Although she was raised in a meat-eating environment, Ms. Helen Reddout, cherry farmer and president of the Community Association for Restoration of the Environment (CARE) of Yakima Valley in Washington, USA explains that seeing the damage and abuse on industrial farms made her decide she could no longer support them, even in her daily life.

Helen Reddout – President of the Community Association for Restoration of the Environment (CARE) (F): I was definitely a “meat and potatoes” person, until on my trip to the market in Sunny Side, I had to pass by a dairy lot and a beef feedlot. By the time you drove the two miles down there, looking at how the animals were treated, and smelling the smells, and seeing the dust…sometimes so bad, coming off of those yards, that you had to actually turn your lights on in the middle of the day, it was that heavy. After a year or so of that, I began to think, being a part of buying these commodities is encouraging their operation.

VOICE: Ms. Reddout has not eaten any meat nor dairy for 20 years, and is still glad of her choice.

Helen Reddout (F): And to my surprise, it wasn’t very difficult at all. In fact my body kind of responded positively to it.  

VOICE: Helen Reddout is part of a growing trend of people who, once confronted with the disturbing reality of raising animals, have decided that the best approach is a humane, more eco-friendly plant-based diet. Meanwhile, the swine flu, another byproduct of animal agriculture, has spread to such an extent that the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to declare a pandemic within days.

With cases approaching 20,000 worldwide in 67 countries, some 120 people have lost their lives, with the more than 870 who have fallen ill fallen ill in Australia being the highest number outside of North America.

We thank you, Ms. Reddout and the Community Association for Restoration of the Environment, for your compassionate and intelligent choice of a meat-free existence. Our sorrow for those who have suffered loss through the swine flu and the devastating effects of animal farming operations as we also pray that people everywhere realize the health and mental security that comes from consuming a plant-based diet.

Reference:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1524225764500964289 
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/03/Woman-may-be-Vas-first-swine-flu-death/UPI-17451244070506/