled nothing requires them to notify consumers about it. A very high percentage of the meat in supermarkets is contaminated with various diseases, chemicals, fecal matter, etc., and not just red meat. What we need are stricter laws, but the meat and dairy industries are just too massive to properly regulate, and they make sure to continually contribute to politicians, etc. to keep higher-ups in their corner.
I could go on an on about how disgusting the meat that actually ends up being sold can be and usually is. If you have to eat meat, you should make ever attempt to buy local.
Thank you for posting this, not enough people [by far] know about this kind of thing.
He's right--in spite of all that's wrong with our increasingly centralized, industrial food system, there are still people out there who are doing it right.
I work for the Eat Well Guide, a nonprofit program out of NYC that helps educate consumers on problems surrounding industrial agriculture, but more importantly, offers a viable solution--our Guide lists tens of thousands of small-scale, local farms (as well as restaurants, markets and other businesses that distribute their goods). Conscientious eaters just enter their zip code to find good food.
Check us out--eating "good" meat not only helps you rest a little easier, but it tastes pretty good, too.
He's right--in spite of all that's wrong with our increasingly centralized, industrial food system, there are still people out there who are doing it right.
I work for the Eat Well Guide, a nonprofit program out of NYC that helps educate consumers on problems surrounding industrial agriculture, but more importantly, offers a viable solution--our Guide lists tens of thousands of small-scale, local farms (as well as restaurants, markets and other businesses that distribute their goods). Conscientious eaters just enter their zip code to find good food.
Check us out--eating "good" meat not only helps you rest a little easier, but it tastes pretty good, too.
Though I agree with most of what Terra Verde said, I'm not sure buying local would make sense since the most of these companies practice the same processes that caused this. Maybe buying organic beef would make more sense, or (I hate to say this) going vegan (I'm not one myself) or eat less meat in your diet would help too.
Mass production of animals for slaughter is heart-breaking enough, but this video makes me shudder when I think of the deranged mind-set of the humans perpetrating these acts. Civilized? Intelligent? Compassionate? These words seem more applicable to animals, not people.
I think a couple of comments have missed the central point.
To use another great thinker as an example, William McDonough, of Cradle to Cradle fame, says regulations is a sign of failure.
A food system that requires thousands of inspectors and thousands of regualtions and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of enforcement--just so it won't kill us? That is bad design. As Pollan points out in Botany of Desire, food literally wants to be nourishing and delicious. We have gone to great lengths to make it unhealthy.
Other nations, like Australia and Japan for example, Federally inspect every cow at slaughter for Mad Cow, etc. Only in a system of governance where corporate interests can outweigh the public good, does this happen.
How else do we explain the US DOA weighing in against more frequent mad cow testing?
I still don't get it why it becomes an issue NOW?
People never had a look at how the meat reaches their tables !? As much as I salute the movement, am I shoked of the ignorance and absence of awareness that most people have on that issue!
Go and check PETA for example - videos like this pile there for yers!
a vegetarian
What is wrong with people? Has it come down to the all might dollar? We could not do this kind of acts to humans ... so why is it ok to perform them on animals? Laws don't apply to the rich ... Sad, sad, sad ...
I know I'll catch flack for this, but many of these jobs are done by ex-convicts or illegals (anyone else want this job?) so will do whatever they are told as they cannot easily get other jobs.
All the more reason to do something about illegals (fine the companies!) and more closely monitor the ex-convicts. Paying your dues by serving your time is one thing, but how you behave in the world after you get out is important too. IMO, some of this should be a violation of the parole terms.
This daily massacre of cows and bulls will have as reaction a third world war!
During this huge holocaust,people will be killed just like these cows,without any pity:it's just the law of karma,collective karma...Some are getting it right now ,in Iraq or other war zones.
In India,school children are now having 100% pure veg food,by the Hare Krsna mission-Iskcon,and they love it!
Why not in USA?
http:aksayapatra.com
http://iskconbangalore.com
Hi.
Just thought you may be interested in a new recall information source.
www.totalrecallinfo.com
Take care.