Hidden Costs of the Feedlot

All of this week's readings seem to tie together very well, so I'm going to comment on them collectively in this post. The readings I'm referring to are "Tenderloin's a Steal, but at What Moral Price?" by John Kessler, "Meat and Potatoes" by E. Schlosser, and Chapter Four of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.

The main point that ties these pieces together so well is this: We often make choices about what to eat based on price, but fail to consider the reasons behind why these foods are cheaper. We look to maintain a low budget at the cost of our morality. We remain ignorant to - or simply try to forget - how our food gets from its original source to our dinner plates, pushing past knowledge of animal cruelty and instead focusing on lower costs.

There's only so long we can remain in the dark on this issue, so let me explain. Beef is often cheap because of so called "factory farming" on cattle feedlots. America's animal population is gathered together in cramped quarters for the sake of fulfilling economic logic. It is true that placing so many cows together in a small area and feeding them cheap, federally subsidized corn, is the quickest and most profitable way to run the meat business. It is also true that this method assures the cheapest price of meat for us.

However, the term "cost" does not take into account anything beyond the economics textbook definition of the word. Cheap meat has brought about a large share of environmental and healthy problems, from polluted air and water to the deadly E. Coli diseases that have inflicted out population. We feed cows on feedlots cheap corn because its serves as a cheap form of calories, but this choice has had considerable costs to the health of the cows, and consequently on our own health. Because we inhabit the same ecosystem as the animals we eat, whatever happens to them consequently happens to us.

Additionally, concentration in the meatpacking industry has lowered prices for us, the consumers. This also comes at a great cost. In fact, according to E. Schlosser, the injury rate among meatpackers is the highest of any occupation in the United States. The high speed of production lines may turn large profits, but it also unfortunately is the leading determinant for slaughterhouse injuries. And the pay is next to nothing.

So all of of that leads me to this question: If people did know of the terrible treatment of cows on feedlots, of the inhumane environment in meatpacking plants, and of all the hidden costs that come with buying cheaper meat, would they still make the same decision? Now that I'm aware, will I?