  I can’t help but post my response to Matt’s slacktivist inspired post in the main page. It’s a great topic for discussion. My favorite part of the slacktivist post: "Due to expensive land and encroaching urbanization, southern California [dairy farms] dairies are more geographically concentrated than those in other states, leading to a bigger manure problem. At a typical dairy [farm], hundreds of cows are locked into stations where they line up to eat hay. Once released into open areas, they jam together under whatever shade they can find to avoid the heat and glare of the sun. " This is what those a-holes must mean in the "happy cow adds" I see on TV.
The only hope is that investigative reporters will put this kind of stuff into the mainstream and enough people will worry about quality a la Upton Sinclair so positive change takes place. At the same time, I continue to eat meat with little remorse. Is this wrong? My actions do support things that I know are wrong. Why can't it be like when I was a boy? Those days are gone, but I learned a lot growing up.
I’m not about to give up meat and dairy, but my eyes are open. On the farm where I grew up we actually raised a fare about of the meat and eggs that went on the table. We had chickens (some for eggs, some for eating), turkeys, and pigs. We fished in our own boat and the times we caught dinner were the only times fish was on the menu. We did catch extra and freeze them. Beef and dairy all came from the market.
After all that, I, and probably my sister, knew where meat came from - dead animals. Animals that didn’t want to become dead animals. I wish others had that experience. I wish that everyone that eats meat had to raise an animal from birth – kill it – then decide if they wanted to eat it. I’ve made my choice. I wish folks that provide meat for the market took as good a care with their animals as we did with ours - for health reasons mostly, for the animal’s general well-being too.
My problem with it is that too many people just take it for granted – don’t think about where the meat is coming from. Many get squeamish when they see slaughtering or butchering taking place. Some can’t even stand the whole gutted fish in the market. It is about making informed decisions, if the decision is to eat healthy meat raised in a humane way, like our family farm, then I’m all for it. A counter argument often raised to justify factory farms is that it lowers the cost of the product, so more people can afford to eat foods that improve their diet. Salmon farms are often the favorite example.
There is a point to be made here. On the other hand- does this mean the economies of centralized animal raising and processing are really providing the best product for the lowest price in beef, chicken and pork? The cost sure is lower, but why? Part of the problem, is that the cost to the environment from these places is not passed on to the consumer. It’s passed on to the neighbors of these large factory farms. Other costs are urlLink subsidized by our federal government.
My main thesis is probably this – real positive change is only going to happen if consumers get hit with health problems or in the pocket book. Cynical, but true I think. Not everyone is going to have the type of experience I had growing up. Fewer still will make a conscious decision about it like Matt and Jen. Perhaps the wake up call is coming, let’s hope its not too painful. 
