Meat eaters could be kinder

Counterpoint

As a Minnesota citizen, consumer and voter interested in animal-protection issues, I'm heartened by local media coverage of Mercy for Animals' undercover investigation of Minnesota "egg producer" Sparboe.

Jon Tevlin's column noting that the so-called "ag-gag" bill would make this kind of investigation illegal was especially gratifying ("There's more to egg video than just eggs and chickens," Nov. 23).

But interestingly, Neal St. Anthony recently reported ("High-tech poultry firm wins Tekne award," Nov. 4) that Nova-Tech Engineering of Willmar was named winner of the "advanced-manufacturing award" from the Minnesota High Tech Association.

What winning technology did Nova-Tech create? First, we have the "microwave claw processor" used "to isolate and treat the claw-development tissue on a hatchling."

Then, there's the "poultry services processor" used to vaccinate and treat "the tip of the beak tissue with high-intensity infrared energy, preventing damaging pecking behavior."

I'm not sure what the term "processor" is a euphemism for. But I'm pretty sure the chickens wouldn't be handing out awards for technical advances in preventing or modifying normal chicken growth and behavior.

Maybe it's true that people want cheap food, especially in today's dismal economy. But I believe most consumers are unaware of the cruelty inherent in a "cheap food" system that's turned animals into cash crops -- feeling beings into products.

It's hard to imagine that egg laying has to go to this unnaturally high-tech level to keep up with consumer demand. But we don't have to imagine how chickens suffer in the process. Watch the undercover videos.

Many of us will turn away and go back to sleepwalking through the supermarket. Change is hard. But others will wake up and remember that Minnesota was once called the heartland for good reason.

It's time to renew our commitment to compassion, connection and community. It's time to extend Minnesota Nice to all creatures sharing this common ground.

I hope that Minnesota citizens, consumers and voters won't look away, and that they will lead the way in creating and enforcing the humane, healthy and transparent treatment of the creatures we eat.