Animal Welfare

As many of us know there is plenty of controversy when it comes to meat these days. Film after film and article after article condemns feed systems, battery pens and all other means of getting affordable meat onto our tables. So is the farmer, the meat eater, all-in-all just cruel, uncaring to the life of an animal, or desensitized to it. There may be truth there, but there may also be truth in the part that most of us today are so detached from our meat that we don't know what it looks like to kill an animal without it looking cruel, or thinking all those "nasty" bits and pieces that the rest of the world consumes are "gross". No matter what it is, it is certainly a reality that growing populations, factory farming, and creating an economy of scale have led themselves to system that is in all reality not ideal,  and in many ways is cruel.

So with all the controversy it lends one to question: What are the rules and regulations on meat production here in the United States? There are a few labels that are regulated as by the US government. The most commonly seen is the address the use of antibiotics in poultry and pork. Most packages of these meats will have the ** after a statement about being antibiotic free- with the small print disclaimer that federal regulations prohibit the use, thought this is not in all senses directly related to the welfare issue. Cage free and free range directly address the issue of pen systems, and things like grass-fed regulations address feed systems. But to be perfectly honest there is little else in place that is a directly a regulation on meat producers. Most other labels and system regulations are self imposed, third party regulations, created as way to meet the consumer demand for better quality, well treated animal based products.

These regulations offer approval stamps, as well as ratings like the 5 step program put in place by Whole Foods market (pictured below), so that concerned individuals who still wish to eat meat but would otherwise not based on the general nature of large scale meat product have an option. Farms and markets are willing to meet the demand and at least for now you have both systems working next to each other, but there is ever more pressure that consumer demand will potentially cause a more EU like approach to animal regulations.

So how does the European Union regulate?
The European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes reflects what are know as the "Five Freedoms"

• Freedom from hunger and thirst - access to fresh water and a diet for full health and vigour,
• Freedom from discomfort - an appropriate environment with shelter and comfortable rest area,
• Freedom from pain, injury and disease - prevention or rapid treatment,
• Freedom to express normal behaviour - adequate space and facilities, company of the animal's own kind,
• Freedom from fear and distress - conditions and treatment which avoid mental sufferings.

These minimum standards ensure that even farms just meeting minimum standards that those protect the quality of life of animals in the agricultural system. 

Interestingly enough in France is the case of Foie Gras. Gavage, which is the practice of force feeding corn to ducks and geese to fatten their livers for the product is widely seen by many across the Western world as a cruel practice (look up images on your own as you wish). It was even until recently illegal in the state of California. However gavage is written into law as required for foie gras production. This however is now coming under the kind of scrutiny that the rest of the meat industry has in the past. We'll have to wait and see what, if anything changed in the future.