How to Be a Conscious Eater

Also, look for farmers and ranchers who raise animals as

part of diversified farms, meaning that one type of animal is

not the only thing they’ve got going. Raising animals in concert

with other plants and animals makes a big difference, particu-

larly when managed grazing is used, which, thanks to the way

cattle fertilize and stir up soil as they forage, means you can

actually capture carbon in the soil (though it doesn’t offset the

methane emitted by those gassy ruminants).

Not to be overlooked is the human cost of industrial live-

stock production. The worker safety issues, repetitive-stress

injuries, grueling hours, and low wages suffered by slaughter-

house workers—which for many Americans were first revealed

in the book Fast Food Nation—are enough to turn off the appe-

tites of even the most fervent meat eater. To my knowledge,

there is not currently a widely available third-party label ver-

ifying better labor conditions. The Agricultural Justice Project

has launched a label, “Food Justice Certified,” whose standards

are considered highly meaningful by Consumer Reports, but so

far only a small number of farms and producers have earned

the certification, so you’re unlikely to see it in stores. For now,

at least be aware that one more reason to opt out of factory-

farmed meat with your grocery dollars is the incredibly inhu-

mane working conditions for people in meat and poultry

packing and processing.

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