Policy matters

[Gabe Ayers]

This is a forward about the issue of labeling of meat by the USDA. This may be of interest to some on this board.

Hi Jason,

It’s pretty disgusting to realize that the ‘natural’ sticker on meat packages in the supermarket could mean ‘this animal never saw daylight’, ‘this animal was pumped full of antibiotics daily’, or ‘this animal couldn’t even turn around in its pen’.

But that’s exactly that ‘natural’ means to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) right now — and that’s why I’m asking you to submit your public comment right now that ‘natural’ should mean naturally and humanely raised:

http://www.environmental-action.org/USDA-comment2?id4=ES

Wether you eat meat or not doesn’t matter — what’s important is that the word ‘natural’ conjures up images of free-roaming animals, living on a diet of healthy food. Instead, it just means natural processing, regardless of the animal’s living conditions or diet.

Right now, the USDA is taking public comments on how to define ‘natural’, and your voice matters. Please take a minute, right now, and submit yours:

http://www.environmental-action.org/USDA-comment2?id4=ES

Then please forward this message along to your friends and family and invite them to take part as well. And thank you for your work.

Sincerely,

Dan Stafford
Environmental Action Organizer
DanS@environmental-action.org
http://www.environmental-action.org

P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.

[Scyther]

Thanks for the info and efforts. After many years of being involved and even more in just keeping an eye on such things it appears to me that once products of any type, but especially food are commercialized saying whatever is needed to sell it comes on it’s heels. I’m not inclined to complain, when I don’t have an idea of what to do about it. So I’m much more an advocate to produce your own, buy from smaller scale producers that you know or are from close to home. If that won’t work for you for some reason don’t pay extra for a product with labeling that you either don’t believe or can’t verify to your satisfaction. That just makes you poorer and condones a system that is off kilter. Don’t be a puppet of any system. Sometimes our choices are not very good or are unclear, but at least make your choices with your eyes open. We live in a capitalist economy, how you spend your money will effect how things go. Vote with your purchases. Well that’s my take on it. Sorry if I got rambling and opinionated a bit. Everyone take care and be well.

[Phil]

USDA “Natural” has been around for decades and in my opinion has always been a joke. Why is it suddenly an issue after all this time? Producers of clean. humanely raised meats have moved on from this years ago.

[Author]

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