Will Canada lead the world in animal welfare?

[chrisparker]

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. (Ghandi)

What will Canada do to lead the way?

Is Canada much of a great nation?

[Hollus]

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. (Ghandi)

What will Canada do to lead the way?

Is Canada much of a great nation?

I think the progress on this issue has to come from everyone taking a good hard look at the process their food goes through from birth to dinner. I think when enough people become conscious of the health, environment and animal rights concerns, they will seek out more healthier and humane alternatives. Only then will we see change in industry practice.

[geoffrey]

Actually, some people will find this suprising coming from me, but we need to take a long look at how our agricultural industry treats the animals we eat.

Growth hormones and antibiotics are a serious concern to human well-being and their safety need to be studied in depth. I personally have looked at some research on the topic and I'd love to see a ban on growth hormones in beef, pork and poultry.

[Hollus]

Actually, some people will find this suprising coming from me, but we need to take a long look at how our agricultural industry treats the animals we eat.

Growth hormones and antibiotics are a serious concern to human well-being and their safety need to be studied in depth. I personally have looked at some research on the topic and I'd love to see a ban on growth hormones in beef, pork and poultry.

Largely the reason Ive become vegetarian. But biotech is getting scary. Genetically modified veggies and fruit have not hade much studies either. Creating crops that will not progress without sraying with activator. What the hell is industry doing?

[sage]

I think you are all dreaming. The sad part is I agree with you.

The problem though is people generally fail to appreciate why things are the way they are. The reason there are growth hormones and herbicides and pesticides is because it makes your food cheap. So cheap in fact that there is no return on investment whatsoever in a great deal of agricultural production.

Only when people are wanting to pay triple what they are now for food will this be an issue, and quite frankly I can't see that day ever coming upon us.

As devil's advocate for a second, everyone harkens back to a day when we were living "healthier". Aren't we living longer now, despite all the rhetoric over chemical use?

[geoffrey]

I think you are all dreaming. The sad part is I agree with you.

The problem though is people generally fail to appreciate why things are the way they are. The reason there are growth hormones and herbicides and pesticides is because it makes your food cheap. So cheap in fact that there is no return on investment whatsoever in a great deal of agricultural production.

Only when people are wanting to pay triple what they are now for food will this be an issue, and quite frankly I can't see that day ever coming upon us.

As devil's advocate for a second, everyone harkens back to a day when we were living "healthier". Aren't we living longer now, despite all the rhetoric over chemical use?

Agreed, we are living better because of medicine and all that.

I'm personally willing to pay alot more for food if its organic. I eat organic beef all the time, when its available I get it.

I think the bigger issue is we can't make enough food to feed everyone if we don't use hormones and the such.

[Slavik44]

Actually, some people will find this suprising coming from me, but we need to take a long look at how our agricultural industry treats the animals we eat.

Growth hormones and antibiotics are a serious concern to human well-being and their safety need to be studied in depth. I personally have looked at some research on the topic and I'd love to see a ban on growth hormones in beef, pork and poultry.

Maybe that is why Bovine Growth Hormone is banned in Canada, and why milk is destroyed if antibiotics are found in milk? Most of the critisicm of Farming practices and the horror stories you hear about milk generally come from things that happen to the south in america where laws are generally more lax then what is found in Canada. If you are really bored and have soem tiem to do some reading you could check out a number of such standards here. Generally speaking we may need to put even more effort into such standards but I belive some of your major worries about canadian farming are misplaced.

[Hollus]

I think you are all dreaming. The sad part is I agree with you.

The problem though is people generally fail to appreciate why things are the way they are. The reason there are growth hormones and herbicides and pesticides is because it makes your food cheap. So cheap in fact that there is no return on investment whatsoever in a great deal of agricultural production.

Only when people are wanting to pay triple what they are now for food will this be an issue, and quite frankly I can't see that day ever coming upon us.

As devil's advocate for a second, everyone harkens back to a day when we were living "healthier". Aren't we living longer now, despite all the rhetoric over chemical use?

I agree with ya. There is no way to reform destructive industry practice with out making huge sacrifices to our economic and political position. But this capatilist gravy train aint gonna run forever so sooner or later these sacrifices are going to have to be made. The way I see it the longer we wait the more complicated our future becomes.

[sage]

I think the bigger issue is we can't make enough food to feed everyone if we don't use hormones and the such.

Actually depressed commodity prices are currently being blamed on chronic over-production. The focus in recent agricultural discussions is how to take land out of production.

[geoffrey]

I think the bigger issue is we can't make enough food to feed everyone if we don't use hormones and the such.

Actually depressed commodity prices are currently being blamed on chronic over-production. The focus in recent agricultural discussions is how to take land out of production.

While half the world starves? I'm not talking specifically Canada. In the 3rd world growth hormones and biotech could end alot of hunger. Thats the critical trade off, I don't know what to think about that.

[sage]

You're right to a degree, though I am not sure there is that many people in the world dying of starvation.

[Hollus]

Actually, some people will find this suprising coming from me, but we need to take a long look at how our agricultural industry treats the animals we eat.

Growth hormones and antibiotics are a serious concern to human well-being and their safety need to be studied in depth. I personally have looked at some research on the topic and I'd love to see a ban on growth hormones in beef, pork and poultry.

Maybe that is why Bovine Growth Hormone is banned in Canada, and why milk is destroyed if antibiotics are found in milk? Most of the critisicm of Farming practices and the horror stories you hear about milk generally come from things that happen to the south in america where laws are generally more lax then what is found in Canada. If you are really bored and have soem tiem to do some reading you could check out a number of such standards here. Generally speaking we may need to put even more effort into such standards but I belive some of your major worries about canadian farming are misplaced.

Some good pionts, canada is a little better than others. Dont drink the milk in the states though, cause they use bovine growth hormone. My understanding of this issue is in the context of US and Canadian practice. Thanks for the link, but it doesnt offer much of a focused view on quality control, and no doubt the industry lobbiest are sure of that. Allow me to introduce this very biased(though relevent) link:animal rights(this might ruin your appitite) Its mostly in the context of animal rights, but you can see the condition of your dinner. We still process downer cows, and there are plenty of growth hormones and anti-biotics to pollute us and our environment.

[geoffrey]

It's pretty high according to these people. It's the only one I found with stats in the 20 seconds I looked. Maybe someone thats more knowledgable has a better stat.

Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 815 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.

[lost&outofcontrol]

If you want people to pay attention to the products they purchase, get a legislation passed obligating corporations to place a nice big sticker on products made with child labour, paid slavery, growth hormones etc... There would be alot less Hershey chocolate bars sold. Just my 2 cents.

[Hollus]

I think the bigger issue is we can't make enough food to feed everyone if we don't use hormones and the such.

Actually depressed commodity prices are currently being blamed on chronic over-production. The focus in recent agricultural discussions is how to take land out of production.

While half the world starves? I'm not talking specifically Canada. In the 3rd world growth hormones and biotech could end alot of hunger. Thats the critical trade off, I don't know what to think about that.

Not quite. There are many cases of western companies impossing our 'better' agricultural ways in other countries with dissasterous results. The latest biotech craze is among them.

"Free people with free information are saying no to genetically engineered food for both ecological and health reasons. However, genetic engineering is being imposed on the world by a handful of global corporations with the backing of one powerful government."

Food slavery

[geoffrey]

Interesting Hollus.

But when it comes between starvation and non-organic food, I'll take the later.

[Concerned]

I think you are all dreaming. The sad part is I agree with you.

The problem though is people generally fail to appreciate why things are the way they are. The reason there are growth hormones and herbicides and pesticides is because it makes your food cheap. So cheap in fact that there is no return on investment whatsoever in a great deal of agricultural production.

Only when people are wanting to pay triple what they are now for food will this be an issue, and quite frankly I can't see that day ever coming upon us.

As devil's advocate for a second, everyone harkens back to a day when we were living "healthier". Aren't we living longer now, despite all the rhetoric over chemical use?

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

[geoffrey]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

[Concerned]

If you want people to pay attention to the products they purchase, get a legislation passed obligating corporations to place a nice big sticker on products made with child labour, paid slavery, growth hormones etc... There would be alot less Hershey chocolate bars sold. Just my 2 cents.

Even just properly labelling what the specifically food ate and what medications it was given would be extremely helpful to consumers wanting to make informed choices.

[Concerned]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

The one I use is Small Potatoes, but I'm not sure if they have a calgary distribution center. They are www.spud.ca . If you emailed them from the contact us page, they are very good at getting back to you and probably could recommend a service in your area if they are not already there.

[geoffrey]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

The one I use is Small Potatoes, but I'm not sure if they have a calgary distribution center. They are www.spud.ca . If you emailed them from the contact us page, they are very good at getting back to you and probably could recommend a service in your area if they are not already there.

Thanks! Apparently they deliver on Thursdays, I'm going to order some stuff up.

[tml12]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

The one I use is Small Potatoes, but I'm not sure if they have a calgary distribution center. They are www.spud.ca . If you emailed them from the contact us page, they are very good at getting back to you and probably could recommend a service in your area if they are not already there.

Thanks! Apparently they deliver on Thursdays, I'm going to order some stuff up.

They don't deliver in Montreal.

Apparently they also don't deliver east of Calgary.

[Hollus]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

The one I use is Small Potatoes, but I'm not sure if they have a calgary distribution center. They are www.spud.ca . If you emailed them from the contact us page, they are very good at getting back to you and probably could recommend a service in your area if they are not already there.

Thanks! Apparently they deliver on Thursdays, I'm going to order some stuff up.

They don't deliver in Montreal.

Apparently they also don't deliver east of Calgary.

Maybe a good business idea TML

[tml12]

You do not need to pay triple for your food to get a better quality food. I buy my vegetables from an organic delivery service and pay roughly what I would have paid at Safeway. People need to vote for quality food production by supporting quality food growers and producers with their consumer dollars. As more people demand their products to be organic, grain fed, hormone free, by purchasing those products, the prices will come down dramatically.

Where do you order this stuff, I'm actually interested?

Nothing like a little advertising plug for your local organic folks.

The one I use is Small Potatoes, but I'm not sure if they have a calgary distribution center. They are www.spud.ca . If you emailed them from the contact us page, they are very good at getting back to you and probably could recommend a service in your area if they are not already there.

Thanks! Apparently they deliver on Thursdays, I'm going to order some stuff up.

They don't deliver in Montreal.

Apparently they also don't deliver east of Calgary.

Maybe a good business idea TML

For sure,

If you live east of Calgary we could be business partners...

[geoffrey]

They don't deliver in Montreal.

Apparently they also don't deliver east of Calgary.

There's land east of Calgary?

Most of that part of the world is dead to me now.