The efficiency of current animal farming practices is an “illusion”, according to a report released last Summer by the Pew Charitable Trusts (May 30, 2008).

This “illusion” is made possible by “cheap grain, cheap water and prison-like confinement systems.” Underpinning this status is the drive for the lowest possible labor costs–meaning automated feeding, watering, and waste disposal is the norm–which undermines and impoverishes traditional, family and small farm operations (farms which are typically bought out by corporate farming conglomerates, who then receive  the lion’s share of subsidies; about half a trillion since 2001).

What some call “industrial” farming and others –like the Union of Concerned Scientists–more descriptively refer to as  “confined” farming, results in massive over-crowding of livestock where unsafe/unhealthy conditions prevail for both the  animals, and the workers. These conditions make the spread of disease easier, and lead to over use of antibiotics (which are also often used to keep young calves sickly, and their meat more tender). *

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This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

Hopes for an accelerated recovery during the second half of 2009 were diminished this week as most of the economic headlines turned negative after several months of encouraging signs. Job losses exceeded economists’ expectations, with the nation’s unemployment rate now standing at a new 26-year high. More on this story here.

Obama Administration Readies $3 Billion for Renewable Energy. The $3 billion in grants are designed to temporarily replace the production tax credit that has been a critical factor in the growth of renewable energy capacity in U.S. More on this story here.

Just months after the swine flu pandemic panicked the world, varying strains of the Ebola virus have been discovered in pigs, and they may be jumping between swine and humans effortlessly. More on this story here.

San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom passed into law an ordinance that requires all residential and commercial building owners sign up for recycling and composting services.  More on this story here.

There has been some controversy this week over whether global warming is an actual phenomenon or whether it is simply propaganda pushed by the liberal media. On Wednesday, Fox hosted Alan Carlin, a “legendary” EPA official and co-author of an internal document disproving global warming. The document was subsequently “suppressed,” by the EPA. More on this story here.

Have you heard of the “agritainment industry?” According to the Economist, it has taken off with a bang. The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says that a tenth of farms have diversified into a variety of sports and recreation activities to supplement their earnings. A growing “agritainment” sector includes bed-and-breakfast accommodation, wedding venues and shooting ranges (both real and paintball). 

Just months after the swine flu pandemic panicked the world, varying strains of the Ebola virus have been discovered in pigs, and they may be jumping between swine and humans effortlessly.

Researchers, who reported their findings in the journal Science, are concerned that pigs are providing a melting pot where the virus could mutate into something deadlier. And they warned that the emergence of Ebola in the human food chain is “of serious concern.”

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HBO will premier a new documentary titled “Death on a Factory Farm” tomorrow at 10 pm EST.

The film is a sequel to 2006’s Emmy-nominated “Dealing Dogs,” which exposed the illegal market for dogs sold to research labs through an undercover investigation by a man going by “Pete.” Well, Pete is back again and this time he landed a job at Wiles Hog Farm.

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Belgium artist Wim Delvoye is known for controversial art projects such as an installation that produces feces and an exhibit where he had friends paint their body parts with barium and have sex while x-rays were taken and later displayed.

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A Government Accountability Office report, however, has come out against the proposed EPA change. The report explains that one facility can produce up to 1.6 million tons of manure each year, which causes 1.5 times more pollution to water and air than a city like Philadelphia. In Congress, a House oversight committee convened today to try to convince the EPA away from the change.

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A vegetarian woman was driving along a German highway and came upon a truckload of pigs headed for a sausage factory.  She told officers she was so traumatized by the site of the poor little animals going to slaughter, that she momentarily lost control of her car and sideswiped another truck, filled with pigs.

Apparently, there was little damage to the vehicles, the pigs survived and so did the driver.

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In an unusual twist, biotech scientists have decided that focusing on creating hybrids of new animals and plants is just thinking too small. “We realized that if we were to try and fix all the ills in the current Big Agriculture system, we’d be cloning for the next millennium” said Irving Pinkel. “So, we figured maybe it would be easier to just start from scratch.”

According to Pinkel and his lead associates, the galvanizing moment came after an experiment with cloning a round worm gene into pigs that would make the resulting pork “heart-healthy” and containing more Omega-3 acids. Three of the piglets had to be euthanized due to heart defects.

“Well, the irony of the situation set in,” said Pinkel. “We were all out and maybe had a few too many beers. One of the guys said, ‘You know, I bet if we just fed them [pigs] a natural diet, that would fix the whole meat thing without cloning. Could you do that?’”

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I’m not a vegetarian. I happen to love meat; I even dated a guy for his selection of beef until he caught on. Tonight, I was thinking of making juicy pork tenderloin, of course that was before I checked out the gossip for this week over at Ecorazzi. A cute little post, by my brother, Mike d’Estries spoke of the SaveBabe initiative out of Australia. Celebrities, including James Cromwell and Jessica Napier support the project. On the site, they seek individuals, “committing not to eat factory-farmed pork, bacon or ham – or by resolving not to eat these sensitive, intelligent animals at all - you will be lodging your vote against the cruelty of factory-farming. By leaving pork products on supermarket shelves, you will empower our call for change.” After I browsed the website, my taste-buds and heart rejected tonight’s dinner plans. Thanks Mike.

Sir Philip Green is a British billionaire businessman who owns some of the United Kingdom's largest retailers and also happens to be their 4th richest man decided to throw himself and a birthday bash with 100 of his closet celebrity friends, the likes of Simon Cowell and Kate Moss will be in attendance. He’s flying everyone out to the Soneva Fushi Spa, a community offering ‘Intelligent Luxury’ and an eco-experience on this private island in the Maldives, complete with treehouses. It sounds incredible and beautiful, but his latest extravaganza will leave a heavy carbon footprint; each of his guests will generate 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide on their 17,000km round trip. Or he could invite all his friends, drink loads of wine and pretend they're far away. Come on Sir “Green”!

Also, Ecorazzi ran a story this past week about M. Night Shyamalan’s new flick, The Happening. The New York Times article is picking up on a trend in Hollywood villainy.

From the article:

“The Happening” will not be the only big-budget studio film to test a new kind of villainy, in which the real victim is the environment, and, whatever the plot variations, the enemy is all of us. Beginning this summer and for months after, movies as diverse as the “The Simpsons Movie,” “Transformers,” a remake of “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” and James Cameron’s “Avatar” will take on environmental themes.

Everyday people play the real monsters — not being eco-friendly will be the equivalent of the modern day slasher movie. It’s up to you if you choose to play along. Check in for gossip next week and if you have any ideas for dinner tonight — let me know.