Arguments for and Against Humane Meat

Arguments for and Against Humane Meat Certified humane meat has been gaining in popularity as the public learns more about factory farms. Some activists call for reforms and labeling of humanely raised and slaughtered meat, but others argue we cannot work on reforms and promote animal rights at the same time. Background In a factory farm, animals are treated as commodities. Breeding sows are confined in gestation stalls, pigs have their tails cut off without anesthesia, calves spend their entire lives tethered by their necks in veal crates, and egg-laying hens are debeaked and kept in cages too small to spread their wings in. The search for solutions has focused on two paths, one reforming the system and instituting more humane standards, and the other promoting veganism so that fewer animals are bred, raised, and slaughtered. While few animal activists disagree with promoting veganism, some believe that campaigning for reforms and humane labeling is counter-productive. Humane standards can either be required by law or instituted voluntarily by farmers. Farmers who voluntarily agree to higher humane standards are either opposed to factory farming or are trying to appeal to consumers who prefer meat from humanely raised and slaughtered animals. There is no single definition of â€Å"humane meat,† and many animal activists would say that the term is an oxymoron. Different meat producers and organizations have their own humane standards by which they abide. One example is the â€Å"Certified Humane Raised and Handled† label that is backed by the Humane Society of the U.S., the ASPCA, and other non-profits. Humane standards might include larger cages, no cages, natural feed, less painful methods of slaughter, or prohibition of practices such as tail docking or debeaking. In some cases, campaigns target retailers or restaurants instead of the actual producers, pressuring the companies to purchase animal products only from producers who raise the animals according to certain voluntary standards. One example is PETA’s McCruelty campaign that asks McDonald’s to require their producers to switch to a more humane method of slaughtering chickens. Arguments for Humane Meat People will continue to eat meat for the foreseeable future, so humane standards will ensure that the animals will have a better life than they have in factory farms now.Since some people will never be convinced to go vegan, humane standards are the only way we can help the animals who will be raised for food no matter what else we do.Humane standards will eliminate the cruelest factory farming practices. Humane standards have broad-based support, so goals are achievable. Many people are opposed to factory farming but are not opposed to eating meat or other animal products. According to Humane Farm Animal Care: A recent study on behalf of the United Egg Producers found that three out of four American consumers (75%) would choose food products certified as protecting animal care over those that are not. Humane regulations on a state or federal level provide relief to millions of animals.Humane standards are a step towards animal rights. By promoting humane standards, we persuade people to care about animals, which will lead some to vegetarianism and veganism. Arguments Against Humane Meat There is no such thing as humane meat. Using an animal for food violates the animal’s right to life and freedom, and cannot be humane. Calling some animal products â€Å"humane† leads people to believe that animals do not suffer on â€Å"humane† farms when in fact, they do. For example, male babies of egg-laying hens are still killed, and male dairy cattle are still killed. Also, HumaneMyth.org explains: At all farms, large-scale and small-scale, laying hens are killed when their production declines, typically within two years, as feeding these worn-out individuals cuts directly into profits. Often the bodies of spent hens are so ravaged that no one will buy them, and they are ground into fertilizer or just sent to a landfill. Some humane standards can be woefully inadequate, even by animal welfare standards. Giving animals enough room to spread their wings or turn around does not mean they will have enough room to fly or walk around. They will still be crowded and will still suffer.Requiring larger cages or larger pens will require more space and more deforestation than factory farms already require. Nine billion land animals are killed for human consumption every year in the U.S. Giving 9 billion animals enough land to roam would be an environmental disaster.Humane meat is not more sustainable than factory farming. The animals will require just as much food and water, if not more because they will be moving around more and exercising more.Humane meat campaigns sometimes send a confusing message. Nine years after declaring victory in their McCruelty campaign against McDonalds, PETA resurrected their McCruelty campaign in 2008 to make further demands.Instituting humane standards causes some vegetarians and vegans to start consuming meat and other animal products again. Spending resources on reform campaigns take movement resources away from campaigns to promote veganism.Humane standards do nothing to challenge the right of humans to use other animals and have nothing to do with animal rights. We should promote veganism instead of more â€Å"humane† ways of exploiting animals. Animal activists sometimes debate whether promoting veganism helps animals more than humane reforms, but we may never know. The debate is one that divides some groups and activists, but the animal agriculture industry fights both types of campaigns.

Learn About the Atlantic Island Territory of Bermuda

Learn About the Atlantic Island Territory of Bermuda Population: 67,837 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: HamiltonLand Area: 21 square miles (54 sq km)Coastline: 64 miles (103 km)Highest Point: Town Hill at 249 feet (76 m) Bermuda is an overseas self-governing territory of the United Kingdom. It is a very small island archipelago located in the northern Atlantic Ocean about 650 miles (1,050 km) off the coast of North Carolina in the United States. Bermuda is the oldest of the British overseas territories and according to the United States Department of State, its largest city, Saint George, is known as the oldest continuously inhabited English-Speaking settlement in the Western Hemisphere. The archipelago is also known for its prosperous economy, tourism and subtropical climate.History of BermudaBermuda was first discovered in 1503 by Juan de Bermudez, a Spanish explorer. The Spanish did not settle the islands, which were uninhabited, at that time because they were surrounded by dangerous coral reefs which made them difficult to reach.In 1609, a ship of British colonists landed on the islands after a shipwreck. They remained there for ten months and sent a variety of reports on the islands back to Engl and. In 1612, the king of England, King James, included what is present-day Bermuda in the Charter of the Virginia Company. Shortly thereafter, 60 British colonists arrived on the islands and founded Saint George.In 1620, Bermuda became a self-governing colony of England after representative government was introduced there. For the rest of the 17th century however, Bermuda was mainly considered an outpost because the islands were so isolated. During this time, its economy was centered on shipbuilding and the trading of salt.The slave trade also grew in Bermuda during the territorys early years but it was outlawed in 1807. By 1834, all slaves in Bermuda were freed. As a result, today, the majority of Bermudas population is descended from Africa.Bermudas first constitution was drafted in 1968 and since then there have been several movements for independence but the islands still remain a British territory today.Government of BermudaBecause Bermuda is a British territory, its governmental s tructure resembles that of British government. It has a parliamentary form of government that is considered a self-governing territory. Its executive branch is made up of a chief of state, Queen Elizabeth II, and a head of government. Bermudas legislative branch is a bicameral Parliament composed of the Senate and the House of Assembly. Its judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Magistrate Courts. Its legal system is also based on English laws and customs. Bermuda is divided into nine parishes (Devonshire, Hamilton, Paget, Pembroke, Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton and Warwick) and two municipalities (Hamilton and Saint George) for local administration.Economics and Land Use in BermudaAlthough small, Bermuda has a very strong economy and the third highest per capita income in the world. As a result, it has a high cost of living and high real estate prices. Bermudas economy is mainly based on financial services for international businesses, luxury tourism and the related services and very l ight manufacturing. Only 20% of Bermudas land is arable, so agriculture does not play a large role in its economy but some of the crops grown there include bananas, vegetables, citrus and flowers. Dairy products and honey are also produced in Bermuda.Geography and Climate of BermudaBermuda is an island archipelago located in the northern Atlantic Ocean. The closest large landmass to the islands is the United States, specifically, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It consists of seven main islands and hundreds of small islands and islets. The seven main islands of Bermuda are clustered together and are connected via bridges. This area is called the Island of Bermuda.Bermudas topography consists of low hills that are separated by depressions. These depressions are very fertile and they are where the majority of Bermudas agriculture takes place. The highest point on Bermuda is Town Hill at just 249 feet (76 m). The smaller islands of Bermuda are mainly coral islands (about 138 of them). Bermuda has no natura l rivers or freshwater lakes. The climate of Bermuda is considered subtropical and it is mild most of the year. It can be humid at times however and it receives abundant rainfall. Strong winds are common during Bermudas winters and it is prone to hurricanes from June to November because of its position in the Atlantic along the Gulf Stream. Because the islands of Bermuda are so small however, direct landfall of hurricanes is rare. Bermudas most damaging hurricane to date was the category 3 Hurricane Fabian which hit in September 2003. Most recently, in September 2010, Hurricane Igor moved toward the islands.More Facts about Bermuda The average cost of a home in Bermuda exceeded $1,000,000 by the mid-2000s. Bermudas main natural resource is limestone which is used for building. Bermudas official language is English.ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (19 August 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Bermuda. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bd.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Bermuda: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108106.html#axzz0zu00uqsbUnited States Department of State. (19 April 2010). Bermuda. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5375.htmWikipedia.com. (18 September 2010). Bermuda - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda

Health, Environmental, and Socio-economic Impact of Organic Food Research Paper

Health, Environmental, and Socio-economic Impact of Organic Food Consumption - Research Paper Example Modern times have seen a dramatic increase of organic food consumption. More consumers are drawn towards buying organic food as it is perceived to offer more health benefits and less toxic chemical content. The sales of organic foods in the United States skyrocketed from 1 billion in 2001 to 23 billion in 2008 (Crinnion, 2010). This growth in organic food consumption may be driven by the growing interest of consumers towards healthy lifestyle and environmentally-friendly foods. Unlike inorganic foods, foods which are organically grown are propagated and reared without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers and other harmful chemicals (Winter & Davis, 2006). Thus, it possesses high nutritional content and an approximately â…“ less residue of pesticides (Crinnion, 2010; â€Å"Organic Food,† n.d.). In addition, organically grown crops and livestock do not pose a threat into the environment. Various environmental groups claimed that chemicals used in convent ionally propagating crops and breeding livestock contaminate the drinking water, and harm the surroundings (Fookes & Dalmeny, n.d.). However, some researchers argued that some facts about organic foods may be overlooked by consumers. In 2002 the United States Department of Agriculture warned the consumers of the parasites and bacteria found in organic crops. The absence of pesticides and preservatives in organically grown crops makes it more susceptible to bacteria and parasite infection. In turn, consuming organic crops may have an adverse effect to consumer’s health (as cited in Food Marketing Institute [FMI], 2007). This paper seeks to review and explore previous studies on the health and environmental effects of organically grown crops and livestock. This is to determine if the benefits of consuming organic foods outweigh its adverse effects. This paper will also delve into the social and economic impact of organic farming and further technological and research needs. Effects of organic foods in one’s Health A study conducted by Crinnion (2010) found that organic crops contain higher Iron, Phosphorous, Vitamin C as well as Magnesium. These nutrients are seldom found in conventionally-produced crops in the country. Thus, organically grown crops offer consumers a better nutrition. In addition, it contains a high amount of antioxidant phytochemical that repairs damaged cells and helps the body fight heart disease and Cancer. It hampers the development o f cancer cells by reducing mutagenic action of toxic chemicals. However the study conducted by the University of Minnesota found that organic foods contain 9.7 % of E. coli bacteria compared to 1.6% found in conventionally grown crops. Contamination of organically grown crops occurs due to the use of animal manure. Its usage increases the probability of consumers being infected with fecal bacteria. Researchers reiterated that organically grown crops are not considered a â€Å"high-risk food† (Morano, 2004). Organic Trade Association argued that there are no evidences suggesting that organic foods are not safe to consume. Organically grown food was found to possess lower harmful fungi compared to conventionally produced crops (as cited in FMI, 2007). A high amount of residue from toxic chemicals is commonly found in conventionally grown crops. This chemical residue may lessen the chances of procreation or giving birth. Seven hundred women who reported to be constantly exposed to pesticides were found to have high rate of miscarriage. Another longitudinal study conducted by University of Denmark found that women who have high amount of pesticide particularly Dieldren in their bloodstream are more at risk of developing breast cancer. Dieldrin is considered as one of the most common pesticides used in conventionally grown crops in previous years. Exposure to high level of Dieldrin causes