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People say this, but I always wonder if some rejiggering of the revenue allocation calculus might make it possible to keep chicken cheap while paying the worker

People say this, but I always wonder if some rejiggering of the revenue allocation calculus might make it possible to keep chicken cheap while paying the workers a living wage. All you'd have to do is make a handful of executives very disappointed when they open the letter containing their tax bill - or when a federal law enforcement agent knocks on their door.

hulitu 2y ago
No. The profits _must_ grow.
gwbas1c 2y ago
I think we're more likely to see AI-based automation further take humans out of the loop at chicken factories. That being said: I personally think it makes more sense to lower the cost of plant-based proteins. It's always going to be cheaper when we eat the plants directly instead of having an animal convert the plant to protein.
- frmersdog 2y ago
  For protein. That doesn't account for micronutrients. For better or worse, humans are omnivores. We might be able to live on less meat. (Collectively-speaking; this individual weightlifts and accumulates injuries like crazy if he doesn't eat enough meat, sorry.)
  - gwbas1c 2y ago
    There's no facts in that argument: Meat is cultural, and we like it because it tastes good. There's no nutritional need for micronutrients from meat. (This person still eats plenty of meat... Because it tastes good.)
    - frmersdog 2y ago
      That's incorrect. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12793 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10305646/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10305646/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93100-3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93100-3 There's also an issue of lower fat/connective tissue content in plant-based meats (again, necessary to support joint and muscle recovery). Also, IIRC, the fats and oils in meat hold up better to high-temperature cooking than the ones in meat analogues. Best I can do is go pescatarian (which has its own issues at-scale).
      - gwbas1c 2y ago
        > plant-based meats They are processed food. I'm under no illusion that they are healthy. I won't say I've never had them, but I generally turn my nose up at them and stick with real animal flesh or traditional vegetarian food.

hulitu 2y ago

No. The profits _must_ grow.

gwbas1c 2y ago

I think we're more likely to see AI-based automation further take humans out of the loop at chicken factories. That being said: I personally think it makes more sense to lower the cost of plant-based proteins. It's always going to be cheaper when we eat the plants directly instead of having an animal convert the plant to protein.

frmersdog 2y ago
For protein. That doesn't account for micronutrients. For better or worse, humans are omnivores. We might be able to live on less meat. (Collectively-speaking; this individual weightlifts and accumulates injuries like crazy if he doesn't eat enough meat, sorry.)
- gwbas1c 2y ago
  There's no facts in that argument: Meat is cultural, and we like it because it tastes good. There's no nutritional need for micronutrients from meat. (This person still eats plenty of meat... Because it tastes good.)
  - frmersdog 2y ago
    That's incorrect. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12793 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10305646/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10305646/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93100-3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93100-3 There's also an issue of lower fat/connective tissue content in plant-based meats (again, necessary to support joint and muscle recovery). Also, IIRC, the fats and oils in meat hold up better to high-temperature cooking than the ones in meat analogues. Best I can do is go pescatarian (which has its own issues at-scale).
    - gwbas1c 2y ago
      > plant-based meats They are processed food. I'm under no illusion that they are healthy. I won't say I've never had them, but I generally turn my nose up at them and stick with real animal flesh or traditional vegetarian food.