Been thinking of these bacteria infested swine confinements that follow the meat processors like Eric Bookmeyer follows the Coors truck. It’s a natural relationship where need spawns demand.
Here is a possible solution that could be a win/win for everyone. From birth, a pig suckles its mother until it reaches about 25 pounds. Then it begins to eat grain; overall it takes that pig 6 months to reach a marketing weight of 250 pounds.
This accelerated weight is attributed to fast growth additives a.k.a. Steroids. Consequently, the meat becomes more pink has less texture and diminished taste… and it’s not healthy. If legislation were enacted to ban steroids for both chicken and pork production you would not see these gigantic chicken operations where a chicken goes into the meat case 6 weeks after it is hatched. The chicken’s skin becomes almost white and the taste is almost gone… not healthy.
Banning steroids in food production would slow growth, resulting in healthier food. Price increases due to longer feeding periods, but the increases would not be prohibitive. This slower pace could result in lesser demand for hog confinements (CAFOs) in both poultry and hog production. These steroids could be related to cancer. Better taste and better health is a win-win.
Peter Children
Mason City, Iowa
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