You are what you eat, but do you know what you eat? In this episode of Too Young To Be Old, Diane Gilman delves deep into the realm of animal welfare in food production with Dena Jones from the Animal Welfare Institute. What does “free range” really mean and is that the best option? Is there really a difference between farmed and wild salmon?
Dena unravels the intricacies of food labeling and sheds light on the reality of the food on the supermarket shelf.
Dena clarifies the ambiguity surrounding certification terms on egg products.
No claim = the birds are in a small cage with poor welfare.
“Cage Free” = the hens are in a barn, and are still in limited space with poor air quality.
“Free Range” = the barn is open and the birds can go outside, but the outside environment might still be poor quality.
“Pasture Raised” = much better, as the chickens live most of their lives in a field.
Dena adds that “Organic” means nothing specific for the hens but that it is better for human Health.
Acknowledging the challenges of sourcing ethically produced food, Dena emphasizes the importance of informed consumer decisions. While visiting farms to purchase animal products is the best option, Dena offers practical alternatives like farmers’ markets and online direct purchases.
Transitioning from labels to practices, Dena explores humane methods of animal slaughter and debunks misconceptions surrounding reduced-cholesterol eggs. She highlights the significance of initiatives that promote higher welfare standards and transparency.
Diane and Dena tackle controversial topics surrounding GMOs, hormones, and antibiotics in food production. They cover legal restrictions on hormone usage and the importance of antibiotic-free labeling. Dena highlights the need for consumers to empower themselves with knowledge to live a healthier and more ethical life.
Dena explains the pros and cons of using antibiotics in animal farming and how businesses weigh this up in a cost benefit analysis. She mentions the issue of antibiotic resistance and the need for improved animal welfare to reduce the need for antibiotics in farming.
Dena advocates for a plant-based Diet, with an option to supplement with ethically sourced animal products. She recommends resources like findhumane.com and choosebettereggs.com, as these help empower consumers to align their dietary choices with values of health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.
Animal Welfare Institute website: http://www.awionline.org
AWI’s Food Label Guide: AWI-Consumers-Guide-Food-Labels-Animal-Welfare.pdf (awionline.org)
AWI’s Choose Better Eggs website: http://www.choosebettereggs.com
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