NEWS: Future (Vegetable-Only) Farmers Of America? - Center forConsumer Freedom 10/24/06

11-07-2006, 09:12 AM

It's pretty clear that the editors of the so-called "Center for
Consumer Freedom" disapprove -- but it seems like a hopeful sign to me.

If you have the stomach for it you might want to check out their website.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_.../headline/3163

Basically a smear-job of everyone who questions the healthfulness of meat.

Apparently, their idea of "consumer freedom" is that people should be
able to eat meat and meat producers shoulc be able to raise animals in
any type of abominable condition they want to.

It seems very suspicious that this group is based in Washington. I'm
betting it's part of a big meat-industry lobby. Very, very cynical from
the looks of it.

ys

hkdd

*************************

Future (Vegetable-Only) Farmers Of America?

October 24, 2006

This week Indianapolis hosts the national convention of Future Farmers
of America (FFA), which has
helped educate generations of young American farmers-to-be. Many FFA
members grow up to put steaks, pork chops, drumsticks, milk, and eggs on
our tables
<http://www.google.com/search?num=100...mal+agricultur
e%22+%28ffa%2C%22future+farmers+of+america%22%29+-sturla>.
The group's best known program involves teaching children as young as
seventh-graders to raise beef and dairy cattle
. The kids then enter
their prize animals in livestock-judging competitions
<http://www.google.com/search?num=100...vestock+judgin
g>
and sell them at state and county fair auctions
. So we were
surprised (okay, a little annoyed) to learn that country singer Carrie
Underwood -- a long-time
vegetarian
and
supporter of the anti-meat Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
-- will headline tomorrow night's
FFA Convention kickoff concert
.

Yes, that's a link to HSUS's website at the bottom of Underwood's
official website . And that's
her voice promoting HSUS's fundraising
<http://stream.realimpact.net/?file=r...isaster-audio-
carrie-underwood-1.wma&type=wma>
after Hurricane Katrina (the same $32 million effort being formally
investigated
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...AR200603250100
2_pf.html>
by Louisiana's Attorney General
). Underwood told
an online /Washington Post/ chat in January that she has also "donated a
lot of articles of clothing [to HSUS] for them to auction off."
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...19/DI200601190
2576.html>

Underwood takes her meatless eating seriously. In 2005 PETA gained a
willing spokesperson by naming her the "World's Sexiest Vegetarian."

She told /Reader's Digest/ in June that "to me, every single animal has
a heart and a mind and a soul ... I'm a vegetarian."

And speaking to the 'tween audience of "PBS Kids" this year, she explained:

I quit eating beef when I was about thirteen. I kind of phased
everything out, so it took a few years actually. I do it because I
really love animals and it just makes me sad. Like, I don't like to
watch commercials where they have meat. It weirds me out.

It's tough to decide who's more masochistic: Carrie Underwood, for
subjecting herself to a live-action commercial for animal agriculture
that's likely to really "weird her out"? Or the FFA leadership, who we
assume have heard about Underwood being booed at a Nebraska concert this
summer
after announcing -- in the middle of cattle country -- that she won't
eat beef
<http://consumerfreedom.com/downloads...eUnderwood.pdf
>.

Cowboy activist and broadcaster Trent Loos
<http://www.feedstuffs.com/ME2/dirmod...10DF54CD95D65&
nm=Search+our+Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=AA01E1
C62E954234AA0052ECD5818EF4&tier=4&id=E88EF21FF10E4F749C2DC32325918155>
is encouraging FFA members to walk out of the concert in protest
tomorrow night after the opening acts perform
<http://loostales.blogspot.com/2006_1...11612739514669
4486>.
It's a tall order for kids who have paid good money to be entertained.
For those who can't stomach voting with their feet, we recommend
listening while eating a juicy burger or a fragrant pulled-pork barbecue
sandwich. Especially those of you in the first few rows.

URL: http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_.../headline/3163