“It’s a classic dilemma: How much do I value creating a socially comfortable situation and how much do I value acting socially responsible” –Jonathan Safran Foer
Your passion, integrity, and sacrifice give me hope. I find it frustrating that some folks broadly dismiss any pursuit of ethical standards in meat production on the grounds that it's all a cynical attempt to assuage the conscience of certain consumers. They claim there is no way to produce animal products humanely, and those of us who make the effort to find them are kidding ourselves. Sometimes I worry that they're right, but what you've written here shows me that there are humane suppliers out there who are sincere. The skeptics who deem humane standards unattainable often create a false equivalency, justifying the consumption of cheap and convenient options. In my view, they are the ones engaging in rationalization.
I purchased meat from Primal Supply a few times, but ultimately switched to White Oak Pastures due to its 5+ rating from the Global Animal Partnership. While Primal Supply mentioned humane treatment on its site, there was no evident certification or standardization. If I had the benefit of these columns you've written explaining your experience and position, I would have switched to Primal Supply. I understand it's costly and challenging to have third-party certification in place, and it's not like I trust the GAP as gospel; it's just the closest I seem to be able to get.
So, I think reliable information is the main challenge for those of us looking to consume humanely. If we just blindly believe any verbiage about 'free-range', 'humanely-raised', 'happy cows' or whatever, then perhaps we are as naive as the skeptics claim. But maybe the requirement of a 5+ rating from the GAP is too rigid, and in any case, it's very hard to find. I realize that my practice of buying from White Oak Pastures is not ideal, as it's not local, and I can only get meat products from them. I can't seem to find any third-party standards for non-meat animal products like milk, butter and cheese.
I'm local to the the Philly area, so would love any information you have about local suppliers you'd recommend. And more broadly, how do you think a conscious consumer can find reliable information without being overly restrictive?
HI Chris! Thank you so much for supporting and joining this conversation. First of all, as I'm struggling with my own feelings of frustration, it means a lot that sharing them gives you hope. And the skeptics are not right! Ethical and sustainable practices were once the standards before convenience and low-cost became American priorities that are now mistaken for "value". Something that stuck with me in Safan's 'Eating Animals' was the idea that farmers used to practice animal husbandry and now they practice animal science. We've lost touch with so much in these transitions...
I applaud your standards and rigidity around certifications to uphold your ethics, and it's interesting feedback about your relationship with Primal. As a business founded on trust and transparency, it did become harder as we grew to continue to communicate and educate around the mission, and specifically our sourcing protocols (which I developed and had contracts with our farmers to uphold), when inevitably my relationships with our customers became less direct. In my experience working with small farmers, certifications are resource intensive in both time and cost, so often unattainable with a questionable return on investment. This is why I never required them. They are all voluntary and managed by third-parties, so even determining which certification is best to invest in can be a challenge, and new organization are popping up creating new certifications and label standards all the time, each one claiming why it's better than the last.
Greenwashing and humane-washing are real, especially as "regenerative" is now a buzzword, which encourages more false marketing and labeling to capitalize on this trend. You're right to want more assurances and to be skeptical in this regard. I wish I had simpler advice, but I'd encourage you to broaden your own sources by connecting directly with local farmers. The people who are doing it right often have an open farm policy and will host events or simply encourage you to visit and see their production with your own eyes. The time this takes will pay off in time as you form your own network of trusted producers you support. And I will be including a short list of personal recommendations in my next newsletter.
For what it's worth, White Oak is fortunate to have generational resources starting with their land, but they have grown to be a gold standard and industry leader for truly ethical and sustainable meat production (I'm impressed by how many certifications they maintain every time I see one of their labels). While local does matter, I'm still happy to learn you're supporting them. A hot tip: Riverwards Produce in Fishtown and Old City recently started carrying White Oak ground beef and ground pork, so you can also stock up there and support a local business in the process.
Your passion, integrity, and sacrifice give me hope. I find it frustrating that some folks broadly dismiss any pursuit of ethical standards in meat production on the grounds that it's all a cynical attempt to assuage the conscience of certain consumers. They claim there is no way to produce animal products humanely, and those of us who make the effort to find them are kidding ourselves. Sometimes I worry that they're right, but what you've written here shows me that there are humane suppliers out there who are sincere. The skeptics who deem humane standards unattainable often create a false equivalency, justifying the consumption of cheap and convenient options. In my view, they are the ones engaging in rationalization.
I purchased meat from Primal Supply a few times, but ultimately switched to White Oak Pastures due to its 5+ rating from the Global Animal Partnership. While Primal Supply mentioned humane treatment on its site, there was no evident certification or standardization. If I had the benefit of these columns you've written explaining your experience and position, I would have switched to Primal Supply. I understand it's costly and challenging to have third-party certification in place, and it's not like I trust the GAP as gospel; it's just the closest I seem to be able to get.
So, I think reliable information is the main challenge for those of us looking to consume humanely. If we just blindly believe any verbiage about 'free-range', 'humanely-raised', 'happy cows' or whatever, then perhaps we are as naive as the skeptics claim. But maybe the requirement of a 5+ rating from the GAP is too rigid, and in any case, it's very hard to find. I realize that my practice of buying from White Oak Pastures is not ideal, as it's not local, and I can only get meat products from them. I can't seem to find any third-party standards for non-meat animal products like milk, butter and cheese.
I'm local to the the Philly area, so would love any information you have about local suppliers you'd recommend. And more broadly, how do you think a conscious consumer can find reliable information without being overly restrictive?
HI Chris! Thank you so much for supporting and joining this conversation. First of all, as I'm struggling with my own feelings of frustration, it means a lot that sharing them gives you hope. And the skeptics are not right! Ethical and sustainable practices were once the standards before convenience and low-cost became American priorities that are now mistaken for "value". Something that stuck with me in Safan's 'Eating Animals' was the idea that farmers used to practice animal husbandry and now they practice animal science. We've lost touch with so much in these transitions...
I applaud your standards and rigidity around certifications to uphold your ethics, and it's interesting feedback about your relationship with Primal. As a business founded on trust and transparency, it did become harder as we grew to continue to communicate and educate around the mission, and specifically our sourcing protocols (which I developed and had contracts with our farmers to uphold), when inevitably my relationships with our customers became less direct. In my experience working with small farmers, certifications are resource intensive in both time and cost, so often unattainable with a questionable return on investment. This is why I never required them. They are all voluntary and managed by third-parties, so even determining which certification is best to invest in can be a challenge, and new organization are popping up creating new certifications and label standards all the time, each one claiming why it's better than the last.
Greenwashing and humane-washing are real, especially as "regenerative" is now a buzzword, which encourages more false marketing and labeling to capitalize on this trend. You're right to want more assurances and to be skeptical in this regard. I wish I had simpler advice, but I'd encourage you to broaden your own sources by connecting directly with local farmers. The people who are doing it right often have an open farm policy and will host events or simply encourage you to visit and see their production with your own eyes. The time this takes will pay off in time as you form your own network of trusted producers you support. And I will be including a short list of personal recommendations in my next newsletter.
For what it's worth, White Oak is fortunate to have generational resources starting with their land, but they have grown to be a gold standard and industry leader for truly ethical and sustainable meat production (I'm impressed by how many certifications they maintain every time I see one of their labels). While local does matter, I'm still happy to learn you're supporting them. A hot tip: Riverwards Produce in Fishtown and Old City recently started carrying White Oak ground beef and ground pork, so you can also stock up there and support a local business in the process.