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I have some serious concerns about the industrialization and corporatization of agriculture, particularly the concentration of animals in mass factory farms and calling this practice "sustainable." In Oregon, we have Threemile Canyon Farms, which concentrates 55,000 cows in one location. This complex often promotes itself as "sustainable," "local" and even "organic." Another example is Foster Farms, which promotes its chicken as "Northwest grown." Despite the fact that these operations are in Oregon and technically "local," it is neither healthy nor sustainable to concentrated thousands or hundreds of thousands of animals in one location. This is not good for the environment, the communities, nor the local food economy. I would be interested to hear your guests comment on how we can support the local food economy without supporting an unsustainable industrial system that happens to be local.

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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