http://www.care2.com/greenliving/children-of-the-corn-fed-cows.html
Children of the Corn-Fed Cows
Corn-fed beef raised in the Midwest. This was proudly printed on the menu for a pretty nice restaurant I was having dinner at the other day. The claim puzzled me. I suppose to the uninformed, this evokes a lovely picture of happy cows eating healthy vegetables. And a few weeks ago, I might have thought the same. But that was before I watched “King Corn.”
The fact that I went to see “Sex and the City” on opening weekend probably tells you a little bit about my taste in movies. When it comes to entertainment, I generally like it nice and fluffy.
Sometimes though, my husband will talk me into watching something meaningful and—gasp!—educational. That’s how I found myself on a recent Thursday night watching a documentary we got from Netflix about corn. That’s right, corn.
Now, I am not writing about this because it was a wildly entertaining movie. If this were a movie review, I’d have to give it the proverbial thumbs down. The first 45 minutes or so of “King Corn” were pretty boring, to tell the truth. The only reason we didn’t turn it off was because we were having so much fun making fun of it. Basically, it starts out with two friends who plant an acre of corn in Iowa. It isn’t until they start figuring out where the more than 80 million acres of corn grown in the United States goes that it gets interesting.
Full disclosure: I eat meat, all kinds. And as a meat eater, I tend not to think too much about where that meat comes from. I always buy my eggs from free-range chickens, and try to buy chicken and beef with claims of humane treatment to the animals before they are slaughtered. (And yes, I do realize the irony of that statement.) But I can honestly say that I never thought about the whole concept of grass-fed beef and why it’s better. Until “King Corn.”
Turns out, there are two things to be done with the overproduction of corn in our society: The first is high-fructose corn syrup, which I hope everyone knows is bad for us, and the second is cattle feed. So what’s wrong with that? Picture 100,000 cows standing shoulder-to-shoulder, not allowed to roam free because it will slow down the fattening process. This is Iowa corn at work, transformed into millions of pounds of fat-streaked, cheap beef. There was one particularly gruesome scene in the documentary that shows in disgusting detail what eating all that corn and not being allowed to move does to the poor cows. Basically, the cows would explode and die if they were not slaughtered in a timely manner.
So yeah, I haven’t eaten beef since. Had a nice turkey burger the other day. (And please don’t tell me there’s a documentary on the mistreatment of turkeys—my heart couldn’t take it.) I expect I will have beef again, but only if I know that the cows were grass-fed. Bottom line is, so much corn isn’t good for the cows and it’s not good for us.
The reason for all this corn is our nation’s farm policy. “King Corn” was made in 2007, just as Congress was set to debate the Farm Bill, a once-in-seven-years opportunity to change what our tax dollars subsidize and how we eat. Unfortunately, it didn’t make a difference. But watching this movie changed my mind about beef, that’s for sure.
And there was something one of the ranchers said that just stuck with me. He said grass-fed beef is more expensive and harder to raise, but if people wanted it, they would make it available. While I agree that reform on a much larger scale is necessary, I believe that individual choices as consumers can make a difference. So if you don’t want your cows corn fed, refuse to buy them that way. That’s what I intend to do.
Saving the Earth, one burger at a time.
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21 comments
add your comment »I suggest to anyone wanting grass fed beef to contact the farmers directly and they are not as hard to find as one would think. Check out farmers markets, Google it, you's be surprized. Most of the smaller family farms would be happy to sell beef to people wanting healthier and better treated animals. remember, as in the food you buy at the store, the closer to nature the better for you... i have never met a cow that grew corn for feed and I have met a lot of cows (not tring to be facetious, we farm grass fed free range grazing cattle) It is just not natural. They eat grass, and sometimes leaves from brush in their pastures.
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thanks...
Kabin
Konteyner
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Kristan & DC thumbs up! We can't feed this planet on a Western diet, and certainly not future pop. projections.
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Less destruction of land, less polluting of the environment, better able to feed the world, improved human health AND better treatment of animals and increased respect for other species as living beings that deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion. Try a vegan/vegetarian diet! It's not as difficult as it might seem...and MANY benefit from it, including your own health (lower cholesteral, better heart-health, and possible increased life expectancy!
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I do not feel that one should eat MEAT every day as many people do, and so I do not eat that way. There is another alternative for those who want to eat a healthier, happier beaf. Many local family farmers will be happy to raise a cow for you. The cow will graise, and move about in the company of other cows and perhaps a dog or two (resulting in leaner meat), and be fed a supplimentary diet. You will be able to personally check on feeding methods and medical care, and other living conditions. The family farmer can always use the income, and they will probably be able to help you find a local meat locker. I have friends who go in together on the cost and share the meat. They say the flavor and quality is superior.
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Remember!!!!!support local farmers markets.
It's better for you and the animals.
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I just became vegetarian along with my 20 yearold daughter,her friend and my 93 year old mother, thats right 93 years of eating anything and everything. After viewing the videos of factory farms and reading up on the process of meat, she said it makes her sick to even think about eating meat. We need to wsrite letters everday (which I do) to all the politicians and send them with a message that we are not letting the Meat and Dairy corporations who are geting rich on feeding us crap, continue to treat these poor animals as though they are industrial products without feelings. If we all ban together and stop promotting the supermarkets who could care less what the meat has or how much the animals suffered, we could make a difference.
Cruelty to animals is a crime and especially when it is committed by legalized organizations. Not to mention that they are killing us. We have had it with the USDA and the FDA. People put way to much faith in their system. It is up to us to step upto the plate. It's the right thing to do, for us and for those defenseless creatures.
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First we will all have to get the human race to limit breeding sensibly, then get the human race to understand that meat as a concentrated source of protein is a very expensive and wasteful way of feeding humans. Good luck with all that!
While I agree grass-fed is better I do NOT want to allow free-range grazing that ranchers in the west enjoy for free.
Grazing on BLM and Forest Service lands should be totally outlawed because of the ecological damages it does. Grass-fed beef is fine, but no more free rides on the public lands that this nation owns.... that you and I own!
Thing is, it won't be much longer before meat will be so costly that only the very rich will be able to afford it. Then we will all need to turn back to legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts, whether we want to or not.
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Sadly, too many farmers in the west are allowed to set their cattle free to roam on BLM lands to graze. This horrible habit has decimated much of the vegetation in those areas and has caused much erosion and damage to soils. I agree grass-fed is best, but we need to be specific about no longer allowing cattle ranchers to graze free-range as it is very hard on the ecology in many areas.
With costs of EVERYTHING rising, people may find that they have no choice any longer and will have to switch away from meat to vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes anyhow because any meat will be exceedingly cost prohibitive. I vote for zero population growth too.
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too many people
we have no room to be nice to nature or food.
last i read organic veggies and cows both use 4 time the space as the mass farm veggies.
none wants a 4 story buolding but they produce up to 4 genertions of people all want o lice sperate and alive at the same time
when i was a kid -eastern corn fedbeef was primo the cows roamed the fields i could smell it was true. corn was fed to supplement and then wed see tehm in pens eating lots of corn etc before they were shipped off.
more humane methods are available only when we stop overcrowding the whole earth.
china may be cruel about it but since we dont need many or any kids to run the farm anymore someone needs to figure
out t
how to reapir the cahnign ways we grow and raise food and destry natures lands and more.
OVERPOPULATION is the beginning of the problem.
lets reward adoption especailly of disbeld and older kids and foster parents.
we only need new babies becasue of the family name and we dont help exisitng humans be thier m ost healthy and productive.
PETA can be too intense but they also show som e of the creul ways mass needs have changed farming
had cancer you shouldmt eat soy and
im not becoming a veggie as alllergic to soy
but sure would like to hear solutions on becoming kinder about raising and killing animals .a nd stopping extinction of some of the wild ones.
SORRY ON THE TYPOS.!
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