Jump from Dog Food to Human Food

[steph0808]

Here is an article about hog farms in six states that are saying that their hogs may have eaten some of the tainted pet food.  No word yet on whether any of the hogs that ate the tainted food have made it into the human food supply:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18295971/

[whitepupzoe]

Yikes...thank god I am a vegatarian...although they did recall that lettuce and spinach...no one's safe I guess!

[BoxerPerson]

I am getting really tired of all this.  Why wasn't this found sooner...what are the USDA inspectors doing???

[boxer pal]

I just heard on our local news some feed with melamine in it might have made it's way to some chicken farms in south Missouri.  GREAT!  No bbq porksteaks, and now no bbq chicken.  WHAT are we gonna eat this summer?  Can't eat too much fresh caught fish from the lakes and rivers around here due to pesticide run off.  Guess I'll take my chances with mad cow disease and learn to like mutton.  OR, it's tofukery and Dave ain't gonna like that!  Besides, it would probably be hard to keep on the grill!

[Boxermom,K]

Find out what your local ranchers/meat producers feed and where they get their feed. Then buy local meat- a bit more expensive sometimes, but maybe better quality. As much as I don't want to see my dogs get sick because of contaminated food, it would kill me if my skin kids did.

[boxer pal]

Easier said than done, I'm afraid.  We used to buy a side of beef from a neighbor when he would have a few steers finishing out.  I wish he would do that again.  Same with my BIL, we could get a side of pork from him, but he got out of the hog biz a few years ago.  Miss that good ol' farm raised meat!

[Bers]

Our entire food supply is vulnerable. If it's not meat it will be grains next or vegetables again. Buying local is always the best option, but not always possible. We hardly have any local meat producers, farmers always want to go big and be part of the industrial food system. I wish the food industry was different in this country, but it has become so huge that nobody knows where their food comes from anymore.

[boxer pal]

I agree.  We all might need to go back to raising our own!  Years ago I subscribed to Mother Earth News and growing your own, getting off the grid was a constant theme.  Too bad we've allowed ourselves to get to a point where that's just not possible for the majority. 
I would love to be/shop more 'green' but who can afford it?  I went to a website that advertised hemp flipflops with a 'Stop Global Warming' fundraiser.  They wanted $60 for flipflops!  I know a portion of the proceeds goes to a good cause, but even the clothing not being sold under a fundraiser umbrella was WAY expensive! 
Same with organic foods.  Few people can afford them when Aldi's (no frills discount grocery)sells canned green beans 4/$1!  You can't afford to grow and can your own for that price!  (seed,jars,lids,energy for the stove/canner,etc included) 
It's a sad situation we've gotten ourselves into.

[Boxermom,K]

It is sad indeed that we as a society have become so dependant on others and imported goods that we can no longer thrive within our own settings and under our own power.

[Bers]

Read The Omnivore's Dilemma - it's an eye-opener! It talks about our food industry in detail, more detail than you probably want to think about.

If you haven't already, think about joining a CSA. It stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You buy into a local farm at the beginning of the season, and share the risks and benefits of the farm production. Most are organic and use sustainable farming practices. You can also work off your cost share by working the farm. I haven't found a good one in my area yet, but I'm always looking. I know someone who joined one in NE Ohio and was VERY happy with the results. Depending on the farm you choose to join, they could have produce, dairy products, meats, grains, herbs, eggs, etc.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml

[boxer pal]

I've read about CSA's!  They are an awesome concept and it's neat to see how they work and the satisfaction people who participate in them report.  We don't have anything like that around here, but I keep my ears open as well.  I buy a LOT of produce from our local farmers market in the summer when it's operating.  There's similiar programs in Kansas that provides a selection of locally grown foods (when available) and other foods to seniors and low income people who sign up.  It's some sort of gov. subsidized program and I have an elderly cousin out there who just loves it!  Each month she gets a box of food and it varies from month to month whats in the box.  I think every state should adopt something of the sort.