Anthropologist Steve Striffler begins this book in a poultry processing plant, drawing on his own experiences there as a worker. He also reports on the way chickens are raised today and how they are consumed. What he discovers about this favourite meat is not just unpleasant but a powerful indictment of the industrial food system. The process of bringing chicken to our dinner tables is unhealthy for all concerned - from farmer to factory worker to consumer. The book traces the development of the poultry industry since the Second World War, analysing the impact of such changes as the destruction of the family farm, the processing of chicken into nuggets and patties and the changing makeup of the industrial labour force. The author describes the lives of immigrant workers and their reception in the small towns where they live. The conclusion is clear: there has to be a better way. Striffler proposes radical but practical change, a plan that promises more humane treatment of chickens, better food for the consumer, and fair payment for food workers and farmers.
- ISBN10 0300128169
- ISBN13 9780300128161
- Publish Date 1 June 2007 (first published 1 October 2005)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Yale University Press
- Format eBook
- Pages 208
- Language English