Not long ago, my husband and I drove across the plains states. Unfortunately, our route entailed passing numerous animal transport trucks, as well as hundreds of farms and cattle pastures.
Suddenly, we found ourselves on a 2-lane highway in the heart of what’s known as livestock producer country. We were on Feedlot Road. Places like this are intentionally situated far from travelers’ eyes. If you don’t know what a feedlot is, it’s “a plot of land on which livestock are fattened for market”1 Notice the euphamisms in that dictionary definition.
For 3 to 4 minutes straight, we drove past HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of animals on feedlots. I’ve seen photos and videos of such places before, but to witness them so close up – even fleetingly – was something else.
While my video isn’t great, you can hear the shock in our voices as we drove along miles and miles of what looked like dirt, but was actually living beings! These beings are forcefully bred and raised to hit a certain weight before being transported for up to 28 hours without food, water or the ability to lie down. Terrified, they arrive at their destination where they are violently slaughtered.
Their dead grey flesh is treated to keep it looking fresh ( insert puke emoji here) before it gets packaged up and sold as “food.” This is animal agriculture.
What’s for Dinner?
Will someone be on your plate? I assure you that no one will be on mine.