Thanks for the time and the visit!

i was born outside of the US and raised there on a self-sustaining farm. we grew all of our own food and raised animals the old-fashioned way. i am a meat eater, but i happen to be a conscientious meat eater. i alter my food habits based on what is on the market, and i avoid products processed according to methods i do not approve of. i buy local, i buy organic, i even avoid purchasing produce out-of-season as a general rule because i greatly respect the concept of growth cycles (did i mention that i worked for several years in the environmental education world and taught organic gardening classes in NYC for more than 7 years?).

my statements were not meant to be an attack. to the contrary, if you want to win someone to your position, you present the facts in a transparent manner, then make conjecture based on those facts. it’s the best foundation for a well-reasoned argument. i don’t agree with most report of science-related news for the very reason that there is not often a clear distinction between what the facts are and what these facts may suggest.

i appreciate what you are doing with your blog, but don’t be so defensive when a question is posed. i am not disagreeing with your ideas or trying to dismiss them. i very rarely comment on people’s blogs because i usually don’t think what they have to say is worth even validating. if you’re not willing to engage in meaningful give and take, you will alienate potential listeners…in which case, you’re just preaching to the choir.

i promise this is the absolute last comment i will leave! take care.

Besides, if you want to eat the beef even though you fail to see any evidence of the factory farm being in the wrong then that’s you, but do you really want chances taken?? From your posts it seems you don’t really care and are all for taking those chances.

As far as you “misinformation” statement, the USDA has been selling us on the fact that the US beef supply is safe for consumption although each cow is pumped with BGH before slaughter.

Carcinogens and gene-damaging hormones have been found in U.S. meat products leading the ban of its sale in Europe.

http://www.preventcancer.com/press/editorials/march24_97.htm

according to the second article you linked to:

“Over two years, the department said, the company had killed cattle that had passed an initial inspection but then became disabled.
Hallmark/Westland “did not consistently contact” the veterinarian at the USDA’s food-safety arm in situations in which cattle passed inspection but then became unable to walk before they were killed, the department said. The company was thus not compliant with government rules.”

it therefore appears that the “wrong” committed, according to USDA guidelines, was not contacting the proper channels in a timely fashion.

also according to that article, “The Humane Society’s president and chief executive, Wayne Pacelle, in a statement, called the recall “a prudent decision.” But he said that Congress and the USDA must strengthen laws to ensure humane treatment of animals at slaughter plants.”

Mr. Pacelle’s statements suggestion that the crux of this current issue was the cruelty to the animals. the article even makes a point of stating that the potential health risk related to consuming this meat was “remote.”

i am appalled (again) that animals are allowed to be treated in this manner, and that the USDA makes allowances for the inclusion of questionable material into the food supply. however, as this current investigation was reported by most press sources, it is implied that these sick animals were tortured then dumped into the food supply.

many Americans still believe we are at war with Iraq because they are responsible for 9/11, as has been implied many times by the current administration. knowledge is good, but mis-information can be dangerous.

If you were to follow along on this story and read the latest news included in the post here:

http://blog.nashveggie.com/index.php/2008/02/18/more-beefy-news/

as well as the news article here:

http://tinyurl.com/yrmxer

you will find that, quoting the first paragraph of the article:

“An investigation by the group found the company processed cows that were too sick or injured to walk, in violation of the agriculture department’s rules.”

Wow! Thanks for the amazing comment! I appreciate your compliments and your visits!

Thanks much!