I am supporting the California Humane Society in promoting
this initiative in the November ballot. On Tuesday Jose, the Eatwell farm
foreman, was interviewed for channel 19 in Sacramento. They saw how we keep our
chickens pastured on alfalfa.
The initiative is very simple, it would ban crates and cages that confine animals to such an extent that they cannot move or stretch their wings.
It is my belief that if we choose to eat animal products as part of our diet then we have to take responsibility for their welfare. As a farmer I do my best to respect and allow the chickens to live as close to a natural life as possible. You can taste the difference.
Our chickens eat more and they currently are fed 100% organic feed The extra labor of taking care of them in the field also adds to the cost. Our eggs are not cheap, they reflect the real cost of an egg. Eggs produced in factory farms where the chickens are caged are cheap. You are not paying the cost associated with the cruelty, the chicken is.
Who is responsible? I believe we all are. The farmer would not produce the eggs if no one bought them. If we all knew how these eggs are produced you would most likely not buy them. As a society we have a duty to remove cruelty wherever we find it.
I urge you to support the initiative but the ultimate
power you have is the dollar in your pocket. Spend it wisely.
Picture copyright Art Siegel.