Comments on: The Department of Food http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/ In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:18:49 +0000 hourly 1 By: ahimsa http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-217357 ahimsa Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:15:15 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-217357 One way to make a positive impact is to reduce your intake of animal products. We don't all have to be vegetarian or vegan. A reduction in the consumption of meat, dairy and eggs reduces the amount of land, water, pesticides, and energy required for food production since it takes so much more of them to raise animals than plants. See http://www.pbjcampaign.org/how for more details. A lot of small changes can add up to a big difference. One way to make a positive impact is to reduce your intake of animal products. We don’t all have to be vegetarian or vegan. A reduction in the consumption of meat, dairy and eggs reduces the amount of land, water, pesticides, and energy required for food production since it takes so much more of them to raise animals than plants. See http://www.pbjcampaign.org/how for more details. A lot of small changes can add up to a big difference.

]]> By: Morgan http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216899 Morgan Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:20:33 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216899 I am a prop 2 supporter that will not be complaining about egg prices, just happy that I can finally enjoy California eggs without guilt. Seriously I get that it sucks to have food prices go up. But the problem is not the cost of food, the problem is people being able to afford it. I am all for helping people not go starving, but food like eggs and meat should be more expensive. Right now chickens are less expensive than cages. That means that as a factory farmer it is economically smarter to stuff more chickens in less cages even if it means some chickens dying. That is not right!! To compare, since people don't seem to care much for animals. It is like complaining about the high cost of cloths from companies that do not use slave labor overseas. I don't mean to compare the suffering of humans to animals, but the economic effect is similar. We all enjoy cheap commodities, but at what price? I am a prop 2 supporter that will not be complaining about egg prices, just happy that I can finally enjoy California eggs without guilt. Seriously I get that it sucks to have food prices go up. But the problem is not the cost of food, the problem is people being able to afford it. I am all for helping people not go starving, but food like eggs and meat should be more expensive. Right now chickens are less expensive than cages. That means that as a factory farmer it is economically smarter to stuff more chickens in less cages even if it means some chickens dying. That is not right!!

To compare, since people don’t seem to care much for animals. It is like complaining about the high cost of cloths from companies that do not use slave labor overseas. I don’t mean to compare the suffering of humans to animals, but the economic effect is similar. We all enjoy cheap commodities, but at what price?

]]> By: llencelyn http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216742 llencelyn Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:45:03 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216742 In general I agree with the article. We do need to make changes. As Kristjan Wagner said: <blockquote>I don't think it's such a quick win as Kristof seems be think it will be.</blockquote> but I would hope that it would be one of those baby steps that are so useful, and would get the relevant issues talked about on a national stage. It's too bad about Kristof's drive-by fat-hate... In general I agree with the article. We do need to make changes. As Kristjan Wagner said:

I don’t think it’s such a quick win as Kristof seems be think it will be.

but I would hope that it would be one of those baby steps that are so useful, and would get the relevant issues talked about on a national stage.

It’s too bad about Kristof’s drive-by fat-hate…

]]> By: Kristjan Wager http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216634 Kristjan Wager Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:33:51 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216634 We actually have a Minister of Food in Denmark, focusing on all food-related issues, including fishing, agriculture, and food safety. I don't think it's such a quick win as Kristof seems be think it will be. We actually have a Minister of Food in Denmark, focusing on all food-related issues, including fishing, agriculture, and food safety. I don’t think it’s such a quick win as Kristof seems be think it will be.

]]> By: Anne http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216586 Anne Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:40:00 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216586 Haha! Kristof/Kristol. I was confused, too! :) CTD - STFU. What chickens do in factory farming conditions: endure pain and frustration when they don't have any room to lay eggs. Get their flesh stuck on rusty cage wires and injure themselves. Die, then rot while their cagemates have no way to escape stepping on their corpses. Suffer spay leg, a debilitating disability that prevents them from standing, and then often die as the result of this. Burn, while their combined waste turns to ammonia that stings their eyes, skin, and lungs. Become de-beaked, a cruel practice which leaves many birds unable to eat, but is necessary to prevent the chickens from killing each other/themselves under extremely crowded conditions. Have their toes trimmed, another inhumane practice necessary for the same reasons. Factory farming is an abomination. It has always been, but thanks to people who worked to get Prop 2 passed, animal welfare is in the mainstream of the american dialogue about food. Haha! Kristof/Kristol. I was confused, too! :)

CTD – STFU. What chickens do in factory farming conditions: endure pain and frustration when they don’t have any room to lay eggs. Get their flesh stuck on rusty cage wires and injure themselves. Die, then rot while their cagemates have no way to escape stepping on their corpses. Suffer spay leg, a debilitating disability that prevents them from standing, and then often die as the result of this. Burn, while their combined waste turns to ammonia that stings their eyes, skin, and lungs. Become de-beaked, a cruel practice which leaves many birds unable to eat, but is necessary to prevent the chickens from killing each other/themselves under extremely crowded conditions. Have their toes trimmed, another inhumane practice necessary for the same reasons.
Factory farming is an abomination. It has always been, but thanks to people who worked to get Prop 2 passed, animal welfare is in the mainstream of the american dialogue about food.

]]> By: Kristin http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216580 Kristin Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:05:05 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216580 Betsy: Heh, so did I. Betsy: Heh, so did I.

]]> By: Entomologista http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216528 Entomologista Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:50:21 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216528 Yes, let's get rid of the USDA. We'll just let invasive pest species spread unhindered through our country and let Monsanto and Dow pick clean the corpse of the ARS. Yes, let’s get rid of the USDA. We’ll just let invasive pest species spread unhindered through our country and let Monsanto and Dow pick clean the corpse of the ARS.

]]> By: Betsy http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216515 Betsy Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:14:22 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216515 I first read that as "What Kristol said," and I was very surprised/confused. I first read that as “What Kristol said,” and I was very surprised/confused.

]]> By: CTD http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216511 CTD Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:04:54 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216511 <blockquote>Like turn around, and maybe pace a little bit?</blockquote> I'm sure that's very comforting to poor people who will see their grocery bill climbing once again.

Like turn around, and maybe pace a little bit?

I’m sure that’s very comforting to poor people who will see their grocery bill climbing once again.

]]> By: Cara http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/12/12/the-department-of-food/#comment-216500 Cara Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:28:05 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/?p=10179#comment-216500 <blockquote>But hey, at least the chickens have more room to… do whatever it is chickens do in their free time.</blockquote> Like turn around, and maybe pace a little bit? Goddamn those entitled chickens!

But hey, at least the chickens have more room to… do whatever it is chickens do in their free time.

Like turn around, and maybe pace a little bit?

Goddamn those entitled chickens!

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