Organic Turkeys in Peril

Quick, sound the alarm! It's a turkey! OUTSIDE!

Oh Lordy, the world has gone mad! O.k., I won't be quite so dramatic. I'll keep it to "Ontario has gone mad"! More specifically, our agriculture policies are just plain corrupt.

The Turkey Farmers of Ontario(TFO), in all of their mega-controlling glory, have set forth regulations that make it mandatory to raise all turkeys inside. Because organic turkeys must have access to the outdoors, such a move on the TFOs part is a great way for them to neutralize any competition from organic farmers. Yah, that's it, instead of considering that turkeys raised outdoors may actually be healthier, and thus provide more nourishment, let's ensure that nobody has an unfair marketing advantage over the confinement, industrially farmed turkeys. Make everybody sink to the lowest denominator.

Studies done by Ontario's own Ministry of Agriculture even show the serious risk of E. coli and other contaminants in these huge, turkey confinement operations.

The Toronto Star did a great article on this issue. It's well worth checking out.

Don't like this idea all that much? The Organic Council of Ontario, is fighting to protect the rights of farmers. They offer a petition you can access directly from their site along with contact information should you feel so inclined to let a bureaucrat, or two, know what's on your mind.