I'll take a short-term egg shortage if it means that our factory farms have to stop with the extreme confinement of their livestock. It's abusive, and frankly horrifying when you look into the details. Sometimes ethics and humanity should come before convenience.
The egg shortage has next to nothing to do with livestock confinement. The industry has done much to address the issue. The problem is that government moves at the speed of snot traveling uphill in January. The industry standard is ahead of the legislation and the legislature is playing politics. (I’d say “playing chicken” but that might be a bit too on the beak.)
"Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure, Question 3, to impose new standards on the treatment of animals, including a requirement that hen enclosures have at least 1.5-square-feet of floor space per bird. That requirement is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, at which time sales of eggs laid by hens in smaller enclosures would be prohibited."
"Bill Bell, general manager of the New England Brown Egg Council, told the State House News Service in November that "over 90 percent" of the eggs currently available in Massachusetts will no longer be legal for sale starting Jan. 1 if the voter-approved initiative petition takes effect without changes."
Hmm, sure seems like it could have something to do with it.
Selective quoting won’t make your point. The legislature is fine with the new industry standard (since 2016) but the law needs to be adjusted and the legislature is being slow. That’s the issue. Not the law itself.
If the legislature was so fine with it then it wouldn't even be a worry. This is all so transparent. The industry hasn't met the standard set up by the citizens of Mass. so now they go all into panic mode and try and create a crisis to pressure the government into changing the law.
And here you are carrying water for the poultry industry. Being literally what you complain that the media is constantly.
Nope. You’re wrong. I think the Mass legislature should act on the hen requirement and pass the new standard. They are needlessly making their own citizens suffer. The industry is responding. According to my sources some egg suppliers are doing their best to meet the 2016 standards and will supply eggs certified to meet them. However they will be more costly than the rest of the egg-eating states and therefore Mass residents will pay more for their local eggs. Don’t blame me for that.
The citizens were the ones who signed the law. By 78 to 22 percent. They are the ones who want this. And yeah, the industry responded but not by doing what the citizens asked, but by pressuring the government to adjust the standards voted on by the citizens. And according to the egg guy 90% of the industry isn't up to the standard.
This is a disgusting example of corporations trying to use government pressure to avoid the laws the citizens have told them to abide by. That is the only corruption here. Well that and you as a member of the 4th estate carrying their water.
I think how we treat animals before the slaughter is the difference between humane treatment or torture. For example, here's some of the ways Chickens are treated in factory farms. All of which are horrifying and definitely torture.
After being transported from hatcheries, both broilers and layer hens spend the rest of their lives in intensely crowded, often unsanitary conditions. At grow barns and egg-laying facilities, they are prevented from resting properly or engaging in normal social activities.
Forced molting is a particularly inhumane treatment layer hens endure. The process begins when the birds are about one year old, before they are sent to the slaughterhouse. Forced molting involves starving hens of food and water, which can last anywhere from seven to 28 days. The process is meant to force the hen’s body to produce as many eggs as possible before they are killed. While still commonplace in many regions, forced molting is considered so cruel that many countries and states have banned the practice.
Debeaking
Debeaking, or beak trimming, involves removing portions of a chicken’s beak. This procedure is done when chicks are only a few hours old, without anesthesia, and is thought to cause chronic pain throughout the bird’s life. Debeaking is designed to prevent chickens from pecking at one another—a behavior that arises due to the unnatural confinement conditions in factory farms. Layer hens are typically debeaked, although the operation can also be performed on broiler chickens.
Confinement in battery cages
Battery cages are used in egg production facilities and are designed to confine layer hens for the majority of their lives. The sloped, wire flooring enables easy egg collection, allowing eggs to roll down the floor and onto collection troughs. While battery cages may be convenient for farmers, they present serious welfare issues. Battery cages are designed to allow each bird roughly the same amount of space as a piece of lined paper; birds are prevented from running, walking more than a few steps, and even fully stretching their wings.
Hens are also prevented from engaging in virtually every behavior they normally would—including scratching in the dirt for food, dust-bathing, perching, and nesting—resulting in psychological harm.
Gus Arrendale will love you for that statement. He's a fellow NE Georgia hillbilly and the world's best chicken salesman and country music sponsor. He lives a few miles from my home and I see him out and about occasionally. Springer Mountain is widely considered to produce the best tasting chicken under humane conditions with no growth hormones. Range free and pesticide free grains. I don't work for the company but I do buy their product. I just finished a batch of from-scratch chicken and dumplings. The best I ever ate.
He's also a bit of a character. He's a graduate of UGA and is on the board of a small university in Habersham County. If you get most of the cable channels in the world you will find RFDTV somewhere in there. My only option for cable dropped it. RFDTV carries Larry's Country Diner or at least it did two years ago. Gus is/was a major sponsor and appeared on nearly every show to pitch Springer Mountain. It was almost like meeting him.
I'll take a short-term egg shortage if it means that our factory farms have to stop with the extreme confinement of their livestock. It's abusive, and frankly horrifying when you look into the details. Sometimes ethics and humanity should come before convenience.
The egg shortage has next to nothing to do with livestock confinement. The industry has done much to address the issue. The problem is that government moves at the speed of snot traveling uphill in January. The industry standard is ahead of the legislation and the legislature is playing politics. (I’d say “playing chicken” but that might be a bit too on the beak.)
"Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure, Question 3, to impose new standards on the treatment of animals, including a requirement that hen enclosures have at least 1.5-square-feet of floor space per bird. That requirement is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, at which time sales of eggs laid by hens in smaller enclosures would be prohibited."
"Bill Bell, general manager of the New England Brown Egg Council, told the State House News Service in November that "over 90 percent" of the eggs currently available in Massachusetts will no longer be legal for sale starting Jan. 1 if the voter-approved initiative petition takes effect without changes."
Hmm, sure seems like it could have something to do with it.
Selective quoting won’t make your point. The legislature is fine with the new industry standard (since 2016) but the law needs to be adjusted and the legislature is being slow. That’s the issue. Not the law itself.
If the legislature was so fine with it then it wouldn't even be a worry. This is all so transparent. The industry hasn't met the standard set up by the citizens of Mass. so now they go all into panic mode and try and create a crisis to pressure the government into changing the law.
And here you are carrying water for the poultry industry. Being literally what you complain that the media is constantly.
Nope. You’re wrong. I think the Mass legislature should act on the hen requirement and pass the new standard. They are needlessly making their own citizens suffer. The industry is responding. According to my sources some egg suppliers are doing their best to meet the 2016 standards and will supply eggs certified to meet them. However they will be more costly than the rest of the egg-eating states and therefore Mass residents will pay more for their local eggs. Don’t blame me for that.
The citizens were the ones who signed the law. By 78 to 22 percent. They are the ones who want this. And yeah, the industry responded but not by doing what the citizens asked, but by pressuring the government to adjust the standards voted on by the citizens. And according to the egg guy 90% of the industry isn't up to the standard.
This is a disgusting example of corporations trying to use government pressure to avoid the laws the citizens have told them to abide by. That is the only corruption here. Well that and you as a member of the 4th estate carrying their water.
Worth pointing out is that the measure was voted on and approved by Mass voters by a total of 78 percent for and a 22 percent against.
Pro-livestock torture is a take.
Is it torture when we slaughter them and eat them?
Depends how you slaughter and eat them i would assume. It could be.
I think how we treat animals before the slaughter is the difference between humane treatment or torture. For example, here's some of the ways Chickens are treated in factory farms. All of which are horrifying and definitely torture.
After being transported from hatcheries, both broilers and layer hens spend the rest of their lives in intensely crowded, often unsanitary conditions. At grow barns and egg-laying facilities, they are prevented from resting properly or engaging in normal social activities.
Forced molting is a particularly inhumane treatment layer hens endure. The process begins when the birds are about one year old, before they are sent to the slaughterhouse. Forced molting involves starving hens of food and water, which can last anywhere from seven to 28 days. The process is meant to force the hen’s body to produce as many eggs as possible before they are killed. While still commonplace in many regions, forced molting is considered so cruel that many countries and states have banned the practice.
Debeaking
Debeaking, or beak trimming, involves removing portions of a chicken’s beak. This procedure is done when chicks are only a few hours old, without anesthesia, and is thought to cause chronic pain throughout the bird’s life. Debeaking is designed to prevent chickens from pecking at one another—a behavior that arises due to the unnatural confinement conditions in factory farms. Layer hens are typically debeaked, although the operation can also be performed on broiler chickens.
Confinement in battery cages
Battery cages are used in egg production facilities and are designed to confine layer hens for the majority of their lives. The sloped, wire flooring enables easy egg collection, allowing eggs to roll down the floor and onto collection troughs. While battery cages may be convenient for farmers, they present serious welfare issues. Battery cages are designed to allow each bird roughly the same amount of space as a piece of lined paper; birds are prevented from running, walking more than a few steps, and even fully stretching their wings.
Hens are also prevented from engaging in virtually every behavior they normally would—including scratching in the dirt for food, dust-bathing, perching, and nesting—resulting in psychological harm.
Yeah that’s why I buy free range eggs and Springer Mountain young chickens. Vote with my wallet.
Gus Arrendale will love you for that statement. He's a fellow NE Georgia hillbilly and the world's best chicken salesman and country music sponsor. He lives a few miles from my home and I see him out and about occasionally. Springer Mountain is widely considered to produce the best tasting chicken under humane conditions with no growth hormones. Range free and pesticide free grains. I don't work for the company but I do buy their product. I just finished a batch of from-scratch chicken and dumplings. The best I ever ate.
I’d love to meet Mr. Arrendale. He’s got some tasty chickens.
He's also a bit of a character. He's a graduate of UGA and is on the board of a small university in Habersham County. If you get most of the cable channels in the world you will find RFDTV somewhere in there. My only option for cable dropped it. RFDTV carries Larry's Country Diner or at least it did two years ago. Gus is/was a major sponsor and appeared on nearly every show to pitch Springer Mountain. It was almost like meeting him.
Great, now I need to find a new chicken supplier...just kidding. They are amazing and well worth the little added cost for ordering online.
Springer Mountain co-brands with a lot of grocery stores. Their website indicates they do not go west of Oklahoma and Nebraska.
He also supplies the chicken for Waffle House.