There is a problem lately within our movement that most are unaware of...many problems, all from one source well-hidden among us...among them are the USDA, Dairy boards, and pro-hunting lobbies all disguised under well-intentioned names often associated with nature, wildlife, Veganism, and earth friendly gimmicks.
When I present these to folks online or offline in town, they question it in a certain manner as if to justify it. When I, for example, mention that we shouldn't buy Silk brand Soy Milk, as the name is owned by a dairy farm (Dean's, in fact), the response is that I buy from grocery stores which sell meat and dairy products, thus I'm doing essentially the same thing, thereby remarking my own hypocrisy in the matter. But there is a very distinct difference between buying dairy-owned names and simply purchasing from a grocery who also stocks meat and dairy products...
direct vs. indirect promotion
When one buys from a store which happens to sell meat and dairy products (currently no such store even exists which stocks vegan or vegetarian products only) one is not exactly promoting the industry. The grocery store is not tied to the meat and dairy industry in any way. They are a privately owned business catering to a specific demand to earn a product. If over 80% of their customer base buys meat and dairy, they are going to carry products involving both in order to earn a profit and continue to exist. A vegan buying vegetables from the same store therefore isn't going to profit the meat industry at all, but the store itself...the store gets the money and not the meat industry. So, in essence, no promotion of meat and dairy is done. They earn no profit, only the store does...
However, when a vegan, whether unaware of the issue or not, buys Silk, or say they buy Borden brand orange juice, while the product is vegan by ingredients, the names are owned by a dairy farm, so unlike with the store issue above, they are funding the dairy industry directly, ensuring that, as a business who exists by earning a profit, continues to exist whether the product is vegan or non-vegan. Buying Borden owned orange juice and therefore directly funding the dairy industry with your dollars is no different than had you bought the cows milk itself. They are going to use the money one way or another to promote their business whether the product sold is dairy related or not. Often this is how the industry survives as well, hoping to look good or just sneak in a profit from our side.
The organic label
Now don't get me wrong, I'm no supporter of genetically modified foods when I can avoid them, and certainly do everything in my power to ensure I don't purchase them or promote them. I such a view, I won't be speaking as being opposed to organic foods. However I will say right here, for the record, that I flat-out refuse to purchase any food carrying the USDA label organic or otherwise. Sadly, the USDA has hijacked the 'organic' label, and, being that they are essentially the meat and dairy as well as the leader and spokesperson for animal agriculture, not only would I be promoting the industry by the purchase of a USDA-certified Organic product, I would also be unable to trust that the product sold is even organic, given that the animal agriculture industry has a lot of lies and myths as well as overall tomfoolery involved in any of their campaigns...one such campaign is the certified humane label they also use. Most of those farms, with few exceptions, are factory farms hiding behind a friendly label in order to keep consumers of meat and dairy, but whom are concerned about the welfare of animals raised for them, and therefore not humane at all. Given that fact, I avoid organic foods from the USDA for the same reason, I cannot trust the authenticity of the name or label, a Di refuse to directly fund the enemy.
I do hope this clears things up from now on.
