Chicken (not something I normally do, but sign the petition, please.)
Sorry I've been so sorely neglecting LJ, haven't been very social or even checking my friends page (so will have to spend a while there soon).
I've got a couple of other posts to do, including one on how many of our government officials are being busted... we all knew there are always a lot of criminals in politics, but, DAY-UM...
Anyway, the thought of the moment is: what do we eat, and is it actually healthy?
Most people think of chicken, at least when not saturated in excessive oils, as healthy. We don't generally think about the living conditions of the animals as affecting the meat, which is inspected to keep us safe.
However, the living conditions mean that they have to be pumped full of anti-biotics. Four of the five biggest producers have at least started to change this, so if you're gonna buy a chicken, make sure it's either Tyson, Perdue, Gold Kist or Foster Farms. If it's from Pilgrim's Pride, put it back.
I figured the Union of Concerned Scientists did a fine job of explaining the situation, so copied the text of the page & made the whole thing the link to the petition. I'm sure they won't mind, considering I'm not taking credit for it & am spreading the petition.
They did neglect to mention, though, that we're not only risking those resistant bacteria, but getting all of these antibiotics in the meat (the chickens are getting it in their feed, well, by extension, so are we), thus beating back our own immune systems... It's no wonder people seem to get sick so often & so much easier these days, and that the prescriptions aren't working as well instead of getting more effective with time...
Antibiotics are commonly added to the feed and water of animals being raised for human consumption, a practice with serious consequences for our health. Bacteria that are constantly exposed to antibiotics develop resistance to these drugs. When humans get sick from resistant bacteria, the antibiotics prescribed will no longer work.
What's more, these antibiotics are not intended to treat sick animals, but to accelerate growth and prevent diseases caused by overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on "factory" farms.
Recently, four of the nation's largest poultry corporations-Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms - reported that they have sharply cut back on their use of antibiotics in the feed of chickens that are not sick. The companies said that this reduction in nontherapeutic antibiotic use was made possible by improving animals' living conditions and by breeding hardier chickens.
We applaud these corporations for taking an important step to protect human health and moving in the direction of sustainable farm practices. Now we need your help to urge Pilgrim’s Pride, the nation's #2 chicken producer, to adopt a similar plan to reduce unnecessary uses of antibiotics. Sign this petition today and urge Pilgrim's Pride to protect the health of its customers by reducing antibiotic use in chickens!
Amid the "bird flu" panic, maybe this is a good time to remind the FDA who they're supposed to be working for. This is definitely one of those things that never should have gotten this far out of hand in the first place. I (with my minimal education & total lack of training) can't possibly know more of their job than they do, can I?
I've got a couple of other posts to do, including one on how many of our government officials are being busted... we all knew there are always a lot of criminals in politics, but, DAY-UM...
Anyway, the thought of the moment is: what do we eat, and is it actually healthy?
Most people think of chicken, at least when not saturated in excessive oils, as healthy. We don't generally think about the living conditions of the animals as affecting the meat, which is inspected to keep us safe.
However, the living conditions mean that they have to be pumped full of anti-biotics. Four of the five biggest producers have at least started to change this, so if you're gonna buy a chicken, make sure it's either Tyson, Perdue, Gold Kist or Foster Farms. If it's from Pilgrim's Pride, put it back.
I figured the Union of Concerned Scientists did a fine job of explaining the situation, so copied the text of the page & made the whole thing the link to the petition. I'm sure they won't mind, considering I'm not taking credit for it & am spreading the petition.
They did neglect to mention, though, that we're not only risking those resistant bacteria, but getting all of these antibiotics in the meat (the chickens are getting it in their feed, well, by extension, so are we), thus beating back our own immune systems... It's no wonder people seem to get sick so often & so much easier these days, and that the prescriptions aren't working as well instead of getting more effective with time...
Antibiotics are commonly added to the feed and water of animals being raised for human consumption, a practice with serious consequences for our health. Bacteria that are constantly exposed to antibiotics develop resistance to these drugs. When humans get sick from resistant bacteria, the antibiotics prescribed will no longer work.
What's more, these antibiotics are not intended to treat sick animals, but to accelerate growth and prevent diseases caused by overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on "factory" farms.
Recently, four of the nation's largest poultry corporations-Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms - reported that they have sharply cut back on their use of antibiotics in the feed of chickens that are not sick. The companies said that this reduction in nontherapeutic antibiotic use was made possible by improving animals' living conditions and by breeding hardier chickens.
We applaud these corporations for taking an important step to protect human health and moving in the direction of sustainable farm practices. Now we need your help to urge Pilgrim’s Pride, the nation's #2 chicken producer, to adopt a similar plan to reduce unnecessary uses of antibiotics. Sign this petition today and urge Pilgrim's Pride to protect the health of its customers by reducing antibiotic use in chickens!
Amid the "bird flu" panic, maybe this is a good time to remind the FDA who they're supposed to be working for. This is definitely one of those things that never should have gotten this far out of hand in the first place. I (with my minimal education & total lack of training) can't possibly know more of their job than they do, can I?