Food, Forestry, Agriculture and Aquaculture

http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-04-07/usda-proposes-stricter-animal-welfare-rules-for-organic-meat

The news article written by Mary Clare Jalonick is about a new rule being enforced in the agriculture department concerning livestock and poultry. This rule being enforced is about ensuring all livestock farmers that their livestock and poultry need to have a great amount of living space and more access to outside activities and the sun. The rule states that the animals should have space to sleep, eat, walk, turn around without being crowded, and having room to “stretch their limbs” (Jalonick, 2). Because of this rule, many businessmen are complaining about the increased money that will be spent in order to fulfill this policy. Others argue that the increased amount wanted for animals to be outside can increase the risks of them containing the disease salmonella. Although I understand where the businessmen and farmers are coming from in that the new rule will increase the amount of input, the Agriculture Department has a better reasoning for enforcing this new rule. These farms are claiming that their meat and chicken are organically produced and to ensure that the consumers are buying the products, the department added this rule to make sure that the animals are being treated well and the meat is organic just like the consumers want. Adding on to the reason for which the policy is good, animals that are cramped up seem to have a bad taste according to the consumers and it is also a mistreatment to the animal. This mistreatment can lead to the animal having a higher chance of getting sick which can spread the disease to other animals and then the meat can go bad. The policy I believe was mostly added to make sure that more consumers are buying the product and are satisfied with the treatment of their organic food. One question that popped into my head was why the farmers and businessmen really disagree with this policy? I feel like the rule would increase their profits because more consumers are aware that their meat is being treated well the way they want and are willing to buy more of their product.