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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

To the Editor: In “ Where Cows Are Happy and Food Is Healthy ” (column, Sept. Kristof describes “happy” cows that are loved “like children” by an organic dairy farmer. I applaud his recognition that cows are individual feeling beings that share with us the ability to experience happiness and contentment, fear and pain.

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Meat

Animal Ethics

I foresee a day, perhaps not far in the future, in which it is illegal to raise cows, pigs, and other animals for food. The ground for this will not be animal welfare, as you might expect, but environmentalism. So if animal husbandry is to be prohibited, it should be on animal-welfare grounds, not environmental grounds.

Meat 40
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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

In fact, a whole lot of semi-vegans can do much more for animals than the tiny number of people who are willing to give up all animal products and scrupulously read labels. Farm animals also benefit from the humane farming movement, even if the animal welfare changes it effects are not all that we should hope and work for.