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Comment by pnutjam | Hacker News Reader

I'm suggesting the problem is not the factory farms, the problem is the regulations and lack of oversight. We have pig farms producing more waste then most cities and just spraying it on nearby fields. We are at a low point for regulation, we might keep going until we get to "The Jungle" level of meatpacking, or we can turn things around and put some teeth into regulations and enforcement. I don't believe that 1000 small butchers are going to be 1000 ethical businesses. I do believe that 1 business, or 10 can be regulated with proper oversight.

And yes, animal products have essential vitamins that are difficult to get from plant based diets.

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"It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes. Plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products because they use fewer natural resources and are associated with much less environmental damage. Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity. Low intake of saturated fat and high intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nuts, and seeds (all rich in fiber and phytochemicals) are characteristics of vegetarian and vegan diets that produce lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and better serum glucose control. These factors contribute to reduction of chronic disease. Vegans need reliable sources of vitamin B-12, such as fortified foods or supplements."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27886704

> I'm suggesting the problem is not the factory farms

It sounds like you're suggesting to have even bigger concentration farms. Please watch the Earthlings documentary that I posted above - it highlights the realities of factory farms. Interested to get your thoughts on that.

Also, you talked about ethics, just repeating a question I had above - when it's not about survival - how do you kill a sentient being that doesn't want to be killed?

> And yes, animal products have essential vitamins that are difficult to get from plant based diets.

Do you have any sources for this? As jamesgagan posted here - the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says a plant based diet is healthy and there are other organisations saying the same.

In addition to that, the UN urges to move to a plant-based diet, because feeding the planet on a meat based diet is not sustainable [0]

Having all this evidence, don't you think that weening off the world of a meat-based diet is the smart thing to do?

[0] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jun/02/un-repor...

edit: formatting

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