By Greg Peterson Many have probably seen or heard about Chipotle’s commercial, “The Scarecrow” and their recent video series, “Farmed and Dangerous.” Chipotle claims these spots are shedding light on the “inhumane” and “unsustainable” nature of “industrial farming.” They try to use the videos to inform people of the perceived problems with the current food system, such as the difference between meat that is ethically raised and meat that isn’t. Their approach seems genuine and …
The Peterson Farm Bros’ Beef With Chipotle (Part 2): The Definition of a Family Farmer
Chipotle’s videos depict today’s farmers as huge, industrial farmers, concerned not about ethics and animal welfare, but motivated rather by greed and money. This could not be further from the truth! There are over 2 million farmers in this country. Each of whom are working long hours, braving extreme weather, and tirelessly caring for land and livestock. How many of those farmers are family farmers? 96 percent of them, according to the USDA, including the farm …
The Peterson Farm Bros’ Beef With Chipotle (Part 3): The Definition of a Humanely Raised Animal
The way I would define “humanely raised” in the animal agriculture sense is: Treating animals with care and respect, keeping animals healthy, and allowing animals to live comfortable lives. I believe that the vast majority of farmers, both conventional and organic, are doing just that. Any true livestock farmer will tell you that in order to make a profit in the livestock industry, you must treat your animals well. This is especially important in today’s …
The Peterson Farm Bros’ Beef With Chipotle (Part 4): The Definition of Ethical Behavior
Chipotle’s videos portray farmers as unethical. The main character of “Farmed and Dangerous” depicts farmers as a CEO of a huge company who will do whatever it takes to make as much money as possible. While farmers are concerned about staying in business and supporting their family so they can continue to grow the food you eat, we are also very concerned about safety, sustainability, conservation, and overall ethical behavior. I hope I’ve been able to communicate …