Comment: sources in Opinion: Top 10 Reasons You Should Not Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving on Opposing Views

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(Opinion) Top 10 Reasons You Should Not Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving

By PETA

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Hugh?

sources

musicdued -
click on the links. The citations are there.

- ElaineVigneault November 23, 2009 9:23PM

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- Eh, not so much
  
  Those links point to various articles on goveg.com, a PETA website. Basically they're citing themselves. Some of the articles on goveg do contain citations, however I didn't see any that actually contained the information they were said to contain.The same is true for the goveg articles, they often don't include the points they're linked to. The points are also full of factual errors.
  
  For example:
  - The goveg article that #3 points to has nothing to do with the nutrition value of turkey, only about the contaminants it contains. The citation goveg uses for that point states that seafood is the number 1 cause of food poisoning.
  
  - Point #4 contains a gold mine of incorrect statements. Poultry farms are not breeding grounds for diseases, as regular USDA inspections check for this. Birds are also required to be individually inspected at the slaughter house to insure they are disease free. The CDC also points out that the Avian Flu outbreak is limited to Asia, Europe, the Near East, and Africa. Additionally, the "cutting board" example mentioned is a great example of poor food handling.
  
  - Point #5 shows PETA's lack of scientific training: hormones are commonly given to animals to stimulate growth, but are not approved for use in turkeys by the USDA. Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria. Anyone who is concerned about them can easily find turkeys certified as having no antibiotics.
  
  - Points #6 and 7 are not in line with current USDA regulations that prohibit conscious animals from being shackled. Additionally, they are put in those shackles by human workers . Don't you think a human would notice if the bird was still conscious? The same applies for the knife stroke. The USDA has strict regulations on humane handling of turkeys, which can be found here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/6900.2Rev1 .pdf
  
  - thebigmike November 24, 2009 4:45PM
  
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  - USDA regulations do NOT protect poultry
    
    While efforts have been made, and at least one lawsuit (Humane Society) is attempting to change USDA regulations regarding "humane" slaughter, poultry is exempted and is labeled produce, no doubt due to the lobbying efforts of the poultry industry.
    As produce, birds have the same protection as corn from birth to death and all points in between, ie, NONE.
    The only thing that might ultimately change these horrid practices, is public awareness, and while PETA has its faults, it has done much good in its undercover operations.
    If you think for one moment that anyone on the killing floor thinks for a milisecond about the suffering of that dying, mutilated bird, think again.
    A million birds per hour are killed, mostly chickens, all over this country, and the line dosn't slow for anyone or anything.
    A red bird, one who is boiled alive goes into other foods, canned, processed, and pet.
    
    - joolmaker November 25, 2009 11:47AM
    
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    - Pretty sure they do...
      
      "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress to provide for the inspection of poultry and poultry products and otherwise regulate the processing and distribution of such articles" -Sec. 452 of the "Poultry Products Inspection Act" available on the USDA website ( http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations/PPIA/index.asp #Sec.%20452).
      
      - thebigmike November 30, 2009 9:33AM
      
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      - inspection yes....
        
        humane considerations, no.
        quoting: USDA considers humane methods of handling animals and humane slaughter operations a priority, and has a Farm Animal Well Being Task Force to address sound standards for the care, handling, transporting, and slaughter of farm animals. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the Agency within USDA responsible for ensuring compliance with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
        
        FSIS employs a Veterinarian and slaughter line inspectors at every federally inspected slaughter establishment. The Veterinarian enforces humane slaughter methods throughout the entire plant. The Veterinarian and slaughter line inspectors observe the methods by which CATTLE, SHEEP, SWINE, GOATS, HORSES, MULES OR OTHER EQUINES are slaughtered, ensure plants take corrective action where needed, and are responsible for reporting instances of inhumane treatment of animals as they carry out their primary food safety-related inspection responsibilities. FSIS Veterinarians and inspectors stop the production line if they see any violations of the humane slaughter regulations . end quote
        
        At present, except possibly in a few states there are no regulations regarding humane handling, raising or slaughter of poultry, only inspection of facilities (loaded with exemptions by the way) for health threats to humans.
        
        - joolmaker November 30, 2009 12:13PM
        
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        Inspection includes humane considerations
        
        Here is a link to the USDA website that contains links to the poultry inspector's guide: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/Slaughter_Inspection_Training/index.asp
        
        In the document describing antemortem inspection procedures, I found the following paragraph:
        
        In poultry operations, employing humane methods of handling and slaughtering that are consistent with good commercial practices increases the likelihood of producing unadulterated product. FSIS regulations describe the operating procedures that poultry processors must follow to ensure sanitary processing, proper inspection, and the production of poultry products that are not adulterated. Under 9 CFR 381.71, FSIS condemns poultry showing, on antemortem inspection, certain diseases or conditions . Bruising is one condition that may result in condemnation (9 CFR 381.89). Bruises are likely to result when birds are not treated humanely. Moreover, the PPIA (21 U.S.C. 453(g)(5), as well as agency regulations (9 CFR 381.90), provide that carcasses of poultry showing evidence of having died from causes other than slaughter are considered adulterated and condemned. The regulations also require that poultry be slaughtered in accordance with good commercial practices, in a manner that results in thorough bleeding of the poultry carcass, and ensures that breathing has stopped before scalding so that the birds do not drown (9 CFR 381.65(b). Compliance with these requirements helps ensure that poultry are treated humanely.
        
        - thebigmike November 30, 2009 3:45PM
        
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        good commercial practices
        
        there is no mention of "humane" except in reference to bruising which may result in rejection of bird except for processed or pet food and the like.
        if the birds do drown and the usda admits a large percentage are put into scalding tanks while still alive & conscious, the flesh turns red: this is a reject for broiler-fryer sale, but again, the flesh can be used in other ways: fed to livestock (including poultry), put in pet food, etc.
        
        Very informative article dated last week...also has some optimism for future.
        
        http://hslf.typepad.com/political_animal/2009/11/talking-turkey.html
        
        - joolmaker November 30, 2009 3:59PM
        
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