How Cargill is feeding Europe’s meat demand at your & the Amazon’s expense
Posted on 15. Sep, 2010 by Guy in Nutrition & Lifestyle
by Lynn Morris
Europe’s demand for cheap meat is been fed by an increasing demand for soya feed from the Amazon but it comes at a cost – deforestation and unhealthy meat
Animals that are fed unnatural feed such as soy or grain are sicker, their milk has less of the nutrition that we or their offspring need.
Meat, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals are ideal for your health. Compared with commercial products, they offer you more “good” fats, and fewer “bad” fats. They are richer in antioxidants; including vitamins E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Furthermore, they do not contain traces of added hormones, antibiotics or other drugs. Meaning, a healthier you!
Summary of Important Health Benefits of Grassfed Meats, Eggs and Dairy
Lower in Fat and Calories. There are a number of nutritional differences between the meat of pasture-raised and feedlot-raised animals. To begin with, meat from grass-fed cattle, sheep, and bison is lower in total fat. If the meat is very lean, it can have one third as much fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal. In fact, as you can see by the graph below, grass-fed beef can have the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast, wild deer, or elk.[1] Research shows that lean beef actually lowers your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.[2]
Data from J. Animal Sci 80(5):1202-11.
Not only your health, but the planet
Rainforest around Santarém has been replaced with fields over the last five years thanks to the advent of soya farming in the area.
Huge multinational Cargill built a port on the Amazon at Santarém to export soya to Europe where the grains are converted into feed for chickens and other farm animals. It should be noted that the health of livestock fed an un-natural sources of food has been called into question, and consumption has been linked to increases in human disease.
Cargill presents an insatiable demand so farmers from soya growing areas like Matto Grosso moved to Santarém to be nearer the port taking advantage of reduced transport costs. This influx of outsiders had lead to conflict with local people.
Farmer Luis Pereira Machado, 61, sells all his crop to Cargill, usually before it is harvested. He said: ‘The more you have the more they want.’ He moved to the area from Matto Grosso but does not feel welcome near Santarém.
Deforestation
Aside from cultural conflicts, there are many environmental problems associated with soya farming. Environmentalists are furious because of the deforestation caused by soya farming. They claim pesticides and fertilisers from soya farms damage the ecosystems of creeks and rivers.
They also argue that the wakes from big ships damage the riverbanks.
Others complain about the lack of employment for local people. Soya farming is largely mechanised and Cargill’s port only employs 60 people because nothing is processed in Santarém, soya is just stored and then exported.
There are also concerns, well documented by Greenpeace in a report called Eating Up The Amazon, that soya farmers acquired land in illegal or irregular ways and in some cases use slave labour for clearing the forest. According to Greenpeace, it is these illegal activities that subsidise the price of meat in Europe.
Future expansion
The problems of soya farming in the Amazon look set to increase. Most of the soya that Cargill exports through Santarém is brought in trucks along the Br163 from Matto Grosso. This road is in the process of being paved which environmentalists say will lead to more deforestation along its length and more soya farmers moving to the area.
Amazonian ecologist Gil Serique said: ‘It seems to be very easy to make money selling soya beans to Cargill. I am sure there is going to be an explosion of soya around Santarém.’
Guy’s Comment
It is prudent to remember as opposed to commercial farmed cattle that organic grass fed cattle has proven to be carbon neutral and healthier, thus being better for the environment as well as your health too. Win-win methinks!
Do you take the time to think about where your meat comes from, and what are the health costs of cheap ‘budget’ cuts. Next time you reach out for the value brand in the supermarket. Stop and think.
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