Sometimes I wonder why I belong to such a cruel species. At least nature has a reason. But I remember, it’s so I can help all the little animals, one by one.

http://www.facebook.com/MyPlasticfreeLife/posts/202397319801068

You provided the wrong address.

I found two possibilities:
Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
OR
The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Room 200-A, Jamie L. Whitten Building
12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20250

The latter is from Senator Dick Durbin's website so I think the building name is probably correct.

Richard

I think GM veggies are wrong and rather scary because of the law of unintended consequences. Pollen can be carried on the wind and by insects and birds to contaminate other fields miles and miles away. Genetically selected poultry? Not so much. Given my druthers, I'd have my own flock of heritage chickens, but my city won't allow it.

If there was some way to keep the male chicks from hatching, it would be a massive boon to the industry, a vast cost savings and that would be the end of the macerations. Is it the MORAL thing to do? Well, if ALL consumers really cared about the morality of it, we'd insist on returning to the original agrarian mode (farms carefully raising a mixture of animals and food and rotating crops, etc.). However, just like the vegetarian/vegan question above, that's not likely to happen. Or at least unlikely unless something catastrophic happens.

In the meantime, send letters. Choose the more expensive, humanely raised chickens and eggs and keep insisting on better treatment for farm animals and support the farmers doing it right.

And yes, I am sure that there are plenty of things I don't understand about farmed animals. I always want to learn more.

One thing you said which I agree with whole-heartedly:

"However, treating farmed animals as well as Arya and Soots results in animal products that can be afforded only as a special treat."

Yes. Which is why I wrote in my comment, "I do believe that animals raised for food should be treated with respect and that animal products should be eaten in moderation, as some (like beef) take a heavy toll on the environment." We don't need to eat meat every day, as some believe, and certainly we don't need to eat animal goods at every meal, as many people believe.

Do you think that if we all cut back significantly on the amount of meat, dairy, and eggs we consume, there would be less need for inhumane farm practices?

Regarding plastic, as you know, I still use some plastic. My electronics are plastic. But I cut back significantly on the amount I buy. I ask myself constantly, "Do I really need this?" I don't upgrade every time the latest and greatest computer or phone is released. That's kind of the same.

When plastic-free options are available, I advocate them. When they are not available, I want us to ask ourselves if we really need the products or if we can ask for plastic-free alternatives. As with meat products, the real issue is overconsumption. Would you agree with that?

First, let me address Anonymous. Anonymous, I can completely understand your feelings about Beth not being a vegetarian. It's jarring when someone we see as a kindred spirit on one issue (in this case, plastic) turns out not to be on the same page as us on another issue. Beth has experienced the same thing herself, e.g., when her meditation teacher was drinking from a plastic bottle.

Anonymous, Beth's reaction to learning about maceration is proof that she does care about animals and will act upon information she learns. I would suggest that if you want to encourage her to change her diet, you inform her about other aspects of "humane" agriculture that she might not be aware of. Perhaps she will become a vegetarian, and perhaps not, but either way, she'll be better able to understand why you see animal agriculture as being as bad as what happened to that poor pelican.

Now, let me turn to Beth. Beth, you have made a thorough study of the issues involved with plastic, and have reached the conclusion that there is no "good" plastic. You recognize that some plastics are recognized as safer than others, and that some uses of plastic have more justification than others, but you seldom suggest to your readers that they switch from one type of plastic to another. Instead, you urge us to avoid all plastic.

There are people who have studied "humane" farming as thoroughly as you have studied plastic, and concluded that there's no such thing as humanely produced commercial eggs. Obviously, some farming methods are worse than others, and if a person is going to eat eggs, it's better that they come from a less-cruel farm than a factory farm. However, just as you don't advocate that your readers drink water from Deer Park's Eco-Shape bottles (which are supposedly better for the environment than regular Deer Park bottles), people like Anonymous feel they can't in good conscience support "humane" farms.

Beth, I think Anonymous is assuming you know things about "humane" farming that you may not actually know. These things are known mostly to rural people and vegans, and have not received much mainstream exposure. Among vegans, one thing often discussed is debeaking, which causes lasting pain yet is inflicted upon many cage-free chickens. Another thing vegans are often aware of is the extreme lack of space given to many "free range" and "cage-free" chickens. See http://www.upc-online.org/freerange.html for details of these practices (including illustrative photographs). Another issue is the breeding that has resulted in small chickens producing large eggs, with negative consequences for the chickens. I think Anonymous was comparing the suffering of the pelican to the daily suffering of virtually all farmed chickens, even those on "humane" farms.

In principle, I'm not opposed to animal agriculture. If farmed animals can be treated as well as Arya and Soots, then I'm all for it. However, treating farmed animals as well as Arya and Soots results in animal products that can be afforded only as a special treat. Personally, I find it easier to eat vegan meals than buy eggs that are produced in a truly humane manner.

Beth, you write that, "The fact is that the majority of people are not going to switch to veganism." I fear that you're correct about that, just as I fear that the majority of people are not going to stop buying plastic. Whether we should focus our advocacy efforts on getting people to switch to "safer" plastics and "humane" eggs or instead advocate for plastic-free, vegan living is an issue well worth discussing. My own belief is that although few people will be convinced to give up plastic or animal products altogether, we CAN get people to cut down on both, and that's where I focus my efforts.

Keep in mind: the issue is not how adult birds are treated. There are standards for those, and we can buy Animal Welfare Approved or Certified Humane eggs and be assured the adult hens were well-treated. The issue is about the hatcheries that produce the chicks that later produce the eggs. They are not the same thing.