Today, I read an article in the New York Times, and watched the accompanying video, about sick cows made to stand and/or walk so they could be slaughtered, and then eaten.

About a year ago, I lowered my conventional beef intake to once a week. Now, I have decided that I will only eat naturally-raised beef once a week. I don’t want to be a vegetarian, and I don’t care for fish (even if I did, we hear so much about over-fishing that I wonder if that’s a viable option), so I will continue to eat meat. Beef is (was) the only conventional meat I eat. No more.

The image of the cow just waiting to die reminded me (literally) of the look on Timone (my deceased Italian Greyhound, my poopsie) when he was extremely ill. At that point, we knew we had no alternative than to put him down. How sad (that’s an understatement) that people could see that cow and not be moved.

What is with the USDA that they could allow this? Honestly, we’re talking about food that millions of people, including children, eat! Do they eat this stuff? Do they feed it to their children? I am appalled enough about the notion of not labeling genetically modified foods or even meat that may be from cloned animals*, but to allow us to each sick animals is horrendous. At least they closed down this plant. I wish we could close down the USDA! Well, maybe not, but at least get it to do the job it’s supposed to do.

*To the best of my knowledge, cloned meat is not (yet) used for human consumption. I don’t know if I’d want to eat cloned meat, but sure as hell know I’d want to make that choice myself!