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Animal Agribusiness

Animal Agribusiness. Ethical Considerations. Stakeholders. Environment Humans health communities employees Animals Suppliers. Retail Value. In 2006, the retail value of the US beef industry was $71 billion US broiler was $41 billion US pork was $38 billion

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Animal Agribusiness

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  1. Animal Agribusiness Ethical Considerations

  2. Stakeholders • Environment • Humans • health • communities • employees • Animals • Suppliers

  3. Retail Value • In 2006, the retail value of the US beef industry was $71 billion • US broiler was $41 billion • US pork was $38 billion • In 2009, the egg industry was valued at $6 billion • Select corporations: Tyson, Smithfield, ConAgra, Contigroup, and Seaboard Corporation.

  4. Factory Farms

  5. Environmental concerns

  6. Deforestation

  7. Water Pollution • Tyson, world’s largest producer of chicken meat, dumped wastewater from its poultry plant in Edalia, Missouri in a tributary of the Lamine River. They paid $7.5 million in fines.

  8. Climate Change • According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, animal agribusiness is responsible for 18%, or nearly one-fifth, of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, more than all the world’s transportation sector. • “Given the amount of energy consumed raising, shipping, and selling livestock, a 16 oz. steak is like a Hummer on a plate.” (Time Magazine 2007)

  9. Communities • Lower property values • Environmental racism • The poorest areas throughout North Carolina have 18 times more hog farms than the wealthiest areas. (Handout, 5) • Residents can suffer from the effects of related air pollution such as skin and eye irritation, coughing, asthma headaches and sleep loss. (Handout, 7)

  10. Human Health • Antibiotic Resistance • 83% of all chicken meat (including organic and antibiotic-free brands) is infected with either campylobacter or salmonella at the time of purchase (Foer, 139). • E. coli • Virus mutations (e.g. avian flu, H1N1).

  11. Employees • 71% of the farmers who work under contract for Tyson (world’s largest chicken producer) earn below poverty-level wages (Handout, 6). • Farmer autonomy? • Pressures to go big

  12. Slaughterhouse Workers

  13. Animals • 10 billion animals per year • In the US, there is no federal law governing the welfare of farmed animals while on farms. Federal protections apply to transportation methods and slaughterhouse practices only (Singer 45).

  14. Gestation Crates

  15. Egg Layers: Battery Cages and Male Chicks

  16. Broilers • Chickens raised for meat consumption. • Americans eat 150 times as many chickens as we did only 80 years ago. • Genetically designed to grow quickly.

  17. Cattle

  18. The Killing Floor

  19. The Killing Floor • Today the killing line for chickens typically moves at 90 birds per minute (Singer 26). • 180 million are improperly slaughtered each year (Foer, 133) • Inspectors have 2 seconds for each bird

  20. Recap • Environmental damage • Sustainable? • Communities • Social justice? • Human health • Long term consequences? • Employees • Welfare and rights? • Animals • Welfare and compassion?

  21. Where to we go from here? • Proposition 2 (2008)

  22. Leading the way

  23. Veganism is a $2.8 billion market • Wide Circle Vegan Investment Fund • http://widecriclefund. com Drivers of future growth: Environment Public health Ethics

  24. Companies that sell vegan products • Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM) • Dean Foods (NYSE: DF) • Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) • Kraft (NYSE: KFT) • The Kroger Company (NYSE: KR) • Tofutti Brands (AMEX: TOF) • Whole Foods Markey, Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI)

  25. What can we do? • Eat less meat • Impact legislation • Tell others • Go vegetarian/vegan • Support organizations

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