Meat Processing Does People Not Realize This?

[big rockpile]

Was talking with our Pastor and His wife about working in Poultry Processing Plant.They didn't realize how Hard and Dirty the Work was and the fact the company don't care about its workers.

Whats Bad is they have had Cattle Farm and lived in Third World Countries and can't believe this goes on in the United States.

big rockpile

[sisterpine]

Talk about eyes wide shut!

[possom]

70 to 90 birds a minute coming through evis. Same running in further processing. Work until your hands can't grip a pair of scissors anymore and still get yelled at for not working hard enough.

Been there done that but they were too ---- cheap to give us a t-shirt.

Hope I never have to go back there again.

[gone-a-milkin]

Most people have absolutely no idea where their food comes from at all.
They couldn't begin to comprehend the volume of animals that are harvested each day in these processing plants.

If they actually toured the kill floor in a slaughter house, most of them would just faint away.
Just imagine trying to get that pastor to put on boots and apron and belly up to the conveyor belt with shears in hand. LOL
It is demanding work and it is one of the reasons labor unions were started.


It is good not to forget our history, when it comes to protein harvesting.

[bywaterdog]

Whole chickens (Pilgrim's Pride) were .69 per lb. at my local store last week, I can't raise them for that price, much less slaughter and clean them.

Makes ya wonder just how they can do it.....

[thesedays]

This is why we bring in all these refugees from Third World countries, people who don't speak our language or know anything about our culture.

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by bywaterdog

Whole chickens (Pilgrim's Pride) were .69 per lb. at my local store last week, I can't raise them for that price, much less slaughter and clean them.

Makes ya wonder just how they can do it.....

***********
and more volume!!!

[Wendy]

Whole chickens (Pilgrim's Pride) were .69 per lb. at my local store last week, I can't raise them for that price, much less slaughter and clean them.

Makes ya wonder just how they can do it.....

Not sure, but I wouldn't buy them if they were 10 cents per pound. They have no taste like pasture raised chickens do.

[Marshloft]

I worked on the kill floor for a year,,, I actually enjoyed my stay. Of course this was cattle and hogs,, not chickens.
Working in the boning room didn't work out so well. Two days in a row I was sent to the hospital for stitches,, I got transferred the next day.

[Terrabus]

Originally Posted by thesedays

This is why we bring in all these refugees from Third World countries, people who don't speak our language or know anything about our culture.

This is also why communities pull together to block meat packing and processing plants from opening up in their area.

I've known folks who worked in these factories at various periods for the past 40 years. I admire the skills some of them acquire but it does make me leery of the food in stores. It also gives me more reasons to give my business to local farmers in small processing places.

Ever since Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle, people have been shocked and amazed at what they find in those massive operations. The problem is, people are still shocked and amazed. I believe I once read that 80% of all USDA poultry inspectors no longer eat poultry. I do. But I know the farmer who raised and butchered it. For me, that makes all the difference and is worth any extra cost.

[||Downhome||]

Originally Posted by bywaterdog

Whole chickens (Pilgrim's Pride) were .69 per lb. at my local store last week, I can't raise them for that price, much less slaughter and clean them.

Makes ya wonder just how they can do it.....

its called protection, a mafia outfit formerly known as the US government...

I believe its referred to as the "no competition clause"

That and they rook the growers and take advantage of the labor.

which is how the pay their mob dues...

I in no why am trying to pass this as fact, its in humor so all you Lawyers looking for a Liable suit go else where as this is my disclaimer, all hit men too please...

[mrstillery09]

I am also surprised at how little people know about where their food comes from. Its what started me on my journey to being more self sufficient. However, when explaining to family, etc., people don't want to listen, and don't believe anything bad is happening. Very sad.

[uncle Will in In.]

Tysons bought out a local hog slaughter house. Hauled in Mexicans by the bus load to work it at minimum wage and forced the union workers out. The taxpayers are supporting the Mexicans. Furnish medical, food stamps, schools, while Tysons support the government politicians to keep them in office. It is no wonder nothing was ever done about the illegals. They make the rich richer.

[possom]

There is a Tyson plant here in my home town. Been here since the mid 60s. There have been several attempts for other industry to come into the area but it is always stopped in one way or another.

This plant treats its workers like dirt. Mexicans are treated differently, much better then the white or Asian workers. I worked at this plant while in high school then transferred to a plant in little rock ar then to a plant in monett mo. The other two plants I worked at were just as bad as this one is.

As I write this I am sitting on my back deck (the smoking deck as my wife calls it) looking out across my fields. From here I can see two separate sets of chicken houses. When the second set was put in. Within a week after production started one of our wells went dry. They attract in coyotes and other scavengers. the smell of ammonia from the chicken scat can be overwhelming if the wind blows right. Around here it is just a fact of life and no way to stop them from putting in more and more of these mass production houses.

[KaiserW]

the food industry in this country is an abomination.
from meat processing to monsanto's gmo produce.

it's no wonder more and more people look towards organic foods all the way to homesteading.

maybe "no meat mondays" isn't a bad idea.

take a look at films like "earthlings" and "food inc." and you may just go vegan.

[pancho]

Maybe someone should start their own processing plant and put those places out of business. It would seem like a simple thing to do.

[possom]

There are still Small processing plants all over the united states (slaughter houses) but they can't compete with big business. Most everyone that raises livestock uses these slaughter houses but the amount of meat needing to be produced to support the rest of the world can't be sustained in small family owned businesses. The amount of chicken beef and pork shipped overseas is mind boggling. The only way to get back to producing quality meats here is to stop exporting millions of tons of meat overseas each year.

[||Downhome||]

Originally Posted by pancho

Maybe someone should start their own processing plant and put those places out of business. It would seem like a simple thing to do.

See post 11

[akaRach]

I know I do what I do for a reason, just sometimes I loose sight. Thanks for the reminder.

*puts a few more eggs in the incubator*

[highlands]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Was talking with our Pastor and His wife about working in Poultry Processing Plant.They didn't realize how Hard and Dirty the Work was and the fact the company don't care about its workers.

They are free to move to a different job. To a different slaughterhouse. I worked in slaughter and butchering years ago. It was good work. Very long hours but it paid well because we got a lot of over time and the company fed us. The company cared a lot about their workers - we were the lifeblood that turned the animal into the product for sale. If you're working for someone who doesn't treat you right, change jobs or go work for yourself. If people do that then the company smartens up. They have to compete for workers. Even in slow economic times this still works.