What is P.E.T.A. saying about raw milk?

Here’s an excerpt from a rant from P.E.T.A. — that’s “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals” — titled “Raw Milk and Health“, published as news in the Gainsville Times:

People are right to be concerned about the health hazards of consuming rawdairy products, but even pasteurization doesn’t make milk safe (“Area farmers markets weigh raw milk debate,” Sun, October 20).

Raw or not, milk products are bad news. They contain no fiber or complex carbohydrates but are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol. They are contaminated with cow’s blood and pus and are frequently tainted by pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. Drinking milk has been linked to obesity, allergies, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even osteoporosis—the very disease that it is touted to help prevent.

Meat packing plant nightmares increase demand for local organic grass-fed beef

Here’s an excellent response by Kimberly Hartke, to the recent bad news about the sad state of America’s meat processing industry. This story was recently published in Lancaster Farming:

The Sunday New York Times recently ran an article by Michael Moss entitled, E. Coli Path Shows Flaws in Beef Inspection. Because of the scope of this article and the influence of the New York Times, it is important that farmers take the implications of this expose of our current food system seriously.Health conscious consumers will read the article and conclude that avoiding beef is necessary to prevent serious illness. The article portrays in vivid detail large processing plants with shocking hygiene practices, numerous food safety violations and inspection failings. The story begins with a horror story of a young woman who may be paralyzed for life due to complications from a virulent e.coli infection.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that our current system is failing the consumer, and that our government is powerless to prevent massive foodborne illness outbreaks. It’s enough to make a meat eater go vegan.

However, the article focuses like a laser beam on one segment of the industry only, the large meat conglomerates and the mega processing facilities. To the uneducated consumer, it would seem that there is no other option available but to shun beef, especially ground beef, altogether.