A Case of the Mondays. . . Food Ignorance

This week's news gave me a case of the Mondays. My 'real' job requires me to be educated - to be self-directed in regards to continual learning. As does life, in general. So how do educated people make a conscious decision to stop learning? Or decide to learn only online? To be swayed by propaganda or photos, or by terms like 'free range' or 'cage free' without researching the true meaning? Ugh.

So what do food terms really mean?

Free Range - Regulated for meat poultry only - not eggs, beef or pork. Indicates that the birds are required to have 'access' to the outdoors with no regulation regarding time of use or space given.

Free range poultry

Cage Free- Term used for both meat poultry and eggs. Indicates the animal is free to move about an enclosed barn with constant access to food and water.

Cage free poultry

All Natural - Implies the product is free from artificial colors and flavors and is minimally processed. The term is, however, completely unregulated.

Organic - Produced without fertilizers, pesticides or GMO's, no use of antibiotics or hormones and are fed only organically produced feeds. Regulated by the USDA, requires extensive record keeping, inspections and testing.

Pasture Raised - similar to grass fed, completely unregulated. Term developed by farmers to differentiate their product from 'free range' products once the public realized these animals, too, are kept indoors.

Pastured poultry

Grass Fed - the ruminant animal (beef cattle, sheep, goats) are raised on fresh pasture and hay throughout the year. This indicates the majority of the diet is grass but does allow for supplementation with grain as most  livestock are grain finished for an undetermined time bfore slaughter. As of 2016, not a USDA standard, it is a voluntary claim made by producers.

Grass Finished - the animals in question have reached physical maturity, they will be fed exclusively grasses until slaughter rather than being grain finished, as are the majority.

Humane- Implies the animals were raised with compassion with space and ability to engage in natural behaviors with sufficient space, feed and shelter. The term 'humane' is otherwise unregulated although there are certifications available with variable standards.

Antibiotic Free / Hormone Free - Antibiotics are primarily used for disease prevention while hormones typically increase growth rate or milk production. These are USDA regulated, documentation is required though testing for hormones is not routinely performed.

Artisanal - Implies that products are made by hand in small batches. Completely unregulated and often used by large manufacturers to sway consumers.

Here are some recent news stories that highlight the epidemic of food ignorance and miseducation regarding animal husbandry.

1. http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/20/538062911/whats-it-really-like-to-work-in-a-prison-goat-milk-farm-we-asked-inmates

I don't plan to go to jail. But if I did, goats would make it better. As would milk and cheese.

2. http://prichardfarms.com/why-whole-foods-big-poultry-revolution-is-chicken-shit/

3. http://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/07/23/goats-yoga-workout/

If I had a dollar for every time I've been asked about goat yoga recently! No, we don't do it, no we aren't going to start. Yoga is like cilantro. Or black licorice. You either enjoy it or you don't. I don't. What I wonder is if suburbanites like being showered in goat berries or urine while they stretch? Come on. . . its got to happen!

4. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/animal-sanctuary-wants-pot-belly-pig-pet-trend-to-end-1.4217049

Pigs are smart and social. They need a lot of  stimulation to prevent boredom. And a lot of food that will inevitably come out their rear ends. I realize they can be housetrained and are quite clean but I guess I just don't get the appeal of having one INSIDE the home. There is odor, and lots of it. Having a dog pooping in your backyard just doesn't come close to having a pig poop in your backyard or even worse, in a litterbox inside your house. Not a fan.


5. http://www.grandhaventribune.com/Agriculture/2017/07/22/Michigan-salmonella-outbreaks-linked-to-backyard-chickens

Birds are terrifying enough outside. I'd need a bomb shelter if they were in my home. They are also involuntary copious poopers.  Why on earth do people feel the need to humanize chickens and let them sleep on the couch? Gross.

Looking forward to Tuesday 😃