Jamie Oliver, whether you like him or hate him, did a great programme filmed in the U.K about the poultry industry, using various ways to expose and explain to consumers every detail of the industry. Everything, from when the chicks are born to when (and how) they are killed to all the kinds of products that contain egg and how these eggs are produced. A basic overview of the show from the uk channel 4 website:
"With the help of poultry farmers and experts including Bill Oddie and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie has brought together consumers, producers and retailers to discuss how chickens and eggs are produced and consumed in this country and whether things need to change."I was in tears throughout most of the show, I mean, you have to be blind to not see the difference in a free range hen and a battery hen. It's just so frustrating being on a tight budget and forgetting that the less you pay, the worse the life for the animal.
He presented it fairly, and gave farmers a chance to speak and supermarkets and other companies to defend themselves. I found it interesting to see him visit a battery facility and a factory farm and see the farmers point of view. Basically, the farmers wants to take care of their stock the best they can as it basically produces a better quality of stock. It's hard for them as the consumer demand the cheapest product, which results in the battery caged hen usually.
It's a tough subject, but I think a lot of people do care about this, and i'm so glad channel 10 decided to air this programme, although it did have to compete with Bert Newton on This Is Your Life. The situation has improving with options of purchusing slightly more expensive eggs that are RSPCA approved. The chickens are in an enclosed barn with fresh air and sunlight, room to move and nests. They even have toys and scratching posts for stimulation.
Here's some stuff Jamie had to say:
What do you hope to achieve? "In terms of what I hope to achieve, I think if even a small percentage of people watching were informed and decided to shop differently as a result, then that would make a real difference. Some of the people in the audience at the filming were shocked enough to want to change their shopping habits so I'm hoping some of the viewers at home will be affected in the same way. We should all be thinking why something is so cheap, rather than why others seem so expensive."
Will you be 'naming and shaming' farmers and retailers? "I'm not naming and shaming any farmers because I'm a big supporter of all British farmers and, to me, they are caught between a rock and a hard place. In a way, this has been the hardest show I’ve ever made - what we've tried to do is make a straightforward programme about difficult issues in a balanced and fair way, and after broadcast I want to be able to sleep at night."
What do you think consumers can do to make a difference, what chicken and eggs should they buy?"Basically, buy the highest welfare bird and eggs that you can afford. If you're used to buying standard battery eggs, try to pay an extra 5p per egg to barn eggs (which are much better welfare). If you're used to buying a non-free range chicken, pay an extra £1 or so for an animal with better living conditions, like natural light and stuff to do. It's morally better for the animal and it's morally better for the producers, because I haven't met a farmer yet who wouldn't love to move up to a better welfare situation for their animals."
I was so pleased to see a programme that was slightly confronting about animal cruelty. This is a situation where consumers do have several differently priced options. Although it does become hard when you find that egg products are in EVERYTHING and you cant choose where they get their egg product from. So bascially, choose wisely and read the labels. Try your best to choose the most humane product possible.
