Wartman starts my explaining that approximately 46 million turkeys consumed each year come from factory farms. These birds are raised on a diet of corn and antibiotics. Since turkeys do not naturally eat corn, they must also be fed antibiotics to keep from getting sick. (See my previous post exploring the problems associated with antibiotic use on farms). Industrial turkeys are housed in confined spaces with barely any room to move around. Breeding has also rendered them so top heavy that they usually can barely stand, let alone fly.
Wartman then goes on to describe the environmental impacts of industrial turkey farms. She explains that factory farms produce around 61 million tons of waste a year, and this waste is the biggest source of water pollution in the U.S. Another issue, that Wartman doesn't mention, is the problems associated with feeding corn to farm animals. Growing corn is an incredibly unsustainable practice. It requires the use of large amounts of pesticides and herbicides, it depletes the soil it grows in, and it diverts energy from the growth of food for human consumption. (A documentary titled King Corn explores these issues in more depth and is definitely worth watching.)
Next, Wartman discusses the human health risks associated with factory farmed turkey. She explains the dangers of Salmonella contamination, the risks of antibiotic resistance, and the poor nutritional value associated with these turkeys.
Wartman's article is clearly an opinion piece with a strong bias against factory farms. She gives a lot of strong and concise arguments, and I think her methods are very effective. She also ends her article by providing links to resources for finding pasture-raised and heritage breed turkeys. It's refreshing to see someone provide a more viable alternative, instead of pushing a vegetarian agenda. Consumers can exercise a lot more power by purchasing sustainably produced animal products than they can by simply opting out. If we want to make the shift towards farming that is better for the animals, humans, and the environment, we must support the farmers who are working towards that goal.image credits:
http://easychickenrecipee.com/
http://www.climateark.org/
http://www.bobatkins.com/
Turkey rarely makes it into the discussion about factory farming, but the article brings to light many scary details of the process. I knew that factory farms altered the diets for their livestock, but it would appear even more relevant in the discussion of turkeys. I had no idea that turkeys were omnivores, and the fact that their beaks are snipped to prevent picking is just sad. You provide many useful links throughout this post providing good context. I also found your analysis of Wartman's article accurate. While it clearly is an opinion piece, I do agree that for many of us meat-eaters, asking us to go "cold turkey" (bad pun) just isn't reasonable. With the links at the end directing the reader to pasture-raised turkeys, I won't have to sacrifice next Thanksgiving. Nice work.
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