Sustainable Animal Farming : it's the safest way

Yesterdays food news headlines told of an alarming incident in the US of an outbreak of antibiotic resistant salmonella, which was traced to a contaminated batch of ground beef. This has caused serious ill health to many who consumed the infected beef, and authorities have cautioned that it may still be on sale.

This situation is, of course, caused by unsustainable beef raising practices. It is impossible to create an antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria without first exposing that bacteria to a constant supply of antibiotics. All factory farmed beef is fed antibiotic “supplemented” feed, which prevents the animals from dying en mass from their nasty living conditions.

It’s not the first time in history that meat has become infected. It’s a problem inherent to the meat industry since its beginnings around the time to of the industrial revolution. The differences between this recent outbreak in the US and those of bygone eras are twofold. Firstly, when meat is infected it smells dreadful and no one in their right mind would consume it. We are now in the habit of disguising the true colour and scent of meat to increase sales. Secondly, the antibiotic resistant strains these poor unwitting animals are incubating in their fitted cells are incredibly dangerous and potentially fatal to humans.

We can all avoid both problems and so many others by buying only certified biodynamic animal products. This should include your milks, eggs and yoghurts as well as meats. This is the only way to ensure your family receives the best nutrition that animal products have to offer. It’s true that they are more expensive than conventional meat. Factory farming of animals has come about for this reason, and has effectively brought down meat prices, but the quality has suffered severely. Prior to factory farming, the average household considered meat to be a luxury enjoyed only several times a week, which is as it should be for optimal health. Protein sources like tofu and legumes have enormous health benefits of their own, so use these more often in the place of meat. Ultimately, the more of us that buy biodynamic, the lower the costs will become. There is also a significant environmental benefit from organic and biodynamic farming which, for many of us, is reason enough to support biodynamic.

In the wake of this health disaster it has never been clearer that prioritising cost over quality is a dangerous pitfall. Biodynamic butchers are increasingly accessible. Befriend your nearest supplier and experience the biodynamic difference for yourself!