We don’t have such an obligation. However, if we burn a good portion of the food supply and prices go up significantly, people starve, and on a global scale we’re talking millions of people. While we have no explicit obligation to them, a sense of decency demands that we not take actions we know will kill others where our own survival is not at stake.
So the price of beef has not risen in proportion to the other food because there is a glut in the market right now.
What happens in 14 months after we have slaughtered the majority of our beef supply? How much will a pound of hamburger cost then?
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Any discussion of this problem is overshadowed by the population growth in the third world.Feeding them only postpones the inevitable.
“A sense of decency demands that we not take actions we know will kill others where our own survival is not at stake”
And Compasionate Conservatism is why this administration has cut funding to family planning services worldwide, even where they are just educating regarding preventing unwanted pregnancies rather than abortion.
Years ago when I first discovered that my brown bread was white bread with caramel color added, and that it takes 10 pounds of feed for every pound of beef and somewhat less for pigs and chickens I decided to eat less meat and more whole grains. Once I started the whole grains, my craving for meat dropped considerably. If you are eating refined starches, meat is one of the few dietary sources of the entire B Complex of vitamins. I also got Marie Lapee’s (sp?) book “Diet for a Small Planet”. This book tells how to mix various grains and legumes (peas, beans, etc.) so as to provide complete protein in a meal. I learned a lot and with the provided recipies enhanced my cooking range. So if you plan to cut back on animal protein, whether for ethical or financial reasons, this is a great book to follow.