Farm Sanctuary on Factory Farming, Ag-Gag Bills, Health & Consumer Choice

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Today on the show I sit down with Gene Baur — activist, best-selling author and president & co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, the first animal rescue organization dedicated to farmed animals.  You might have seen him in the documentary Forks Over Knives*.  And I’d be remiss in not mentioning his is a pretty darn good marathon runner prepping for his first Ironman this summer (on a plant-based diet of course).

I’ve had plenty of vegans with strong points of view on the program.  But this was the first time I have interviewed a true animal rights activist.  I’m certainly not an expert in this area, but Gene is such a great guy, he made it easy.

I’m the first to admit that my original reasons for going vegan were far more selfish than ethical.  But the more educated I become about how our food system functions to deliver meals to our plates, the more sensitive and attuned I have become to the indelible power of marketing; the extraordinary lengths to which BigFood and their adjuncts on Capitol Hill will go to keep the public immunized from the harsh realities of factory farming; and the unnecessary and horrific treatment of farm animals that inevitably results.

Please understand — I take no moral high ground.  But as my awareness of this issue continues to broaden, I do feel a certain imperative to cast light on what I perceive as exceedingly cruel abuse on a systemic level.  In my very humble opinion, our current system is both untenable and unsustainable in the long term.  There is a better way.  And Gene is a great ambassador of a worthy message warranting our objective attention.

If you come to this interview with a different perspective on this issue, I understand. And it’s fine. Believe me, I get it. I ask only one thing – that you please listen with an open and mind.

Thanks.  And enjoy the show.

SHOW NOTES

• Farm Sanctuary
• Farm Sanctuary on Twitter: @farmsanctuary
• Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food* by Gene Baur (Simon & Schuster)
• I’m a Runner: Gene Baur (Runner’s World Magazine)
• “What Came Before” featuring Steve-O: The Truth About Meat and Modern Farms for Farm Sanctuary
• Gene Baur on Twitter

 FINDING ULTRA PAPERBACK IN TIME FOR FATHER’S DAY

Hey – you gotta get dear old dad something for Father’s Day, right?  Well, I have just the thing. Finding Ultra* just hit bookstores and online retailers in paperback.  And it’s cheap –  just $12.45 on Amazon*.  What the heck, right?  That’s like a one cold pressed juice at Whole Foods; and will hopefully be even a bit more nourishing.  Then tell a friend.

*Disclosure: Books and products denoted with an asterisk are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Thanks for listening!

As always, thank you for all the ongoing support.  You guys are everything.