The meat industry plays us as fools

To the Editor:
The meat industry plays us as fools when they want us to believe that labeled as free-range, organic chickens sold in the supermarkets are humanely raised but that is farthest from the truth. These chickens from the moment they are hatched till they die have a brutal life. At the end of their life, these birds are recklessly and violently shackled upside down with wings and legs broken from abuse and totally conscious are scolded to death in feather-removal tanks.

Chickens are not protected by the Federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Multimillion dollar ad campaigns funded by the meat and dairy industries have convinced many people that these chickens, cows and pigs are humanely raised but they are not. Pigs for human consumption are put in metal cages so small that they can't even turn their heads or move any body parts until they are brutally slaughtered.

Some local farmers humanely raise their cows, pigs and chickens for human consumption and that is good news.

Catherine Kuellmer
Milford