Recent
bird flu outbreaks across Asian poultry farms and increasing government
concern over the massive fecal discharges from livestock factory farms
reveal just some of the problems inherent in factory farming.
In the
case of pig farming alone, researchers have found that these animals on
average produce at least three times as much fecal matter as humans,
with harmful pathogens that are at least 10 times more concentrated.
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2010/04/thinking-of-the-hogs/http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/ffarms.aspCanadian
investigative environmental journalist Ms. Denise Proulx, author of the
book, “Pig Farms!” described several crises of these factory farming
operations, among which is the widespread practice of spraying millions
of liters of untreated waste into the air after being stored sometimes
for years in toxic liquid holding lagoons.
Denise Proulx – Canadian journalist, author (Porcheries!) (F):
For the sake of profit, they have allowed less space between the rivers
and the fields for spreading manure. So there is an excessively
significant leaching taking place. There are 8 million pigs in the
livestock industry in rotation during 3 to 4 rotation periods per year.
We
know for sure that there is currently too much liquid manure for the
absorption capacity of the land. If you have more liquid manure than the
available lands, then you just go and spread it over on the same land;
so at some point there’s of course saturation, there is outflow through
the soil, etc. It’s inevitable.
VOICE: As the problem of
pollution, odor, and overconsumption of clean water becomes more and
more critical in pig farms everywhere, different attempts are being made
to prevent the dangerous environmental and health impacts. The Formosan
(Taiwanese) government, for instance, is planning to provide financial
incentives to pig farms to modify their facilities and even train the
pigs to use a designated toilet, hoping to reduce the amount of water
used and liquid feces generated.
Although the highly intelligent
pigs would learn quickly, the method is forecast to save at most only
half the 180 million liters of clean water used daily in Formosa just to
clean pig pens.
In Canada, a decade-long experiment costing
multi-millions of dollars has produced genetically modified (GM) pigs
whose fecal matter is said to contain reduced levels of the toxic
contaminant phosphorus.
Although it may seem less polluting than a
normal pig, the so-called “Enviropig,” which contains DNA from mice and
E. coli bacteria, is not yet approved for the market, in part due to the
unknown health risks of genetically modified products.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/9338646.stmhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Move-over-veggies-GM-pig-is-here-/articleshow/7227041.cmsWith
appreciation to Ms. Proulx and all others working to raise awareness by
sharing this vital information, we pray that the health threats
generated by the meat industry will cease through the wise and
conscientious choices of consumers. May we protect both our vitality and
environment for good by turning to safe, organic vegan lifestyles.
During
an October 2009 videoconference in Hong Kong, Supreme Master Ching Hai
addressed the hazards of manipulating nature through methods such as
genetic modification, while discussing a better alternative
for food production.
I
think we should not mess with the nature law of karma (retribution),
because every action brings an equal reaction. This means that if we
bring no harm to other beings, in this case being vegan, then no harm
will come to us.
But if we kill, we will be killed. There is a
very direct connection between meat consumption and swine flu as well,
and most other human diseases.
But the thing is, nowadays, many
people try to do this so-called genetically modified food. And does it
affect us. Yes, it does. Because if we mess it up, we will probably
inherit more than we bargain for. There might be more incurable diseases
that come from GMO that we don’t even know will happen yet.
So,
it’s better to have organic vegan farming method. Thank you. And to
feed the planet, vegan is also the answer because our food supply goes
so much farther if it’s distributed directly to people instead of going
through animals first.
http://www.meatinfo.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/12197/GM_chickens__pose_greater_threat_to_human_health_.htmlhttp://www.oregand.ca/veille/2007/10/porcheries-la-p.html