Blog

Latest news from Big Barn and our producers.

Why we ignore the horrors of factory farming

A farming friend of mine is setting up a huge chicken shed, should he feel guilty, or should consumers feel guilty buying the factory farmed meat?

He is not feeling guilty as he says the birds will get better treatment than old broiler sheds and similar factory farms around the world. He will be able to monitor every part of the shed by computer and make sure every chicken is healthy and has enough food.

He may also think chickens have very small brains and it does not matter if kept in very cramped conditions. Or, that he is providing people with what they want, cheap food.

Most consumers buying the chickens will also not feel guilty. 1 Because they have not seen how their meat has been produced and 2. Because they posses the secret weapon all marketeers love. For more on this watch this video. (she is a bit of a smart-arse but has a great closing comment)

Is this right?  Are we wilfully ignorant, or do we place our trust in the shops we buy from, and government to provide rules to protect animals.

Happy pigs and chucks

Happy pigs and chucks

Or do we all really know what is really going on and feel a subconscious guilt when we know a cheap chicken, or pig, has had such a horrible life?

Socrates said that doing bad things damaged our soul. The shops we buy from are like my farming friend, and government is too busy to care. So to avoid the guilt, and feed our soul, we should switch from supermarkets to local shops and make sure we are buying meat that has not been tortured.  Please use our local food map here.

 

Join the BigBarn Local Food Community

Newsletter

Hear about seasonal food, articles about food, interesting food news in your area and offers.

(A postcode will help us give you local news)

Please check at least one option below

List *

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected]. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please read our privacy policy. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

No, thank you