Paul Kennedy Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Is it morally right to feed grain to intensively reared animals, that could be used to feed people in parts of the world where there are food shortages. Furthermore given the desire to use energy more efficiently is it right that vast amounts of energy are put into making sure we have large quantities of meat on our plates, when the energy output from that meat is a very small proportion of its energy input. Will the substantial increases in food prices alter food production and the types of foods we eat. Will farms revert to being mixed farms rather than monocultures with their heavy reliance on energy use. Personally I think that I could survive quite well on the full range of seasonal vegetables cooked...or not as the case might be, in a variety of ways, good quality bread with plenty of grains in it and a smattering of wild game/poultry/fish from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 What you're advocating is nothing less than the mass murder of the towns Chavs Paul. They wouldn't last a week deprived of their Big Macs and kebabs! Bring it on I say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Sounds good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Suspect this "food shortage" lark is yet another myth to con more cash out of us? Yes, third world Countries (like China and India) with a new expanding middle class are starting to change their diets and eat more meat as in the West, with all the health problems that that brings. Yes; many staples of food production are being sacrificed in order to produce fuel crops. Yes; the EUs history of controls on agriculture have produced food mountains in the past, and ordered farmers to leave fields fallow in the present. Yes; the current super-market monoply in sourcing food from all over the globe at exploitative rates, artificially treating it to have a longer shelf life etc has provided us with cheap food in the past at the expense of local populations. BUT: there are vast amounts of land still available for agriculture, we have some of the best farmers in the world but alas many folk who have never seen a cow or grown a spud; so arguably there is scope for a massive increase in home grown food production, by farmers, allotment holders and even in our own gardens - it merely requires the National political will, free of the Brussels and multi-national beaurocracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonF Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 The food shortage lark as you call it is most certainly not a myth, but regardless of that I find it strange that more people don't consider what they put in their bodies and the effects it has both to you as a person and the wider environment. In the UK (and many other so called developed nations) we eat vast amounts of meat and meat related products, this is far more protein than our bodies require or need. By cutting back and eating more of the seasonal veg mentioned above, we'd all be healthier and richer, a bit of a no brainer really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Errm, but what if you like meat?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I think the responsible way is to eat seasonal produce, with smaller but better quality amounts of meat and fish. I use a local butcher who can trace all the meat he sells, and he can guarantee it's quality and the fact that the animals were properly reared. I read today about sausages from ASDA costing 16 pence for eight. who would want to eat such rubbish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve the Original Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I think the responsible way is to eat seasonal produce, with smaller but better quality amounts of meat and fish. I use a local butcher who can trace all the meat he sells, and he can guarantee it's quality and the fact that the animals were properly reared. I read today about sausages from ASDA costing 16 pence for eight. who would want to eat such rubbish! ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could do with some sausages and bacon right now... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 The following link shows what is in the 2p sausage. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1023674/The-2p-sausage-But-whats-Asdas-bargain-banger.html Clever marketing by ASDA, it has certainly got them a lot of free national publicity. I understand it is a loss leader, which will no doubt be withdrawn when it has served its purpose....and revert to being the 10p sausage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Is it morally right to feed grain to intensively reared animals, that could be used to feed people in parts of the world where there are food shortages. Furthermore given the desire to use energy more efficiently is it right that vast amounts of energy are put into making sure we have large quantities of meat on our plates, when the energy output from that meat is a very small proportion of its energy input. Will the substantial increases in food prices alter food production and the types of foods we eat. Will farms revert to being mixed farms rather than monocultures with their heavy reliance on energy use. Personally I think that I could survive quite well on the full range of seasonal vegetables cooked...or not as the case might be, in a variety of ways, good quality bread with plenty of grains in it and a smattering of wild game/poultry/fish from time to time. Will the people of this town who would like to grow their own food be given the chance to do so by the Council Paul? Eating well is rapidly becoming beyond the means of the less well off. If they had the means to grow their own organic, seasonal fruit and veg on their own allotment this could suppliment their diets, increase their exercise ,save them money ,make them happier and have social benefits to boot. Growing our own food may soon become a neccesity rather than a hobby for a great many people and the sooner the ball is rolling the better it will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I'll be honest here..... we hardly ever eat fruit or veg. Not good I know It's not that we don't like them but more the fact that they are often tastless and when bought from local supermarkets they only last a couple of days and we finish up throwing them away Now... if we could go to our own vegie or fruit patch and pick them after the fun (and pleasant hard work) of growing them ourselves I think as a family we would be all be converted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Just to pick up on a point made by Observer about us having plenty of capability to produce more. Now I could be wrong about this (and probably am) but didn't I hear something a year or so back that said the uk population had now grown past the point where it was incapable of agricultural self sufficiency? My take on the whole situation is like most things in life, if prices go up as a result of shortages then we'll simply change our habits accordingly but until that time the spuds come from Asda and the back lawn stays just where it is! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Self sufficiency in anything, let alone food supply; has never entered the mind of politicians or indeed a population weaned on the notion of free trade (for it's own sake), and the importation of cheap food of the right size and colour, but not necessarilly with the same taste as freshly grown organic produce, that hasn't been transported half way round the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Co-op organic beer must be better than I thought! Was that agreeing, disagreeing or a politicians answer? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 I think it was suggesting we begin to attempt to become more self sufficient - which would require ditching the EU for starters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 The problem is political. The EU has been controlling food production by paying farmers NOT to grow crops and so maintain the price. The same is happening all over the world. Politicians need to stop interfering with everything and just get on with what they do best - fiddling their expenses, voting for their own pay rises and making sure their pensions are secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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