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Farm Animal Welfare - The Power Struggle!
KEY PLAYERS IN THE LIVESTOCK WELFARE POWER STRUGGLE
What do they want? - How will they get it?
Consumers
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goal
cheap plentiful meat to eat with a clear conscience!
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strengths
voting power
purchasing power
complaining power
possible weaknesses
insensitivity to needs & problems of farmers
inexperience of farm animals & farm economics
little time & inclination for purchase discrimination
easily mislead by marketing
easily mislead by media
emotional reactions & ideologies may obscure economic & practical realities
opportunities
willingness to pay more for high wefare meat!
to become more discriminating when buying & voting
to relate to farmers & work constructively with them
to come to terms more with worldly realities of suffering & death
dangers faced
hypocrisy: supporting high welfare but buying cheap low welfare meat
confusion & chaos from conflicting information & views
demanding the impossible from farmers & food industry
Farm Animals
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goals
to live!
to express natural behaviour & instincts
to suffer no more than necessary e.g. what humans experience
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strengths
entertaining & interesting unique life-forms
vulnerability & innocence attracts compassion & caring
nutritious & tasty to eat
possible weaknesses
vulnerability to abuse & exploitation
limited means of communication & no linguistic or literary skills
projected onto by people not taking responsibilty for their inner emotions & issues
opportunities
to get better care by people meeting our needs as well as their own!
dangers faced
spread of vegetarianism may deny us life
a lifestyle determined by ignorant, impoverished, insensitive or unhappy people
Farmers
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goals
enjoy an occupation of raising livestock
provide material security for self & family
be independent - avoid outside crticism & interference
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strengths
practical experience of livestock needs
practical experience of economic realities
possible weaknesses
financial desperation: low margins over costs
insensitivity to ethical needs of consumers
insensitivity to welfare needs of livestock
rejecting concerns of welfarists (= customers or speak to customers)
opportunities
communicate their situation more effectively to consumers
realise benefits of compassionate & sensitive relationship with livestock
be more proactive & less (defensively) reactive on welfare
to dialogue & work with welfarists rather than condemn them
dangers faced
increased costs of high welfare farming
insensitivity to animal suffering: "familiarity breeds contempt"
reduced income from alienating consumers
competition from global trade
time & paperwork of government & QA welfare measures
bitterness, bancruptcy, depression & suicide
Food Retailers
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goals
enjoy the occupation of food retailing
increase revenue from meat sales
decrease customer complaints
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strengths
point-of-purchase communication with consumers
purchasing power with farmers
independent of farmer & welfarist pressure groups
possible weaknesses
ignorance of farming methods
reluctance to become involved directly on farms
opportunities
to ensure that Quality Assurance Schemes are effectively policed
to mediate between consumers & farmers
dangers faced
being caught in the middle of conflicting pressures
erratic sales volume arising from welfare scandals
Media (press, radio, TV)
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goals
to provide informed comment & news on public issues
to maintain & increase readers/listeners/viewers
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strengths
a regular & widespread audience
seen as caring & unbiassed on this issue by the public
courage to uncover truths & expose deception
possible weaknesses
temptation to inflame conflict & passions
lack of experience & understanding of farming
opportunities
to present balanced & factual comment from all players
to provide a constructive rather than destructive forum
dangers faced
irresponsible sensationalism
spreading of inuendo, misinformation & smears
Politicians
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goals
to represent public interest
to contribute to the nation's economic & moral welfare
to maintain & increase support of voters
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strengths
ability to institute or threaten legislation
power of public condemnation or judgement
possible weaknesses
pandering to popular but ill-informed opinion
opportunities
to understand the dynamics of the issue
foster public understanding of all points of view
encourage dialogue, collaboration & mutual respect between opposing interests
bring players together to work out balanced & mutual solutions
dangers faced
instituting hasty, unwise or ineffective legislation
adding to wasteful bureaucracy or litigation
Scientists
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goal
to contribute objective investigation, research & scholarship
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strengths
objectivity (hopefully)
independence from vested interests (except where funded by them)
wealth of factual & objective data & experience
possible weaknesses
welfare questions cannot be resolved by science alone
opportunities
to foster objective understanding of the needs of livestock
to analyse the dynamics of welfare issues
to devise economic & practical ways of meeting livestock needs
dangers faced
disregarding the emotional & spiritual components of welfare issues
Vegetarians (militant)
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goal
to discourage others from eating meat
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strengths
strong personal convictions
growing spiritual interest & practice in many countries
self-discipline respected by many in society
possible weaknesses
personal beliefs may be seen as "supreme truths" applying to all
inexperience of livestock farming
if less meat is eaten, less farm animals will live (be kept)
opportunities
to set personal example of the ultimate option of rejecting unacceptable farming
dangers faced
self-righteous "crusade" which attacks beliefs & rights of others
Welfare campaigners
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goals
to improve quality of life for farm animals
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strengths
caring image: sensitivity & compassion for suffering of sentient beings
the moral "high ground": do as you would be done by!
possible weaknesses
insensitivity to the economic difficulties of farmers
subjective approach - may lack objectivity & realism
opportunities
to awaken farmer & public awareness of animal suffering
to encourage action & fight ignorance & insensitivity
to dialogue & work with farmers rather than condemn them
dangers faced
anthropomorphism - not recognising animal needs may differ
being self-righteous but ineffective in practical terms
causing suffering to farmers & their families
CONCLUSION
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THE POWER STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE PLAYERS SEE THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF BALANCING CONFLICTING INTERESTS!
pursuing personal interests by blaming and power struggle is automatic, instinctive & easy
mutual recognition & mutual co-operation require conscious visionary effort
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Author: Dr. Michael Meredith
Your Views?
I don't have all the answers, and probably not even all the questions!
I may even have unintentionally maligned you in what I have written above
Put me straight by contacting the author
 Farm Animal Welfare Issues Controversy - Meatrix Online Video: Meat Tricks
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