According to an Associated Press report, the practices of large commercial turkey farms have prompted animal-welfare groups to come forward this Thanksgiving in full force.
The groups are encouraging vegetarian meals -- including turkey-shaped tofu loaves -- as well as free-range turkeys that roam pastures of small, family run operations.
Farmers like Jay and Polly Armour of New York are what the Humane Society has in mind as it urges consumers to forego supermarket turkeys, which are often grown indoors at so-called factory farms. At free-range farms like the Armours' the Humane Society says turkeys can "express more natural behaviors and live better lives."
"We're not trying to rain on anyone's holiday," said Wayne Pacelle, the Humane Society's senior vice president. "But people must know these animals are terribly abused. Turkeys have been transformed from a sleek, adaptive wild animal into a Frankenstein monster, so obese it can barely stand."
The industry defends its mass-production techniques as necessary to provide plump turkeys at affordable prices. The National Turkey Federation denies any cruelty by its producers.
"We're an easy target at this time of the year, because everyone in the United States is focusing on Thanksgiving," said Sherrie Rosenblatt, the federation's spokesperson. "It's un-American not to have turkey at Thanksgiving."
So, this holiday season, consider as you eat your turkey where that turkey came from. Did it lead a healthy life? Was it mistreated, or part of some turkey mass-production machine that turns out unhealthy turkeys? Are you consuming turkey at all?
Wherever you stand on the animal-welfare issue, it does not hurt to consider where your Thanksgiving meal originated. In fact, it could lead to better health.
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