This past week has been astronomically enlightening to say the least. Food INC was finally shown to the public in my neck of the woods and has raised hoopla to red alert status.
Most strongly conveyed to me is that the movie is skewed against the poultry industry and it’s felt that my part in the movie is not really what happens on the farm and what is happening to contract growers across the country.
The film crew followed me around for two days while I did the daily work on the farm. What was captured on film was not anything different from the normal daily routine. I’m in no way shape or form an “actress”, did not play a “role or part” in the film, and I didn’t go to Hollywood to audition. I’m just an ordinary every day farmer who spoke out when many farmers couldn’t!
For the poultry segment of Food INC two of the largest companies in the poultry industry “DECLINED” to be interviewed. In my book that is not skewing the movie it’s producing something which was unable to include any view-point of what the poultry industry now whines about.
Opinions are like other things and everyone has one. The last I heard we are entitled to them. Differing thoughts are what evokes dialogue about issues and eventually middle ground can be reached which addresses “EVERYONES” concerns. I believe that is considered to be the democratic process in this country which our forefathers fought for. It’s civilized behavior.
What I found utterly amazing in my little part of the world was the almost entire news media blackout about the showing of the movie and the discussion forums which followed. Only one brave local television station, WMDT, showed their face at Salisbury University and their headline was “Controversial Film Showing in Salisbury” (MD). Most news is controversial!
I have to wonder why it took almost 3 years to show an Oscar nominated and Emmy Award winning film to the local public and why the local news media shied away from speaking about it. It’s also been said that pressure was put on the University to not host the event.
Food INC is a controversial documentary and it’s thought provoking. The movie and the issues about food that it addresses are much bigger than me, the poultry industry, or the company I contracted with. The poultry industry is only a cog in a huge wheel that produces our food. The movie provides people with information and arouses the thought process. From that people can make individual choices and decisions about their own life.
Since the local showing of the film I’ve had to be a big girl and had to suck it up over the personal disparagement that I’ve heard. Today I was told that I’m not as pristine as what I portray myself to be. Meaning what, I’m not sure. However I seriously thought about it and have to say that I agree with my accuser.
Pristine – According to Merriam Webster –
- belonging to the earliest period or state : original
- a: not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization) : pure
b: fresh and clean as or as if new
Good Googa Mooga! Folks I hate to burst your bubble if anyone thought that of me. Over the past 55 years I have been spoiled, polluted, and corrupted by many things. My girlhood visions of everything is beautiful and la la land does exist (my earliest period of state) disappeared a long time ago. Yes, my dreams have been spoiled, my brain has been corrupted, and my life has been polluted by many things that made me think one way only to find out that in reality – the way was entirely different. There is nothing left of my mind that was introduced into this world as fresh and clean. Cynical yes, pristine no!
Seriously, I’ve been called many things over the years from communist to socialist, animal rights activist to vegetarian, anti-farmer to running a concentration camp for chicken’s, and the really bad word environmentalist. The list goes on…. Running the gauntlet of name calling is one way of me achieving non-pristine-ness. It’s never fresh or clean. I’ve generally taken this in stride and operated under the saying of “you can call me anything you like just don’t call me late for dinner”. I’m thinking that this motto will have to be changed maybe I could add-on to the end of the saying “and please don’t call me pristine”.
Food For Thought 
Comments on: "Poultry Industry Clucking Over Food INC" (40)
Well if you are getting some flack just remember what my grandmother always told me..consider the source. I mean they filmed you walking around in your houses and picking up dead birds and they say that isn’t what “normally” happens? Oh I get it they could tell you were thinking for yourself and that is a no no.
Well let’s see it wasn’t that long ago that Tyson was announcing their birds were “antibiotic free”…birds may have been but the eggs were pumped full. Oh and they also were bribing Mexican vets to clear shipments of poultry going across the border.
I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times these folks have been busted for working undocumented illegals.
And then there is the Pilgrim’s Pride and Townsend farm fiasco…piss poor management from the industry causes many hardworking farmers to be placed in dire straits..the upside here is the courts are finally starting to come around and see how deceitful and manipulative this business can be when dealing with “family farm partners” with a favorable verdict against Pilgrims and OK foods..probably too little too late for many but at least there is a precedent now.
Correct me if I am wrong but didn’t you recieve a top producer award shortly before the terminated your contract?? I mean there is the drum being beat about efficiency yet they get rid of one of the most efficient growers??? So the efficiency obviously comes from controlling the supplier and in the farmer’s cases farming the farmer.
So Carole remember what my grandmother told me…consider the source.
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Yes we were awarded the “Outstanding Producer” award by Perdue a few weeks before we received our letter of contract termination. Business wise it was one of the most stupid business moves a company could make because we were making more money for the company than any other grower who settled with us. That included growers who have the more modern poultry houses which are considered by the company to be the most “efficient” and which Perdue was demanding that we “upgrade” our poultry houses to. The “given” reason for contract termination was refusing to comply with upgrades. Why would anyone in their right mind throw good money after bad and upgrade to the very same housing that had been beaten by our “old” poultry housing?
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kinda odd that their efficiency depends on mandating farmers being as inefficient as possible. we have not had a pay increase since 1999 and last year the old eat inflation cost to my small 4 house farm was $30,000 plus the net loss of being “compensated” for upgrading versus what the actual cost were (and me and one helper did all the labor) adds up to another $12,000 per year. If you paid all my bills at my house I would have an efficient household for sure..
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JUST,sharin–does,carole,slaughter,her,own,birds/why,not?-do,they,recycle,on,their,few,acres,the,waste,fr,500,birds-why,not?how,does,the,business,of,aninals,grown,for,slaughter,affect,the,children?i,was,work,in,relatives,butcher,since,young,into,teen-and,others,witnessed,slaughtering-or,like,i,n,brother-now,suicided-were,forced,to,suffocate,our,own,pet,chicks,in,our,hands-they,took,15,minutes,to,die-that,we,were,given,to,care,for,n,pet-see,victims,of,4-H,clubs-lifelong,guilt,to,have,betrayed,a,weaker,unsuspectin,friend-some,of,us,become,hardened-but,others,like,i-pass,up,the,chances,4,”good,money”-this,slaughter,n,butcher,trainin,i,had,did,not,toughen,us,”born,caring”,pple-others,born,not,so,carin-like,our,sister,n,parents-2,types,people-could,be,hormones-which,works,on,animals-progesterone,vs,testosterone-i,now,vegan-no,flu,n,kidney,fail,4,i
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Thank you thank you thank you for your strength of character and light!
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our nation is certianly being run by big biz. and big biz is ruining our nations small farms.wonder how much longer we will continue to bend over and take the abuse.and how long will the the nations law makers continue to turn a blind eye .. oh i forgot their bread is buttered with big biz money.we have no voice.
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When they can’t attack the message, they attack the messenger….you know who you are and I know who you are. You are an incredible woman doing what is right, not what’s easy…wow…had no idea they hadn’t shown Food Inc in your neck of the woods yet….That in itself speaks volumes…kEEP UP THE GREAT WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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In the poultry business if you don’t do exactly what they tell you then you will be out of the chicken business. Thanks for what you have done. It takes a strong person to do what you did.
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Carole,
Thanks for your work over the years… At one point in time contract poultry growing rewarded both parties, but with the passage of time it has evolved into a suckers game in my opinion. Personally I am grossing about what I did ten years ago, therefore eating ten years of inflation, both in my poultry inputs and my personal living expenses. My health insurance has increased to the point where I am not sure how long I can continue to pay the premiums. I cannot afford to quit growing, and am not sure how long I can afford to continue. This is pretty disturbing to me as the industry in general has done very well over the years, and there has been enough profit generated to reward all parties adequately, but this has not happened. Please continue to speak out for us and do not worry about your critics.
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Carole,
You know what I always said, when it feels right in your heart and soul you have to let it out your mouth. That is what you did and the chicken companies don’t like someone who stands up for themselves and other growers who feel they can’t.
Hang in there, at least we can sleep at night and not worry about whose lives we have ruined today like the people who run the poultry companies.
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Carole, I applaud your bravery – I’m SO glad you told your story and that you continue to create awareness. Rick, your story is compelling as well – I hope you share it far and wide!
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I am just going to call you “GREAT”! Money can buy a lot of things and every one of these people who have allowed it to buy them will one day regret it. It is amazing how many sociopaths we have in politics that have fooled the voter into believing they are worth voting for. There is a huge gap between reality and the perception these guys are able to give to the voters.
It will be the downfall of our country,.
Tom
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I am a grower living in the same area where you live and I can’t put my name to this because the company will cut our contract if we say anything. What you showed in the movie is what happens on other chicken farms and sometimes worse. We are supposed to have a voice through DPI but it is for the companies not the growers and they don’t care about what is happening to farmers. Your voice speaks for most of us and I thank you for it.
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Assateague Coastal Trust was honored to have Carole take part in our panel discussion and screening of Food Inc in Salisbury. ACT is concerned over the continuing degredation in water quality to our Bays, creeks and rivers. We seek accountability and transparency by the poultry Industry and our State agencies, and a level playing field for all.
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Carole “Thank-You” for appearing at the Food Inc. screening in Salisbury. As a former contract poultry grower I can relate to all the exploitation of the natural resources (people, environment, livestock) these international food companies have commited for so-called “cheap protein”. Our peninsula is a graveyard of old poultry houses sitting empty due to constant industry demands of upgrades. What other business deposits all of their wastes (dead chickens,manure) onto another party to dispose of? Carole keep up the Great Work! numerous growers I have spoken to are delighted to see the truth is finally being told on their behalf.
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Thanks you Carole for speaking out. Let people say what they will, you know in your heart that it was time. Others will stay the course and not speak out for FEAR, that is how we are controlled. Many more people are speaking out and as they do we will turn the tide. WE, the people, have lt this get to this point, WE the people, can change this. I see people waking up to all things and as people wake up, individually, we will change things, many things. Our country is great and we will get back to community and greatness, it will take us all one by one to stand up. Remember, WE let it get where it is, now WE can change that. WE the people have the power. The movie was very eye opening, it rented it through the Library. Rent it have people over and make a night of it. Thanks again Carole, one by one we are taking our country back. Not everyone will agree, they just need to see the other side and then discern for themselves. Many blessings and love sent to all.
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Wow! I thought I was the only “Bad Grower”. We built four houses for a major integrator a few years back, we spent close to a million dollars for the houses. A couple of years into our “growing arrangement” the equipment demands started. After running the numbers for the upgrades we were in the red. Let me say that we always settled in the top 10% of the rankings. We received numerous awards etc., not to brag. We were told if we didn’t do the upgrades by a certain date our contract would be terminated. So we went back to the bank and borrowed more money. When I spoke to our roadman concerning the return on investment he said that raising chickens was considered “supplemental income”. I said if I purchased a restaurant on the beach for a million bucks I wouldn’t have to work at “Hardees” to pay it off, it didn’t make sense to me. My wife works full time and I also farm, but it seems as we are always diverting money to the poultry side of the operation to keep it running. Another issue that we are concerned with is the liability of the manure. We spread manure for years and did not realize there is arsenic and other heavy metals in it. We were always told it was “organic”. Would we be liable if we contaminated our land or wells in our area? Thank you for bringing these issues to light, my fellow neighbors and growers also Thank you.
P.S. I would like to put my name on this reply, but I have a family to feed and a huge mortgage to pay.
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Accomac Bob, you had a good point on Bad Grower. It seems anytime we growers speak out or have a different opinion than the corporate giants we are labeled bad grower. If we were to take the top 50 growers and let them settle against each other 25 would be above average and 25 would be below average. I guess everybody below average is a bad grower. I am also concerned as you are about the liability of manure. We have also spread it for decades not knowing about the crap in it. I tried to speak to DPI’s grower committee on grower problems and was always shunned and told that they do not get involved in grower contract problems. I don’t understand how DPI can say they represent us but don’t get involved to help us. We have paid dues for years, I guess it went to the big fry pan. We are in the same position you are, big mortgage, low pay and no say. We look forward to the time we can use our real names and it’s sad I’m a veteran and afraid to give my name, for loss of contract. We hope Carole keeps going, we purchased a copy of Food Inc. and we are sharing it with our families and neighbors up and down the area.
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The old Good Grower/Bad Grower divide and conquer tactic…been treading water doing this for 20 years and I have been top grower, bottom grower and every point in between grower..weird thing though I am the same guy doing the same thing (except for that one flock I had two flickering light bulbs..that is a performance killer)
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Craig, nice to hear from a fellow grower who knows what I am talking about. There is no such thing as a good grower or a bad grower these things have always been compnay generated. Same as you we have always taken the company inputs (chicks,feed,weighing) on good faith. But after years of analyzing the inputs what do we have as independent contractors do verify the inputs? As we all know we do not get the same chicks from the same breeder flock the same day, or the feed from the same field, or move the same day etc. If it was a true competitive race we would have all the same inputs which will never happen.
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Food Inc seems to be a black market film that you have to know someone who knows someone who knows someone, etc before you can see it. My customers are mostly foodies in the DC area and they come up to me and ask if I’ve seen it. I reply, no, but you can believe that the chicken farmer on the film has sacrificed a lot to help make this film so not only can you make good food choices but also to let the public know how a chicken farmer is nothing more than disposable blip on their company’s radar screen. Then I go on to explain that just because one is a confinement chicken/hog/cattle farmer they don’t deserve to be trashed. I explain that most of the chicken farmers I know really do care about their animals and do what needs to be done to put a good chicken dinner on the table, but you are under your integrator’s gun to do everything and anything they ask of you and if you don’t, you are history. If they are still listening by that time I go on to tell them if they want to do something constructive to help the industry, leave the farmer alone and start with the catch crews and USDA processing plants where all that hard work starts to decline. Carole, you are a hero in my book! Thanks!
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Carole, thanks for everything you have done in helping to shine a light on what it’s really like to be a contract poultry grower. As your story and the comments here attest, it is far different from the picture that the poultry companies paint.
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My neighbor called me and gave me the address to this site. It’s great to see we are not alone. Alone I mean as contract growers. I haven’t seen Food Inc. yet but I will defintely get it through NetFlix and invite my neighbor chicken growers and have a party. From everything that I read on the site, we are in the same predickament. We spoke among ourselves for years about the problems, it looks like finally they are being addressed in this site. I will also call other grower friends of mine and spread the word. Thanks to all of you, lets keep this going this is a great outlet and tool.
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Hi Carole, it was great to hear you speak at the S.U. campus the other night. I am sooo glad Food inc. was shown to educate farmers and consumers in our area. I especially enjoyed the question and answer period. When the company man asked you if you ever asked Perdue if there was arsenic in the feed. What a ridiculous question, we all know the company makes the feed and it’s a hush hush secret formula. The company man said they were not using arsenic in the feed anymore, and then the other man brought in a whole bag full of empty bags which came from a local poultry company feed mill which had arsenic and other chemicals. That company man sure got quiet after that. I can relate to your story very well, my husband and I raised chickens for a long time. Now all we have is two broken down houses. One collasped last winter and we expect the other to go shortly. When we built our houses Frank Perdue had a commercial stating “Full Time Pay For Part Time Work”. But it never worked out like that, we farmed, took additional jobs just to pay the poultry mortgage. Now when we look out our windows we see ghosts of the past, all the hard work, sweat, worry, money where did the time go. We tried to sell our farm over the years, but buyers seen the old buildings and know how much it costs to remove old poultry buildings and it basically has devalued our property. I can’t count the number of times potential buyers have said “if you didn’t have those old sheds there I’d take it”. Carole keep up the good work, you have alot to say about raising poultry. You’ve done it, don’t let the company man or men talk you down. Your telling the truth and it’s a story all of America should hear.
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Carole,
As a long time grower for a major company. I seen what happens when you continue to upgrade your houses to new house specs. At first they tell you your performance will increase and you will make more money. But for some reason they refuse to put that into writing. They will say we did trials on it, we are not talking about upgrades which costs a couple of thousand dollars but upgrades which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Once all the growers in a specific area upgrade the only benefactor is the company. All the growers will still be back in their so called tournament system of pay. I did see the movie Food Inc. your a brave woman to stand up and tell the truth about the industry. My wife and I are very sorry you lost your contract for not going tunnel. But you have a great point, you were making the company money.The company weilds the big stick and if you get out of line they make sure you will be sorry. Hang in there and keep up the good work, you are not alone, as the companies try to portray. Maybe sometime in the near future we will have a voice in the industry we built for the Lords.
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It seems to me Carole and her family had everything to lose and nothing to gain by exposing the inhumane, unhealthy, unsustainable, and anti-worker conditions of a factory chicken farm. Their concern for people, animals, and planet cost them their family heritage and their farm business. She didn’t hold up her fist and rally against the industry.” She just said, “come on in and let your own eyes tell you what’s happening here.” in fact, the farmer who did the most damage to the industry in FOOD Inc was the guy who boasted about the money being made by the expansion of his farm. I am grateful to Carole and her family for their sacrifice. Look for the AWA seal on your egg carton.
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Hi Carole ,
I was there at the Food inc showing and spoke out after . I have a copy of the film and raise and hatch my own pastured Delaware breed which were developed here on the shore before the broiler industry in the 40s . I heard my mother rail against the tactics of the indusrty when I was a teen. As a child in the 50s, we raised hatching eggs for broilers. … back when they were raised right before everything became TOO industrialized .My mom is 90 now and has not known me for many years due to alzeimers which I think is related to using 2-4d ,an herbicide that is now banned in the US . I could really see the affect raising commercial chickens had on her health and that was one thing that caused me to become an organic gardener . I applaude your honesty and bravery in standing up for the truth . I wish my mom could have been there!
Before the movie, I visited a 47 year old single momwith 3 teens in the Salisbury hospital from Pokomoke who has been hospitalized twice this summer from kidney failure from e-coli. It is a strain that antibiotics will not help . I seriously think that GMOs as well as the toxins in the feeds are causing the problem as well as the fact that animals should not live in the crowded conditions nor the people who care for them. We need to find a new system of providing healthy foods . The young lady helping me with my horses can get yours trained too . I would love for you to visit anytime :)Sharon
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Dear Miss Carole, I remember when you helped us the chicken catchers get the money that was owed to us. You didn’t care it cost you the farm. It was said that you were on a campaign to save the crack heads, you treated the chicken catchers like people. They called the chicken catchers names to cover up what the companies were doing wrong. Now, the companies have gotten rid of the local catchers and brought in contractors who employ illegal aliens to do our work. Don’t let their name calling bring you down, it is the way of the companies to cover up all of the things they do wrong. Please keep up the good work that you do, we are all in this together.
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If this was facebook I would click I like this…
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What a terrific site! So many industry problems need to be addressed. I was raised on a poultry farm, my parents still raise broilers for a major integrator. They were “Outstanding Producers” several times. But I can still remember when Daddy was in the house cullin chickens because of the poor quality birds that were delivered to him. When Daddy brought this issue up to the company serviceman, the serviceman told him “you are one of our best growers and if anybody can turn these birds around it would be you.” Daddy said that was not the point, he said he did not feel like a farmer when he had to cull so many birds a flock, a farmer in his opinion would be trying to save the birds not cull, cull, cull. I left the farm and went to college, my parents could not afford to send me even though they were top growers. I was very fortunate I had good grades and received scholarships to pay for my tuition. The issue I have with the industry is the animal welfare aspect of it. So many birds crammed into dark warehouses, full of manure, and poor air quality, lack of natural sunlight etc. These birds are bred to put weight on so quickly their skeletal, and circulatory system cannot handle it. Then they try to put the blame on the grower saying things like “you have a disease problem” or a “feed conversion problem”. Would it be so difficult to reverse the breeding and produce a slower breed of bird, give them more room, fresh air and pasture space? I would gladly pay more for a chicken that was raised, and bred humanely. I reviewed other areas of this site and I was very impressed by it. Carole keep up the terrific work you are doing, I will spread this information to my colleagues and maybe all of us together can make some necessary changes to this industry which holds the very farmers who feed us hostage in a system of serfdom.
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Carole, Thank you for attending the Food Inc screening in Salisbury. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and the question period. I raised chickens for sometime now, maybe not as long as some on this site. But I became educated very quickly after a couple of flocks. During the question period the organic farmer you had on the panel discussed the fossil fuel situation on large farms. I believe he had a very good point, this needs to be addressed. I can see how much more electric I am utilizing since closing my houses up for tunnel ventilation, it’s three times the amount since I had curtains. On beautiful days like we have present I would let the curtain machine save me $$$ by not running so many fans. Now I can’t do that, with all this technology and all other businesses going green why is the industry making us burn more electric? It seems as we are going backwards, I know the companies do not help us with the cost of electric and that will continue to rise year after year. I brought this up to my serviceman and he said you are moving more pounds of meat off your farm do to the rapid growth of the birds. When I sit down with a pencil and paper and review my settlements the difference is minimal due to the lay out times between flocks, it sure does not cover the additional electrical usage these behemoth houses burn on a daily basis. I worry everyday if the power goes out and my standby generator won’t kick in, I will lose tens of thousands of birds. I seen this happen on several farms, before if the power went out the curtains would fall giving the birds air. Maybe in the future we won’t have to raise so many birds in confinement to make a descent living. I sure like your free range hens, brings back boyhood memories. Keep up the good work maybe we will find a green workable solution to this type agriculture.
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I came across this website while I was doing a little surfing. I am from this area and did not realize the poultry industry has this much power and influence. Now I know why this film has not been shown in local theaters in our area. I ride by numerous chicken barns everyday in my travels and did not realize the growers were treated in such a manner. This must be why the local media did not pick up on this story. This story in our backyard must be told, not swept under the carpet.
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Right On Astonished! The media is controlled by big business, the industry employs all these people and we don’t want to “rock the boat”. I can recall this summer when it was very very hot I went by some of those chicken barns and the farmer was their with a big tractor and loader carrying bucket fulls of dead chickens somewhere. There was piles of dead birds by the doors on the barn. It most of got a little to warm for them, I thought these houses were air conditioned for the chickens?
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Carol, you are a brave woman farmer. I am not a farmer just a consumer. After watching Food Inc my family and I are switching over to pasture raised products. Animals are not meant to be raised in such a fashion. We had no idea that livestock was fed arsenic, and antibiotics to keep them healthy. Maybe if more of us insist on sustainably produced, pasture raised livestock free from chemicals. The industry will change and raise animals that are on pasture and the farmers can make a living. As a consumer we need more information where our food comes from and how it’s produced. Please keep us up to date on this information.
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Carol, What a great response on Food Inc., it was wonderful to hear you speak at the college. My hat goes off to you for being so brave and telling the truth. During the Q&A, a response came up about a processing facility at U.M.E.S. college. U.M.E.S. is in the heart of the peninsula, it would serve DE,MD,VA, farmers equally due to it’s location. As a farmer this would be a great facility to have on the shore. Many of us are limited to only raising certain foodstuffs. If we had a processing plant we could be more diversified, this would also rebuild the infrastructure the industry dissolved the last several decades. It would be wonderful to raise, process,sell our own locally grown pasture fed beef, hogs, turkey, chicken. We would be providing consumers in our area with a top quality product. Maybe it’s time the industry has a little “old fashioned competition.”
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What is going on with the processing faciltiy at UMES? There is a real need for an independant processing plant in the area so growers have a choice. Farmers need this option. Contract growing is smothering the local farmers . Being “upside down” on a mortgage is not anything new for alot of industry growers locally due to the demands made on them by the companies they contract with.
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Good question about the processing facility at UMES! The facility is a fully equipted multi-species processing facility and was built some time ago. The doors have never been opened to local farmers and never been used. UMES is a land grant university and the processing facility was paid for with tax payer dollars.
Senator Mikulski’s office was asked about it many months ago and has not provided any answers. People at UMES have been asked about it and no one knows anything except that it does exist. At present, USDA officials are housed on the upper level of the building and the processing facility is being used to host goat shows.
Opening the processing plant to local farmers would go a long way in boosting the local economy and provide some much needed jobs and farm income. It is another one of those things in this area that are kept hush, hush and I don’t understand why.
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Your courage and integrity are truly inspiring. Thank you for speaking up, again and again, and for telling us the shocking truth about how our food is grown. Don’t let the criticisms get you down. The truth is always threatening to the establishment, but the truth always wins in the end. You inspired a room full of people in your area last week, you inspired people across the nation before that, and more importantly, you are inspiring the next generation! Carole, YOU ARE A STAR!
Lang Anh
PS: “Please don’t call me pristine”. You are right! Pristine people never got anything done.
PPS: We will be taking a copy of the movie Food, Inc to the FLL competition with us on Saturday. Hopefully a whole new group of people will get to know you, and will learn the truth.
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Carole, Thank You for speaking on our behalf. The industry’s glass house is starting to show some cracks. Keep up the great work, maybe it might tumble down and we can have a fresh start. I have followed you for years on industry problems, and everything you brought up is the truth. We have been in the poultry business for years, and are tired of being treated as though we are another cog in the wheel. We have invested just as much as the companies on a per bird basis. And what do we have? Dead chickens and chemically laden manure to dispose of. It’s time these multi-billion dollar companies take responsibility for their dead chickens and manure. We as growers were told the manure is organic and it’s a benefit instead of using commercial fertilizers. Even local lending institutions use the manure as an asset when calculating returns on a poultry operation. After spreading chemically laden manure and burying/composting dead chickens what have we done to our peninsula? Maybe what Gov. Schaefer said back in ’91 comparing the eastern shore to an “outhouse” is becoming a reality. If we continue down this road we might have to put a chain link fence up on the entire circumference of this area and call it a Toxic Waste Dump. And we done all of this for cheap chicken and supplemental income?
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I have seen several comments about the difficulties of people finding Food Inc out there. I wanted to bring up that it has been on Netflix for some time if you subscribe to the service. I watched it about 4months ago and I just checked and it is still available on the online service.
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