From IS DAIRY THE NEW
TOBACCO?
by Gene Baur
For decades, billions of tax dollars have gone into the dairy
industry. Campaign contributions from
agribusiness influences politicians to misuse government resources to keep
dairy farmers in business while demand for dairy has dropped. Hundreds of
millions of pounds of cheese and butter sit in reserve, and millions of pounds
of milk are being spilled onto fields.
American families are mislead to believe that
cows’ milk is good. Cows’ milk is for
baby calves, not humans. We can live
well and obtain all the nutrients we need, including calcium, without consuming
dairy or other animal products.
Exploiting animals for food requires vast quantities of
corn, soy, and other crops to feed them. Animal agriculture is a leading cause of
most environmental threats: depletion of
water and other precious resources, destruction of rainforests and natural
ecosystems, the earth’s loss of biodiversity, and climate change.
Large-scale factory-farm operations produce enormous quantities
of manure which is spread on fields, contaminating the land, water, and air. The health and quality of life of the people
living nearby is diminished. Property
values drop because of the foul odors and toxic emissions. Sullied groundwater
leaches into streams, polluting drinking water and contributes to fish kills.
Health risks are exacerbated by the indiscriminate use of
antibiotics on factory farms, which causes antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
These present risks to consumers who eat contaminated food, and in the
environment where antibiotic-resistant bacteria have been found in groundwater. Formerly life-saving drugs become useless.
For decades, American schoolchildren have had cows’ milk foisted
on them, along with artery-clogging cheese and other fat-laden animal products
causing obesity and heart disease.
Lawmakers are quick to speak against tobacco subsidies. Yet they overlook the fact that billions of
taxpayer dollars are used to support an industry that costs billions of dollars
in health problems.
Consumers are getting the message - the marketplace is
adjusting. Demand for plant-based milks is expanding, and the consumption of
cows’ milk is decreasing. Federal food policy should support and encourage this
trend. The tobacco industry had to make adjustments, so too should the dairy
industry.
Gene Baur is the Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary
