On National Meat Week, Chewing Over Some Meaty Issues

There are a lot of diverse opinions about meat, ranging from it being the best thing ever to it being the devil's spawn. Since it's National Meat Week, let's talk more about this issue and discuss some tips about how to enjoy meat responsibly.

Let's start there: Is it possible enjoy meat responsibly? Some hold fast to the opinion that sustainable meat production is impossible since farm animals, especially cattle, emit high amounts of methane and take vastly more resources to raise and turn into food than do plants. Others, however, are of the mind that livestock can be an essential part of sustainable agriculture, since the fertilization they provide is key to a diverse, organic polyculture farm environment.

On the one hand, some see killing animals for meat as torturous and barbaric. On the other, some argue that there are methods of slaughter that are relatively humane and that if we refused to raise domesticated animals for food those species would disappear from the Earth altogether, which one could argue is crueler than the alternative.

Wherever you fall on the spectrum of opinion, as a reader of this site, you likely agree that humungous monocultures dedicated to livestock production — otherwise known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs — are, in fact, the devil's spawn. These operations are notorious for maltreatment of animals, over-use of chemicals and antibiotics, unclean conditions, use of corn-based diets and contamination of meat. Look "unsustainable meat production" up in the encyclopedia and you'll see a picture of a CAFO.

If we argue that sustainable meat is possible and even an essential piece of a sustainable food system, we must be quick to point out that only certain methods of raising meat are eligible for the sustainable (or organic) label. The matter of what those methods look like and how extensive they can be is a matter better covered by dissertations.

But there are some undeniable facts:

• "Sustainble" meat-eating means eating less meat, since we can't possibly raise as much meat as we currently consume in a sustainable manner.
• Getting meat directly from small farms is best if you have the option. Farmers markets often have meat purveyors.
• If you're a meat eater, voting with your dollars is one of the best things you can do to change the system; get off the industrial food chain whenever possible.
• One of the best things we can do to help small meat farmers is to vocally support the greater availability of mobile slaughterhouses.

Not sure where small farmers or quality butchers in your area might be hiding? Start your search with Sustainable Table's Eat Well Guide, where you can search for resources in and around your town.

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