Chickens & Antibiotics

In a couple of days, I will be presenting questions to Dr. Galusky regarding the ethics of domesticating chickens. Dr. Galusky questions the current industrial practices by major chicken producers (such as the use of antibiotics, placing chickens in small spaces, etc.). He sympathetically asks us to view chickens not simply as commodities but as living and breathing animals. Thus, we must allow chicken to be chicken, and not simply a "thing" that feeds us. Interestingly, while preparing for my presentation, I came upon an article written about Sanderson Farms - the third biggest producers of chicken in the United States. Unlike other major chicken producers who have turned away from antibiotics, Sanderson Farms firmly defended its use of antibiotics. The company stated that the use of antibiotics is economical and environmentally friendly because it uses less products (soy, corn, land, etc.) to feed and maintain the animal. In addition, Sanderson Farms states that other companies that do not use antibiotics are "tricks to make [consumers] pay more money."

This article brings me back to Dr. Galusky's article about the ethics of the current industrial practices in the chicken industry. Under the guise of environmental issues, this issue of antibiotics stem from Sanderson Farms' view that what matters the most is producing cheap chicken. However, as more rational, economic models suggests us to adopt technologies, the more we "create" these chickens, and there is more alienation and separation between us and the chicken. To be honest, I don't even know what type of chicken I am eating and under what conditions it was grown most of the time! So, how do we - both corporations and the public - move past that view? How do we move past this "rational, economic models"? What are some structural changes we need to make to allow this movement? And, what can we - as individuals - do at this moment?

If the link above doesn't work, here is the URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/02/business/poultry-producer-sanderson-farms-stands-its-ground-its-proud-to-use-antibiotics.html