 Nicolette Niman’s “The Righteous Porkchop,” a book that has been years in the making, has come at a time of increased public desire to become further acquainted with their food. Aided by the celebrity chef phenomenon and recent investigations into the corruptions of prominent food distributors, the issues raised in the book are especially relevant to a modern audience. The political intricacies of Big Food and Big Agriculture are addressed with passion and clarity, and Niman’s years of experience as an environmental lawyer and investigative journalist are put to good use. The book reads almost as a statement for the defense of traditional farming. Niman presents her arguments against the well-financed and unrelenting campaigns of the Big Food industries (Got Milk?) both reasonably and effectively, striving to awake the dormant collective conscience that has learned to mistake “wants” for “needs” when it comes to the meat industry.
Niman’s environmental education began while a primary lawyer for Waterkeeper, an organization created to build a strong case against the practices of large-scale farms throughout the US. Her extensive field research provided ample opportunity to experience the ill effects of industrial agriculture firsthand. Though she left Waterkeeper in its relative infancy, Niman's involvement was integral to her contined work as an evironmental advocate. She documents the flagrant violations of waste treatment laws that have become commonplace in modern farming, and often refers to her work as beginning and ending with animal excrement.
Of course, the various antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals fed to animals in large-scale confinement operations end up not only in our food but also in their waste, which is generally kept in large “lagoons” on the farms. These pools of sludge inevitably end up in our water supply, decimating fish populations and leaving many a fisherman covered in open sores. Though the pig industry was at the forefront of her research, Niman also relates the various abuses of chicken, fish and dairy cow farming as intrinsic to the widespread problem. Niman is no Upton Sinclair; she stays away from shock-value in an effort to make her information accessible to a widespread audience, meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book relates to the actual economic value of the current farming system in America. The essentiality of large-scale meat production to feed the masses is an inaccurate claim that the industry has been making for decades. The truth is that the market is already flooded with meat, dairy and eggs, necessitating federal subsidies to continue financing these unviable, but politically powerful, corporations. Feed is the most expensive long-term financial commitment. Enter companies like Monsanto that sell antibiotic and pharmaceutical-laden feed, as well as growth hormones, at a premium to its customers, effectively driving down market prices. To keep the public in check, well-financed advertising campaigns reinforce the common belief in a physical “need” for meat and dairy, and only recently have we begun to embrace other, more natural forms of nutrition as more viable. Niman provides one example in response to the pork industry’s “achievements” in genetically engineered bacon with increased Omega-3’s. Eat a handful of walnuts instead.
Niman’s description of the inherent efficiency of smaller operations further debunks the claim that traditional methods have become obsolete. Smaller farms are self-fertilized by roaming herds, and do not generate enough excess waste to fill a pothole, let alone a “lagoon.” No investment in expensive technology is necessary, and more jobs are available to farmhands. Of course, widespread use of these practices would mean less meat for the public, but Niman takes a less is more attitude. It is not a mystery why Niman Ranch cuts are considered the best, albeit expensive. Herbivores raised on grass and vegetable-based feed, rather than on an unnatural concoction of animal parts and drugs, will probably taste better. It all appears to begin and end with the public’s commitment to dietary change.
Niman believes that a collective step in the right direction, however difficult, is absolutely necessary. Though a vegetarian, Niman assures her readers that she isn’t looking for conversion; in fact, she’s culpable as well. Milk and eggs are also ill-gotten gains, and if you think vegans are off the hook, think again. The hard-line that many take in the promotion of an animal-free lifestyle, often with ample shock value, alienates them from the larger movement towards sustainable farming. Even those open to consuming more “organic” or “cage-free” products will find that false labeling makes it tough to rout out the real from the fake. Niman provides a number of websites for reference, though she agrees that the truly sustainable lifestyle takes more patience, time and cash than the average consumer may be willing to give. Even though it’s not easy being green, it’s a valid argument that personal inconveniences on a day-to-day basis are minimized when considering the potential for a global increase in quality of life. Everyone stands to benefit from traditional farming methods, and Niman’s devotion to raising awareness that change is possible is “The Righteous Porkchop’s” true success.
-Natalie Fasano
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