The New York Times recently held a writing contest to write 600 words about the ethics of eating meat. Unfortunately I found out about the contest after the due date of submissions. Nevertheless I thought it was an interesting question. What makes eating meat Ethical?
Ethically eating meat is hard. If one is on a tight budget and cares a lot about what you eat, it can be nearly impossible. However, I am a firm believer that ethically eating meat is a possibility. The ethics of what you eat really comes down to how you view what you eat. Most would agree that ethical consumption of food includes supporting local agriculture, organic practices, and fair prices for the farmer. Along with this is the production of the food, who picks, cleans, packages, and transports the food stuff.
However, in the case of meat, ethical practices must take in to concentration the care of the animals themselves which are to become meat or are used to produce eggs and milk. This is possibly the hardest part of making meat ethical. A lot of farmers who grass feed their cattle and chickens, already care far better for their animals then 'factory' farms. Cattle are allowed to roam, chickens are allowed to scratch, and both act as they do naturally. Although many large production meat plants do not take into account the fears of the animals, many changes have taken place in the industry to reduce stress and pain to the animals during slaughter. By far most butchers make sure to humanly kill animals. Furthermore, in many cases local, small farmers, take extremely good care of their animals through their whole life spand. They do this because it makes both finical sense and ethical sense. I have an uncle who raises beef cattle. He has named most of his animals, sometimes even the ones that are going to be sent to the butcher get names. Yes, he is raising the cattle for meat. Yes, they will be killed. However, they spend their lives out in a beautiful field in upstate NY, living well until the day comes for them to die. I can't think of a better way to live.
The argument that most will raise at this point is that the animal must die. To this I must state three things. (1) All things must die. Whether it is the spinach in my salad or the cow that my steak is from. Why shouldn't we use what is nutritious for our bodies? (2) Animals are not on the same level as humans. I am sure that there are those out there who disagree. Nevertheless, I think science has yet to put animals above human's in the food chain. And personally I believe that humans have mind and soul higher then animals. (3) Just because I eat meat does not mean that I want to misuse animals. Although animals are lower then humans, I do not believe that we have a right to misuse them. Again I ask, why shouldn't we use what is nutritious for our bodies?
Lastly, I must confront the misconception that it is possible to have a balanced nutritious diet without animal products. If you want to eat natural foods, not synthetically enriched foods, you need to eat animal products. B12 is found naturally only in animal products. If you do not eat meat you have to find a source of B12, either through enriched food or by taking a vitamin. I know in this day and age it is really easy to get a vitamin or enriched cereal, however, I would argue that natural is always better. Plus you are more likely to absorb a vitamin that naturally part of what you are eating, then you are from taking a pill.
Although not everyone wants to eat meat, I think it is very possibly to eat meat ethically. As an important part of natural food, animals products are the only natural source of B12. Yes, ethically eating meat takes more time and energy. Yes, ethical meat can cost more money. Yes, more is needed to make the meat industry ethical overall. However, this does not mean it is wrong or unethical to eat animal products. Rather one must be cognizant of what you are eating, whether it is animal product or not.
