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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
  • To: Market Farming <marketfarming@lists.ibiblio.org>, permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Fwd: [SANET-MG] Restructuring the food system
  • Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:05:58 -0400



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] Restructuring the food system
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:38:03 -0700
From: Mary-Howell & Klaas Martens <kandmhfarm@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

"So we ban large-scale, intensive livestock production and restructure to what? What system will provide the eggs, poultry and meat to the cities in the U.S.?"

The 'efficiencies' of large scale industrial animal production are nothing more than an urban myth. If you take away the subsidies that underpin modern agriculture including the externalized costs and the market consolidation that gives a few companies control of the distribution system, factory animal production units will collapse in red ink.

DeCoster is a very good example. They have left a trail of destruction,
deception, bad business deals, and bankruptcies in their wake wherever they have been. Small communities are left to clean up the mess and pay the damages after they have gone.

Many small Mennonite and Amish farms have production efficiencies that put the 'big boys' to shame. The number of sick and crippled feeder pigs that hog factories dispose of regularly is disgraceful. They wean less live healthy pigs per litter than small farmers did 40 years ago. The number of dead chickens that come out of broiler houses and the number of dead cows on factory dairy farms has led to the practice of composting mortalities to reduce the stench.

Take away the huge doses of antibiotics (including lots of illegal ones)
these places use and they will go under in a very short time. The term
'animal husbandry' once meant something. It carried with it a
responsibility to both the animals and the consumers who ate them. There are still plenty of farmers in this country who understand what it means to practice true animal husbandry. Those operations who don't need to either clean up their acts or they should be shut down.

Klaas





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