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Quote by: PatrickHenry  Grass-fed beef uses a resource which would be wasted in areas of restricted rainfall. Or buffalo. |
Why do you think that just because humans do not put them to use these lands are "wasted"? Even arid lands with just grass have their own unique eco-systems. Why should those ecological systems be disrupted for something that is not necessary for our lives?
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I don't favor factory farms, and think that people should consume meat from their own neighborhoods.
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Factory farms are by far the worse. However, the family farm of yesteryear with cows roaming the fields, chickens pecking, and hogs rooting around in the farmer`s yard are disappearing more and more as corporate farmers with their high lobbying power wrestle more and more benefits from legislatures to favor them. In addition their large economies of scale make it so that the local farmer is having a harder and harder time at competing.
It is not feasable that everyone in large population centers get their meat from local farmers. Up to 80% of animals for consumption are factory farmed and that is increasing. Don`t you think it is naive to think people can get their meat in that fashion -- if just about economically impossible.
Besides, are you aware of slaughterhouses in peoples' neighborhood? I am not even aware of farms in my neighborhood. I live in the city like most people in western nations do.