Whole Foods is making news. It will become the first major food business in the country to support a commitment to slower-growing breeds and better living conditions for chickens by 2024. But is this real?
Here is the full story from Compassion in World Farming. The point of the story is:
For decades, the (chicken) industry’s focus has been on producing a chicken as big, as fast, and as cheap as possible. But there have been disastrous unintended consequences for the birds - lameness, heart conditions, and immune function problems, to name a few. It’s high time w give chickens a life worth living,” said Leah Garces, US Director of Compassion in World Farming and Global Animal Partnership board member.
Release No. 0183.14 Contact: Jay Fletcher (202) 690-0498
USDA Announces $25 Million for Agricultural Entrepreneurs
to Turn Commodities into Value-Added Products
Funding Supports Local and Regional Food Systems, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
LOUDON, N.H., Aug. 19, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today highlighted the importance of rural entrepreneurs to the U.S. economy and announced investments to help rural businesses grow, diversify and create jobs. USDA is investing $25 million to help 247 businesses nationwide expand their operations and create new products to arket, Secretary Vilsack said today during a visit to Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, N.
PINK SLIME - Are concerns for Pink Slime based on nutritional deficiencies? Is there a food safety issue? If it's not a nutritional issue or a food safety issue, then what is the problem? Shall we examine the facts?
If people want to worry about the foods they eat, there are two ways to go about it. One is to run around screaming about myths and erroneous perceptions. The other is to ask meaningful questions and embrace proven scientific facts. For starters, the most popular picture of pink slime (left) that circulates on the Internet is not a picture of the actual product (righ).
PROBLEM FAT REMOVED - Tyson completes the removal of unhealthy trans-fatty acids from its processed meat products.
Springdale, Arkansas-headquartered meat processor Tyson Foods has completed the process of removing trans-fatty acids from its fully cooked breaded poultry retail and "child nutrition" school foodservice products.
“The initiative, announced in February 2004 with Tyson branded breaded chicken products, including nuggets, patties, and tenders, is now complete,” the company announced in a release. While Tyson chicken, beef and pork are naturally low in trans-faty acids, the company changed its recipes to offer a healthier choice without sacrificing taste and quality.
Many people land on this Web page because they are wondering if Laura's Lean Beef is grass-fed. Her main line of "Natural" meats have never been grass-fed. They are grain-fed just like Tyson's "select grade" meats that you can buy at Wal Mart. "Natural," "organic," "free range," "heart friendly," "lean," and terms like those mean nothing when it comes to nutrition. Only grass-fed meats offer a nutritional difference in the meat category. Recently Laura's Lean started to distribute some grass-fed meat. We give her credit for that. I guess she finally lerned why natural is not worth a hoot.
There you will find short essays with substantiating links to scientific sources and additional commentary. Subscribers to the SGFM newsletter are notified about additional postings to the "Columns" section as they occur.