Noah’s Task / 115proved facilities and these facilities have become increasingly con-
centrated in particular areas of the country. They process mostly
their own “captive supply,” or animals raised by the company’s own
producers. In keeping with the “get big or get out” dictum of indus-
trial agriculture, many facilities will not accept small numbers of
animals. Thus, many farmers do not have access to USDA-certifi ed
slaughterhouses. They have to truck their animals long distances
to be slaughtered. Some have solved this problem by forming co-
ops and pooling their animals for slaughter in USDA-approved
facilities.
The existing system has posed a signifi cant obstacle to sustain-
ability because it makes it diffi cult for consumers to purchase meat
from farmers who support good husbandry without making direct
arrangements with that farmer. To sell meat in local retail outlets,
farmers must either transport their live animals to state-inspected
facilities (if available) or out of state for processing. The cost of
transporting the animals, combined with animal welfare implica-
tions, has made the enterprise wholly unsustainable. Fortunately,
there are some potential solutions to this. By granting USDA certi-
fi cation to select state packing facilities the 2008 federal farm bill
allows producers to ship across state lines and broaden their ac-
cess to markets. The catch is that the certifi cation process could
be a long time coming. The USDA is short on inspectors even for
existing facilities, and the effort to recover from the biggest beef
recall in U.S. history will stretch the agency further. Meanwhile, an-
other alternative is for consumers to buy sustainably raised meat
through community supported agriculture (CSA). In CSA, individu-
als “subscribe” to a program that provides a range of products, from
vegetables to meat, throughout the growing season. Members be-
come shareholders in the farm and receive its products as a return
for their investment. Most CSA farms invite members to visit and
even work on the farm, allowing consumers to observe animal hus-
bandry. In sum, consumers can encourage sustainability by advo-
cating for and supporting the infrastructure necessary for a locally
based food system.