The Fibromyalgia and Diet Series: What You Need to Know about Meat (Part 2)

If you haven't already, check out part one in The Fibromyalgia and Diet Series: What You Need to Know about Meat.

It's All about the Benjamins, Baby

No, really. It's all about the money. The fact is that the companies that provide your nourishment have a bottom line: money. Now this doesn't necessarily translate into all companies being evil; rather, it provides a framework for interpreting the choices that the CEOs and board members of corporations must make- as well as your local farmer.

Any business that doesn't make money won't last. Naturally, if you want to support your family, you want your business to succeed. (We'll assume that is the case at least!)

The truth of the matter is that today's meat industry is cutthroat (no pun intended). Family farmers are being pushed out of the running by factory farms. Farming is just becoming too difficult financially to continue in the family business for all too many farmers. While I would not say that all family farms are moral, caring operations, I do believe that family farms are preferable to factory farms.

Every company must make their money. Factory farms utilize genetic engineering, steroids, antibiotics, and God knows what else to produce animal flesh that looks appealing, develops quickly, and costs little to manufacture. The entire process must work like a well-oiled machine, a successful assembly line, for the maximum amount of profit. It's really quite similar to an assembly line.

It's really quite simple. Consumers want the best deal for their money. If two different packages of meat look about the same, and one is cheaper, we're going to buy the cheaper one.

The problem is that the consumer demand for cheap meat has bankrupt countless farmers that have been forced to sell out to a factory farm. Since the factory farm is able to produce what appears to be the same product for a cheaper price in assembly-line fashion, the rural farmer can't compete. Costs of raising livestock in what I would consider to be humane conditions have skyrocketed, leaving consumers happy that they are getting a good deal.

We all love a good deal, right?

The problem is that what we are being told is a good deal is actually killing us.

Sound scary? It is! We'll explore more about what sorts of fun stuff is in meat shortly.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts so far?