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Whole Foods controversy.
#1
Whole Foods is a grocery chain that specializes in more natural products. They claim their meat and eggs are from good sources

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Pro...07781.html
Their video does not match what the protesters are saying.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...-1.2896733

I really do not know who is telling the truth here.
There are farmers trying to do better and there are stores that are trying to find good sources for their animal products. If the accusations are real, I hope they are well documented. If they are not, it damages the credibility of animal rights activists everywhere.

If the protestors are right then one of the biggest healthy food chains is lying. I don't know what I think.
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Catherine

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#2
Probably the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The company states that it has not kept birds in cages since 2004, so it is difficult to see how some of the photos of chickens in cages could be from the given facility.

However, some of the video could be authentic, as it shows what is known as "barn egg production". This phrase gives the impression of some rural idyllic barn with grass all around and the chickens free to go outside. However, although barn eggs can be organic (fed organic grain), the conditions in these "barns" can be almost as bad as being in cages. Hundreds, even thousands, of chickens are crammed into a giant sealed building, and although they can move freely there is little space as there are so many chickens in each "barn" (read "industrial building").

It is important to remember that "organic" and "wholefood" is not the same as "free range" or "outdoor raised". The protesters' video does not make this distinction clear. If I am honest, their video is confusing and strays off topic at times, going into general welfare issues rather than sticking to the investigation itself. Whilst I share their ideals, I think the video is not the best I have seen. It is less confusing to do either a general welfare video, or a specific investigation.
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#3
I know all about 'Barn eggs' and would never subscribe to those conditions. There is a barn egg facility less than a quarter of a mile from my house. I have been inside, and know what it's like. I was offered a job there only last year, but declined the offer.
It sounds like a healthy option when we see the eggs stacked up in the store with nice pictures of hens and hay on the boxes.....or "certified organic"....or "from hens which are free to roam"....or goodness knows what else to make it seem okay.
I am under no illusion that some large companies who supply"Whole Healthy Foods" settle for half-measures to cut costs no doubt.
And animal welfare laws don't always help. I have heard that for some eggs to be classed as 'free range' the only criteria for that is fresh air in the chickens' living area, (for a certain time each day) and a skylight (or similar) opened for a limited time each day to let natural light in.
When it comes to animals' right to live a decent life, it seems many manufacturers will exploit legal loopholes because their profits would be lessened if they did the right thing.
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#4
There is more than one issue here. Certainly the whole factory farming problem needs to be fixed. It is wrong and cruel and totally unhealthy. Barn eggs are not a better option.

Whole foods claims it is giving animals a better life before they become food for us. I do not know how much of that is true or untrue.

The animal rights video accuses Whole Foods, but their video does not really document anything. They are not clear about where the hens are that they show in the video. They don't make a link between those hens and Whole Foods. Some of the images at the beginning of the video come from other sources. I actually recognize some of it.

It is not made clear who they are and what they do. If Whole Foods is guilty of something they need to make a clear accusation against them and show some documentation.
If they want to tackle a big group like Whole Foods they need to be clear what they are accusing them of doing. It is not enough to show some sick chickens and call Whole Foods evil. It will just backfire and gain more support for Whole Foods.
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Catherine

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#5
Clarity and evidence are everything.
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#6
I certainly didn't see evidence. Whole Foods is denying the accusations. They don't sound guilty, but who knows.

It is important that we be clear when we bring something to the public, otherwise the campaign can have an opposite effect.
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Catherine

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