Posted on 12/02/2021 9:42:17 AM PST by karpov
Fast-moving Amazon is pushing for slow-growing chickens that animal-rights groups say are more ethically raised — but they could end up costing consumers more.
The US poultry industry will boost its production of the chickens, which are said to have fewer health issues, in a nod to a powerful animal-welfare organization that’s backed by Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market.
The Global Animal Partnership unveiled a list of 11 breeds of chicken on Wednesday that meet its certification criteria. The latest list is down from 27 breeds. GAP says that top-tier companies like Chipotle and Popeyes Louisiana Chicken have signed on to its “better chicken” initiative, which they have pledged to adopt by 2026.
GAP is betting that meat consumers will be willing to pay higher costs for products that are grown in what they say is a more ethical way — and that other companies will eventually fall into line with the animal-friendly trend.
The organization didn’t release an estimate of how much more such chickens will cost than traditionally produced ones, but the National Chicken Council says the slow-growth chickens — which take 81 days to grow vs. 48 for conventionally produced ones — are typically three times more expensive than conventionally produced ones. A conventional fresh, whole chicken is about $1.53 a pound, based on current federal data.
The movement toward the new alternatives faces obstacles, including the higher cost of supermarket food that has been fueled by record levels of inflation in the United States.
Since October of last year, the price of meat, poultry, and fish have all gone up by nearly 12 percent, according to the Labor Department. The price of chicken alone has shot up 15 percent since just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic early last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
“First-world problems, generated by whackos who have never had to actually work for a living.”
I am in Phoenix and cannot find any heritage breed chicken ready for cooking for sale. Even the farmers’ market folks are barely familiar with the concept.
that’s why I am growing my own chickens
Not agreeing with Amazon but I’m tired of huge breasts.
I seriously doubt a chicken knows how fast it should be growing. Nor would it care.
Businessman: "I sell chicken. It's 3 times the price you expect, but my chickens are ethically raised."
Communist: "You are a good person! The world needs more people like you!!"
We should be encouraging nationwide backyard chicken farming.
‘Back in the day’ I raised laying hens for fun and a little bit of profit. I had the ‘Easter Eggers’ which lay the gorgeously colored eggs; usually had 50 at at time, and raised them from chicks. It was a lot of work, but fun.
Packaged the eggs in clear containers, fancy labels, tied with a Raffia ribbon - sold them to a local Liquor Store/Cheese Place for $2.50 a dozen and he turned around and sold them for $5 a dozen and people were yelling for more!
What a racket that was, LOL!
I’ll have laying hens again - the spot I wanted in the barn yard ended up being used for more dog kennels (we raise Treeing Walker Coon Hounds and Plott Hounds for fun and NO profit, LOL!) but I’ll have hens again, soon enough. I cannot BELIEVE the awesome varieties that our local Farm & Fleet now has available. I’ve even seen stories of chickens available through local animal shelters. People try, but if it ends up being WORK they want nothing to do with it, it seems. :(
Meat is too good for peasants. Be satisfied with your gruel and maybe they will let you have some on feast days.
Okay I have a bit of background because I did my dissertation on collagen expression and mineralization. The animal model was the chicken.
The problem with fast growing chickens stems from the 1980s when white meat (breast) was all the rage. They bred birds for huge breast muscles and also for speedy growth. They were harvested at about 6 weeks of age.
Problem was their bones were still growing and they became so heavy that the young bones could not support their weight, leading to all sorts of skeletal problems. Because they would get broken bones they could not be sold.
However for the most part the chickens are not raised in inhumane conditions, especially the broilers. They live in a pen and are free to move about. I worked at three different research farms and the conditions for the animals were not bad at all.
There is a place in Richmond, VA called Aunt Sarah’s. IIRC it’s on Broad St.
The fried chicken and pancakes is to die for.
Fwiw.
5.56mm
“animal-rights groups” = vegans and vegetarians?
My DIL was given a pair of broilers rescued from a farm that were so fat they could not get up the ramp into the coop. They just waddled around and made their nest underneath it.
Not familiar with chicken ethics; any research suggestions?
Psh there’s already plenty of organic/fancy chicken the stores sell for $5-8 a pound. When plain untrimmed ck boobs used to go on the good sale for $0.79 a pound. That’s way more than a 3x multiplier.
Are chickens which are ethically raised more ethical than other chickens? How would you determine that?
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