An outlook of the veganism social movement.

auspicious wrote: »

I wasn't condemning the farmers in the Youtube clip I posted last time. It was the picture content of the video.Yes some farmers are better than other farmers. And some are worse. But that is just the way of humanity. When live creatures are used as commodities, cruelty and neglect are a by-product. Currenlty in these very early stages of this new social perspective I do not have any resenment. It seems as though it all started just yesterday, when we have been eating meat forever.So what's the timeline?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ACAIKt8IUZo

The 'picture content' of the pig farm video showed nothing that was not within UK agricultural standards or indeed shocking imo. The size of the pig units appeared fairly modest and certainly could not be classed as the huge industrial scale factory farms talked about in many vegan documentaries. Farrowing crates are just one of the currently approved methods used to ensure piglets don't get rolled etc and are limited to approx 6 weeks use. Many people support the use of alternative systems of pig rearing. I think much of that has already been discussed tbh.

As to "When live creatures are used as commodities, cruelty and neglect are a by-product.

The fact is that everything we eat is a commodity and both plants and animals are living organisms. I do not agree that 'cruelty and neglect' are by any stretch of the imagination a by-product of all forms of animal farming btw.

Good farms where 'cruelty and neglect' are never tolerated by farmers are the norm and not the exception.

Are there some bad producers? Yes I'm sure there are - but they are in the minority and face prosecution and sanctions if they do so. It remains that in Ireland as in Europe - there are high welfare and farming standards that must be met by producers. Attempting to tar all farmers with the same brush is both disingenuous and wrong.

It is the case with a lot of imported plant based foodstuffs - that food may be produced with few if any environmental or ethical standards. Much of our exotic and cheap imported foodstuffs unfortunately fall into this category imo. A huge number of animals and organisms are killed in the cultivation and harvesting of many of these crops.

Many countries are restricted by climate and topography as to what foodstuffs can be commercially produced. No 'timeline' can overrule the reality that Ireland is a country which suits grassland and livestock farming . Our food production is based on this singular fact. It is also true that many other countries and peoples in less well developed parts of the noted also depend on livestock for their sustenance and livlihoods.

The pushing of a purely plant based diet is at best short sighted and fails to recognise the diversity of farming systems and that we do not live in a homogenous world.