by Gene
The recent recall of half a billion eggs contaminated with
salmonella is another reminder about how harmful industrial animal farming is. Thousands
of consumers have been sickened, experiencing diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, and while no deaths have been
reported, salmonella can be life-threatening, especially to people with
weakened immune systems.
Hopefully the
attention garnered by this recall will help raise awareness about the bigger
issue of factory farming and food related illnesses in our country. Scientists
at the Centers for
Disease Control estimate that “foodborne diseases cause
approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths
in the
Roughly 95% of the eggs sold in the
Besides being denied a healthy environment, egg laying hens
are also denied wholesome food. Agribusiness is always looking to save on feed
costs because it is among their largest expenses. One way to do so is to feed
hens the bare minimum, as an agricultural publication advises “…a hen consuming less
feed is more efficient and profitable.” Another way is to add waste and
slaughterhouse by-products, including chicken parts, to the hens’ feed. Such
feedstuffs may be cheaper, but they can also increase the risk of salmonella
and other diseases.
Agribusiness seeks to increase profitability, and that often
means cutting corners and passing costs onto others. Whether its tax payers
stuck with cleaning up environmental pollution, neighbors of factory farms
whose property values are diminished, or consumers whose health and well being
is jeopardized, factory farms should be made liable. Those who were made ill
and harmed by these contaminated eggs should be able to recuperate their
losses.
The massive egg recall we see in the news today is the result of a factory farming system that is rotten through and through. In the absence of a major overhaul, and unless agribusiness is made responsible for the negative consequences of its actions, we will likely see similar contamination and recalls in the future, and animals and people will continue to suffer needlessly.