Comments on: Bell & Evans: A tiny report

By: The poultry problem | boston localvores

The poultry problem | boston localvores — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:13:43 +0000

[...] For no particular reason, we only eat poultry about three or four times a year. I suppose because it’s been harder to find, and more expensive, than ground beef or sausage. When we do buy poultry, we’re purchasing whole birds for an average of $25. Usually they come from Stillman’s. Once from Misty Knoll, though, after not receiving any response to our inquiries for more info on their practices, that will be the last time. It’s worth noting that Pete + Jen’s Backyard Birds seem like a great option, if you can buy before they sell out. Other small producers, like our friend, are great too. Absolutely nothing from the supermarket is acceptable. You’re fooling yourself if you buy that Bell & Evans bullshit. [...]

By: Darry

Darry — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:43:05 +0000

Jeff K., I completely agree that this was shallowly reported and not enough. I would like to respond to your comments by saying that I wanted to report more deeply, but getting through to talk to anyone at a giant corporation (other than the customer service line) was pretty difficult. And, of course, I couldn’t visit because they’re in Pennsylvania. This is exactly the kind of (limited) transparency an actual consumer would encounter if he or she tried to find out what was what at Bell & Evans.

I imagine if I had New York Times credentials I could get someone on the phone. But I don’t, and neither does most anyone. This is the point, in a way.

I did *ask* about how many chickens are raised in a barn, etc. And you’d think that when a consumer calls and asks such things a company would want to respond to the question. In my day job, there is not one consumer complaint or query that goes unanswered.

If I could write this again, I would not call it reporting at all, but rather pass on to my fellow consumers that I, as a consumer, had called and was given less than adequate information and no follow up.

By: Cora

Cora — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:33:08 +0000

I’d love it if you tried your questions on Chip-In in Bedford and Owen’s Poultry Farm in Needham. Their chickens never leave the barn, but I’d be very curious if THEY could describe what makes conditions better compared to industrial conditions. Our rankings might be: ideal, best practice/better choice, and crap. Same with local dairies.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:01:36 +0000

What recommendations do folks have for companies that we should purchase chicken from?

By: Kristi

Kristi — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:33:14 +0000

Regardless of how much information is posted or researched, I agree the real problem here is deception or misleading in the labeling. To “spend the money, take the time and find the real stuff” is an awful lot of energy, before you even start making the dinner, and unrealistic for most. But some do. And we will keep the moving forward until it mainstream consumers are educated and have clear choices.

By: Scout

Scout — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:29:37 +0000

I would like also to know more about slaughtering practices. My understanding is that there is a gassing method that is less scary and stressful when administered effectively, but sometimes isn’t. How does Bell & Evans slaughter its poultry? I think we need to keep this in the equation.

By: Jeff K.

Jeff K. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:15:05 +0000

I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you — but your post is indeed shallowly-reported. One phone call to the B&E customer service line isn’t proof of facts. How many chickens are raised in each barn? What’s their space per bird? Do they have access to clean water and food? What is the air quality like? Does B&E raise their own? Or do they contract out to individual farmers who can have a variety of conditions? I thought organic labeling had a lot more to do with their feed than their view. I like it you’re looking into false claims, but I’m disappointed by the so-called reporting you did in this piece.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:27:21 +0000

This is great info! I feel like I need to bring a handbook with me whenever I go to the grocery store…

By: chris crandall

chris crandall — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:18:03 +0000

I couldn’t agree with you more. And the proof is in the pudding-real chicken, the kind you can feel less guilty about eating, tastes amazing, and drastically different from even the most expensive national brands.