There are many voices contributing to the discussion about how we raise animals for food (meat and dairy). Information on CAFOs can be found at the Iowa Beef Industry Council website (www.iabeef.org). Check out the link “The Beef Story” and read the article “Beef . . . from Our Farm to Your Fork.” The Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, at www.sraproject.org, also discusses CAFOs; check out the link “Factory Farms.”
Evaluate the websites and work with the information to answer the following questions:
Evaluate the agendas of the two organizations as well as the accuracy of the science behind their positions on CAFOs.
Who runs each website? Do the person’s/organization’s credentials make the information presented on CAFO issues reliable or unreliable? Explain.
What do you think the mission of each website is? What are the underlying values? How do you know this?
What claims does each website make about CAFO food production, and what evidence does it give in support of those claims? Is that evidence credible? Explain.
According to each, how should we be raising food animals?
What are the tone (factual, emotional, technical, aggressive. . .) and intention (to inform, to persuade, to instruct, to entertain. . .) of each website? Do these websites present objective information, or does the information offered seem biased? Explain.
Use your information-gathering skills (see Chapter 3 if needed) to locate a web resource that you think is reputable and gives a fairly objective overview of CAFOs. Describe the search process you used, including how long it took you to find this resource. Explain why you think this is a credible and useful source.
Based on everything you have learned, what do you think is the best solution for growing livestock like beef, chicken, and pork in the United States? Support your position.
Find an additional case study online at http://www.macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/saes2e