Disgusting. Is Whole Foods a victim of fraud, or is it in on the fraud? Who knows?
In a report titled “A Deadly Feast: What you are not told about your Thanksgiving turkey,” an advocacy group called Direct Action Everywhere, known as “DxE,” alleged that Diestel Turkey Ranch operated one “picture perfect” farm with about 400 animals in Sonora, Calif. This farm, the group said, was certified “5+” in an animal-welfare system adopted by Whole Foods. (“Step 1″ is the lowest rating for suppliers who want to be certified: “no cages, no crates, no crowding.” “Step 5+” is the highest: “animal centered, entire life on same farm” with extensive outdoor access.)
However, DxE claimed, “no turkeys raised at the 5+ Sonora farm are actually sold at Whole Foods or anywhere else.” …
“Diestel Turkey Ranch, which has received Whole Foods’ highest rating for animal welfare, operates a showcase farm in Sonora, CA that is heavily promoted in the company’s marketing and described as ‘humane,’” DxE’s report read. “However, the showcase farm does not, in fact, raise any animals for sale — it’s nothing more than a prop.”
— Whole Foods Thanksgiving turkeys endure ‘horrific conditions’ at Calif. farm, activists say, Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, today
My Thanksgiving dinner this year will be the same as last year’s: A mostly-open-air vegan/vegetarian potluck whose main course (the one I’ll choose; there will be others offered) will be a vegan meatloaf-looking dish with mushroom gravy, one of the most delicious dishes I’ve ever had.
Like the Pilgrims! Minus the turkey. (I’m not the cook, and I don’t have the recipe; sorry.)
But while I have been known to try to persuade friends to buy free-range turkeys for the holiday—Trader Joe’s has them and they’re not that expensive—I know that most people, including most people I know, will be having factory-farm turkeys at their dinner. Knowingly.
But here’s a situation in which people who care about animal cruelty in agriculture, and can afford to and are willing to pay an apparently hefty premium for their holiday poultry, are being defrauded not just of money but also of their sense of ethics.
The title of this post poses a rhetorical question, not one that I expect an AB reader to answer, but Whole Foods’ reaction to the report suggests that the answer to the question is not what I (and, I’m sure, their customers) would hope. According to the WP article, “Whole Foods as well as Diestel Turkey Ranch took issue with the accusations, saying that the activists’ mission was not farm animal welfare, but the elimination of farm animal meat consumption.” Non sequiturs work only if your target audience is comprised of political consultants.
I know that most people who will be buying a Thanksgiving turkey already have bought theirs. But I think it’s important to disseminate this information even at this late date.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Full disclosure — my general attitude: “two legs good; four legs bad.”
I seriously doubt livestock raised in a cage — or lions in the zoo for that matter — suffer serious discomfort from their predicament.
An animal behavior scientist (or something like that) I recently read on Yahoo News related that his dogs get excited when he comes into a room but pretty soon they get bored with him. He said that if he, then, goes outside and returns 15 minutes later they get all excited again — because they don’t remember that he was there 15 minutes earlier.
I think that in so far as animals live in the eternal present, that their long tern enclosure may cause no more suffering than if they were there for only for a minute. The great apes (mountain guerrillas, chimpanzees, baboons) may be an exception based on a story of a chimp at one zoo piling up rocks ahead of time to throw at visitors the next day.
If you really want to be on the safe side you can go out and shoot a wild turkey just in time to eat — to be humane. 🙂 (Or go vegan.)
Denis:
So, which do you prefer; human thigh meat or buttock?
Happy Thanksgiving, Bev. No butter in that gravy or on the rolls now.
A happy Thanksgiving to you too Jack. It appears the progressive and liberal media has discovered the Koch Bros were only interested in protecting their own rather than true reform What a surprise.
There’s much, much, much more to it than just a loss of freedom. For chickens, they’re kept in such small cages that they can’t move more than a few inches, can’t turn around, can’t spread their wings. They’re fed hormones that cause them to grow to an abnormal weight, some of them so large that they can’t balance themselves. Their cages are stacked one on top of the other, and the droppings fall onto the ones in lower cages.
As for turkeys, they’re kept in such close quarters that they peck at each other, so their beaks are clipped.
These birds are tortured, so their living in the moment isn’t a comfort, to them or to anyone who gives a damn about this.
Hi, Jack. Thanks.
Wish I could say that I’m vegan, but I only aspire to be one. Haven’t been able to give up eggs and dairy products; tried unsuccessfully and might try again. I also eat ocean fish. So I’m looked down on by the vegan crowd.
All the best to the D. family.
Bev:
Mr. T (the Elkhound) is doing well and making the rounds to gather his pets. Andi and Eric are in town. Askews will be here also. The house will be full. Happy Thanksgiving.
Soylent Green is… turkey!!! Or maybe Logan’s “trot”
Where do the all of the old turkey’s go at D”s Turkey Ranch? What becomes of them if they are not sold off once at maturity?
Can’t see it would make much of a “prop” to have ageing turkeys stumbling about the farm.
Mike:
Have a good Thanksgiving and be safe.
I pay a premium for heritage breed turkeys from some farm in Kansas, because they taste better, and it makes me feel like a patron of the arts keeping the old breeds alive. I have no idea of how they are treated. I’m guessing moderately well, though I admit that there is a gap between my idea of a good time and a turkey’s. The farm seems to be sensibly run, so I doubt the birds get waterboarded or have to listen to the Republican presidential debates. Still, it wasn’t a bed of roses, because by the time they get to me they are dead.
Kalesberg:
If I wanted a heritage turkey, I would go out in the backyard with my hunting version of an AK-47 and shoot one. They roam around here in flocks and are abundant.
Happy Thanksgiving Kalesberg. I assume you opted for that heritage bird this year?
Well, at the risk of being attacked, I have to admit that I have made Diestel turkeys for T’Giving since I moved to AZ. Even before Whole Foods started selling them.
Cannot speak to their treatment of course, but I can tell you there is no comparison between them and the hormone infused turkeys most people consume.
EMichael:
What is a Diestel turkey? Good conversation yesterday on really “old” topics.
Run,
Explanation here:
Though it would appear from this story that there is a dispute about the farm.
I can only say what I know. They do not look like the hormone infused turkeys I have seen which are essentially 90% breasts.
They look just like the fresh turkeys I saw in the 60s and 70s from a turkey ranch which was located about 18 miles from Center City, Philadelphia. And they taste the same.
Meanwhile, today you have to go more than 18 miles from Philly to have a place between houses big enough for 1 turkey.
I would take my Elkhound out for a walk in Winter just to exercise him. We would be walking in the fields and I would see the tracks of a local flock. He would get near the tracks amnd suddenly plunge his head into the snow to take in their scent. Amazing nose on those dogs. Sid to be able to smell a Moose fart miles away.
Turkeys have really changed from the 60s and 70s when they used to say they had changed even before then. Not the same bird at all.
AS you all know that “food” is one of the dearest Trump cards we hold when talking to China about trade. WE must play this card very carefully. On the Globalresearch.com site they go into great detail as does PCR.org about GMO’s and their benefit vs harm to society and all the huge profiteering from corps like Monsanto, Smithfield, Wal-Mart and others…Some claim that we will be using-eating the “organically” grown-raised foods while the rest of the world and China will be eating the GMO foods…What you say?…While we are talking about turkey I would like to know if you would use grease to go into the rear of turkey? Is this a political question or a cooking question to be discussed at the feasting table?
Grease?
Not anywhere near a turkey. The rear end should be stuffed.
Little butter(does that count as grease?) should be used for basting after you uncover the turkey around an hour and a half before roasting is complete.
BTW,
The secret problem solver to a T’Giving meal is, when in doubt, add more butter.
Garlic seems to help also.
Have a good Thanksgiving with family and friends EMichael. Happy to read your words around here.
Duh!
I was trying to make sense of you as a lawyer. But you’re a vegetarian/vegan? That’s a horse of a different color.
Venison. Shot Saturday. 😀
Warren:
Sounds like you had a good day. Congrats on the deer. Venison is good and sometimes my son gets lucky and brings some home. For me, I gave hunting up as I got it out of my system after hunting people for the military. It lost its priority for me. Something just changed.
Run,
That’s not what I meant.
Denis:
I know; but, it was there and I could not pass it by.
I am going to disagree on your assessment of animals caged or loose in more open enclosures. I only have to watch my Elkhound who loves being outside, walking, or exploring off-lead. There is an entirely different animal present as he takes in the scent of the air and begins to see with his nose. Animals like freedom and the lack of it or restriction to small enclosures does impact their psychology and health. Have a good Thanksgiving and thanks for posting at Angry Bear.
Hugs to all, Bill. Including the furry person.
I must confess that I missed. My friend shot that deer. Since he had already shot one earlier in the day, we used my tag. (Doe tags are transferable in NY.)
Still, we hunt as a group effort. No matter who shoots what, we all get venison. We’re all part of the camp set-up, the field-dressings, etc., so it’s all good.