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(d-8)
Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Inc.
38 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, New York 12572 USA -
845-876-2626
Vegetarian - Vegan - Animal Rights - Health - Nutrition - Environment
The mission of the Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Inc. is to promote the vegetarian ethic in the Mid-Hudson (New York) region, educate the community and aid anyone in the pursuit of a totally vegetarian (vegan) cruelty-free and healthful lifestyle.
Articles - Letters - and More
More Grass Fed Bull
Let's get together and follow the 'cattle drive' to hell
Bill Pfleging, once a capable technology writer, has recently turned to writing ad copy for the grass fed beef industry, but his grasp of the facts has not kept pace with his written output. As a result of following the error-pocked logic Pfleging has peddled in recent editions of the Woodstock Times, he concluded beef is part of the 'best diet' for his needs. For his greeds, perhaps, but for his needs, no.
Pfleging's latest notes differences between grass fed beef and the more common industrial feedlot product, yet fails to confront stark similarities. Dismembered cow parts of a grass fed source may have a bit more omega oils and a bit less fat, but the comparison is between two toxic products. This is like calling a Ford Pinto safe because it compares favorably with a Chevy Corvair while ignoring the Volvo among diets vegan. Pfleging asserts, without support, that all the health problems associated with beef did not necessarily stem from the meat itself [but] are suspected to result from eating beef fed on grains, but omits that grass-fed steer flesh is still high in saturated fat, still high in cholesterol, and still lacks fiber.
Also overlooked is the ugly environmental impact of grass fed cattle. The land on which the animals graze must often be irrigated and each steer may consume daily up to 50 gallons of precious fresh water.
Compared to feedlot animals, cattle raised on pasture produce, per cow, more methane (a greenhouse gas many times more destructive than carbon dioxide). Pfleging dismissed concerns regarding slaughter and pined for the good old days of the cattle drive. How about a twenty-first century reality check? The little cowboy in him may be wearing spurs and cooking steak over a fire, but the grown-up Bill Pfleging is mortaring his arteries with cholesterol and packing gobs of rotting flesh into his colon. I challenge Pfleging to pick his favorite grass fed beef grower and I'll join him in following his steer from farm, through today's hellish 'cattle drive' by truck to slaughter and dismemberment. I'll guess he'll be less capricious about this process (at least) and may rethink his carnivorous binge.
Sincerely,
Jim Van Alstine
Communications Coordinator
Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society
We look forward to
hearing from you
