LETTER: Langley resident says look at the true cost of agriculture

Dear Editor,

[Re: Painful Truth opinion column Eggs without chickens?, Langley Advance Times, March 4]

I think the point in the end was helping Canadian farmers as more plant-based alternatives are available.

If you take an in depth look at things the true cost of consuming meat, dairy, eggs without all the subsidies paid by the government to the farmers, people would be shocked at the actual cost.

Meat and other animal products is third in creating climate change.

Burning down the rain forest, taking up huge amounts of landmass for cattle and growing the crops that feed them produces a very large carbon footprint.

Remember more grain is grown to feed animals than to feed humans.

Modern animal agriculture produce greenhouse gases, use extreme amounts of land mass, plus the inhuman treatment of animals.

What we put on our plate affects our health, environment and finances, and some feel spiritually it is a duty to ‘do no harm’.

By the government continuing to already subsidize farmers, producing these food products is not only harming the animals but humans as well.

Some countries are now supporting their farmers to cross over from animal-based operations to crop based ones which in the end may increase their finances as well.

So animal farming in conclusion creates problems in land mass usage, water scarcity, climate change, world hunger, deforestation, infectious diseases, and animal cruelty.

How we can help our farmers and the planet is help them cross over to more sustainable, bio-diverse way of farming?

If you don’t believe me check out the just released UN-backed report on this very subject. (https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/02/food-system-impacts-biodiversity-loss Feb. 3, 2021)

Maha Kali, Langley

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