Old MacDonald Had a Farm (Until Agribusiness Forced Him to Sell)

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2009-11-26 03:00:00 UTC
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Family farms are declining, and the idyllic country scenes of grazing cows and pecking hens are going down with them. Whether or not you believe it’s ever okay to use animals for food, supporting small farms may be the best way to protect quality of life for farm animals.

Farmers tend to view animals differently than those of us who live more urban lifestyles. While we go to work to make a living to afford the latest dog toys and gourmet cat food, a farmer’s animals are helping him earn his living, guarding livestock or keeping rodents out of barns.

The way animals are valued on farms might astonish or appall you. But those gut-wrenching pictures of chickens kept in quarters so tight their feet start to grow around the wires of their coops or of cows yanked by one leg along a factory assembly line of slaughter -- those aren’t coming from the guy at the farmers market who’s rolling his eyes at your dog’s rhinestone collar. Family farms tend to be the ones where the hens can still spread their wings and the cows get to go out in the field. The truly abhorrent conditions for farm animals come from the giant agribusinesses that will sink to any inhumane depth to provide hamburger and tomatoes at your big box grocery store’s sale prices.

Making the choice to buy produce at your local farmers market instead of the chain store might be the difference between keeping Old MacDonald in business, and condemning farm animals to the factory life. Like other local businesses, there’s a domino effect -– if one falls, it makes it easier for the “big guys” to move into town and take over. The family running the zucchini stand might not keep any cows on their farm, but if they thrive, the other farms in the area are more likely to be able keep their barn doors open, too. It's just one more good reason to buy local.

Photo credit: Sheffield Tiger

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.
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