Meat Cost v Ethics

*Maya*

Is it better to buy meat that is organically reared and sourced locally even if it is more expensive or should we save money by buying foreign meat that has been imported and has questionable methods of rearing?

voiceofreason

Ah - it's good to see an Ethics Girl on the forum!

Personally, I don't think intensively-reared pork (from Britain or abroad) is a good thing in terms of quality, animal welfare, sustainability and a number of other criteria. Wherever possible, I'll try to avoid it and buy free-range, local, preferably organic meat.

That said, I do accept that this is my choice; other people's criteria for purchase may well vary! Buying one's own food is very much a personal choice - so if someone who knows their stuff then makes the choice to buy intensively-reared meat, it's entirely their call.

Freedom to choose based on knowledge, and all that.

Soubrette

*Maya* wrote: »

Is it better to buy meat that is organically reared and sourced locally even if it is more expensive or should we save money by buying foreign meat that has been imported and has questionable methods of rearing?

what if you can buy foreign meat at the same price as British meat but you know has higher standards of rearing than that you can source in the UK?

Which is more important? smallest carbon footprint possible or most ethically reared?

Sou

anguk

Soubrette wrote: »

what if you can buy foreign meat at the same price as British meat but you know has higher standards of rearing than that you can source in the UK?

Which is more important? smallest carbon footprint possible or most ethically reared?

Sou

Oh, that's one to think about! We're always being made to feel buying British or local is best etc. but would that change if the meat from abroad was cheaper and had higher welfare standards?

Would you buy "happy" meat from abroad or intensively reared meat grown locally? I suppose it would depend what your priority was, the green carbon footprint issue or animale welfare?

Soubrette

anguk wrote: »

Oh, that's one to think about! We're always being made to feel buying British or local is best etc. but would that change if the meat from abroad was cheaper and had higher welfare standards?

Would you buy "happy" meat from abroad or intensively reared meat grown locally? I suppose it would depend what your priority was, the green carbon footprint issue or animale welfare?

I like asking the hard questions with no 'right' answers

Sou

voiceofreason

Soubrette wrote: »

Which is more important? smallest carbon footprint possible or most ethically reared?

Good point! :T It's important to try and consider as many of the issues as possible when making purchasing choices, not just "free-range/factory-farmed".

That said - one might consider food with a high carbon footprint or high environmental impact to be in itself somewhat unethical, regardless of how high production and welfare standards are.

Just a thought, like.......

FelinePrincess

I always try and buy organic food where possible but when it comes to meat I am guilty of just buying the standard intensively reared stuff. I do strongly feel that organic is all round much better (taste, enviroment and for the animal) but I find the cost of organic meat is often so much higher and I'm just not willing to spend £7 on a whole chicken!

Beki

That's a good question soubrette!

Personally, if i couldn't buy free range from this country, i wouldn't buy it at all so would become a vegetarian.

Above all else, to me, would be animal welfare, closely followed by the carbon footprint issue. So if the UK suddenly decided to only breed outdoor/indoor/rspca meat i wouldn't source it from the eu. I'd just not eat it.

Farway

I'm with Beki on this, but I sometimes make mistakes due to misleading labelling which I am sure is deliberate. I know I can read labels, but my eyes are not what they were and the small print is really that way to decieve IMO

No local butcher worth mentioning so supermarkets only has to be my choices, I find at least Morrisons & Waitrose stick in the main to UK based meat, unlike Asda which gets it from any where from what I can see

Penelope_Penguin

*Maya* wrote: »

Is it better to buy meat that is organically reared and sourced locally even if it is more expensive or should we save money by buying foreign meat that has been imported and has questionable methods of rearing?

As those two suggestions aren't exclusive, I'll vote for only buying locally-produced meat, if the welfare standards are high I've started to eat more meat-free meals in the last couple of years, and if meat were to become expensive or questionable, I'd happily become vegetarian full-time.

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smooser

Consider all the land and energy required to graze and feed an animal for six months, the fuel for transport to the slaughterhouse/factory/supermarket, the massive amounts of methane released by beef herds, the amount of meat wasted because it is past its use-by date and simply cannot be sold and the rising cost of obesity for the NHS. The best thing you can do is become vegetarian!

But seriously, by reducing the amount of meat-based meals you eat in a week you could reduce your carbon footprint and have more cash to spend on better quality produce. Best of both worlds!