Quote:
Originally Posted by polak
Isn't that exactly what the Alberta producers COULDN'T provide?
Paperwork and proof that they are actually as great as people on an internet message board who probably have never even been on a cattle farm or slaughter house in their lives claim that they are?
Ridiculous, I can't believe this discussion is still going.
Again, Earls wants a fancy label, AB farmers told them to pound sound so they found someone else. That's it. End of story. Stupid decision? I guess we'll see but if this helps them move into big markets in the States than I really don't think they will care about losing some market share in Alberta.
It's Resolute and all the Alberta Beef whiners that are mooning up this whole ####ing ordeal.
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It's possible that some Alberta producers could not provide proof that they met "Certified Humane" standards due to differences in practices. On the other hand, some producers might not have been interested in pursuing or completing extra certification for a variety of reasons - possibly including the extra paperwork and cost. If local producers have ample demand and distributorship right now, the incentive for additional "hurdles" and process complexities may be low.
I do not have the wherewithal to effectively compare and contrast these documents, but the most recent editions of the two standards in question are below. I have a strange feeling they aren't all that different.
Canadian Code of Practice for the Safe Handling of Beef Cattle
Humane Farm Animal Care Standards for Beef Cattle*
* "The Humane Farm Animal Care Standards have been developed to provide the only approved standards for the rearing and handling of Beef Cattle for use in the Certified Humane® program."
I am not an expert in this field, but from reading this thread it seems well accepted that Alberta beef cattle generally are not
slaughtered inhumanely. I haven't noticed many concerns about living conditions, quality of feed, etc, but I'm honestly not sure if this is an issue for beef cattle in Alberta.
I have read concerns about use of hormones and antibiotics, however. After reading the following infographics (yes, full, disclosure, they were funded and created by
Alberta Beef Producers), I tend to think those concerns are largely overblown.
Hormones Infographic --
references
Antibiotics Infographic --
references
In the end, although I won't likely ever know the true motivation(s) for Earl's switching to Certified Humane® beef, it wasn't a positive move from my perspective. They may see benefits as a company in the long term due to reported southeastern expansion plans, but when I see them pouring significantly more resources into a foreign product which is very comparable to Alberta beef, I don't find that compelling enough reason to purposefully frequent their establishments.
Beyond that, I've made a conscious choice to be a carnivore, so my "food ethics" are already under question. Ironically, after reading this thread, I am no less comfortable consuming Alberta beef than I was before.