I am not surprised by the negative comments that have been hurled at Jonathan Safran Foer's appearance on your show, Ellen. The exploitation of animals has long been a part of human existence; however, we are in a position, technologically, where we can show some compassion to the other sentient beings that share the Earth with us. Sure, everyone has free will and can make their own decisions, but there has to come a time when intelligent, rational decisions are made. The fervor with which meat eaters justify their positions is unnecessary and, frankly, demoralizing. I thought that the developed people of the world (specifically Americans) would have already started the transition to veganism by now, given the information available to them. Climate change, disease, global hunger, water shortages, and an overall lack of empathy and compassion are all major byproducts of animal exploitation. WE NO LONGER HAVE TO RELY ON ANIMALS FOR SURVIVAL! We are in a position to make this a better world for all its living inhabitants. No matter what your religiious, moral, political, or philisophical views it is not hard to admit to yourself that suffering of any kind is wrong. Using animals for food, research, clothing, and entertainment is not a right we have obtained from our existence on this planet. It is a misguided source of power that is causing more damage than anyone can possibly fathom. Don't reject Jonathan's arguments, or any animal rights arguments, until you have fully researched the topics. If you pursue the truth about animal exploitation with an open heart and a clear mind you will see that what humans are doing is wrong. Plain and simple.

I must say that I was really dissapointed with your segement with Jonathan Safran Foer. I agree that we all have the right to chose our own diet. If you don't want to eat meat, that is fine with me. My problem with your segement was that Jonathan didn't present facts. He fell into the emotion trap. Instead of persuading with the real facts, he played on the emotions of the audience. If all those things he said were true, there would be not animal production left if the US. Farmers simply can't afford to not take care of their animals.

Sure, I agree there have been documented cases of animal abuse. However saying that every farmer abuses animals is like saying that just because there is still child abuse occuring in the US that all parents are guilty of abusing their children. This simply isn't true!!

In regards to not being allowed to visit a farm, how did he ask? He seemed like he was pretty hostile on the show. No one is going to invite a hostile person on to their farm. To the farmer, his farm is like your house. You wouldn't want to invite the papparrizzi into your house because you don't want to deal with the endless articles about how everything about your life is wrong. Same goes for the farmer!!

Next time, Ellen please make sure your guests have all the facts!

In closing, I would like to say regardless of your diet...IF YOU ENJOYED A MEAL TODAY, THANK A FARMER!!!

My husband and I were watching your show on Nov. 4th and were very upset by what the author was saying. Both of us were raised on farms, his father at the age of 90 still lives on the farm but he know has someone else farm the land. We live in a area that is large agricultural area farming, and raising livestock is a common practice. As more and more regulations are put onto small farmers they have no choice but to sell the family property because they can no longer make it work. We have Chicken Farms, Turkey Farms, Pig Farms and Cattle Farms. Most of the Cattle are allowed to go outside and graze this goes for both Beef and Milk. As for turkeys if you wish to go into the woods and hunt your own you only need to go to Southern part of Ohio where it is common. Many of our chickens are being raised cage free, receive only organic feed and they do the scratching as they need. If your author says animals are not allowed to have sex how do we keep having new chicks, new turkeys and baby pigs and baby cows.
It is a shame to me when I see people wanting to treat animals better than our kids are being treated. How many thousands are being abused, not getting enough food to eat and are living in poverty? So if your author wants to see farms come to Ohio we have lots of farms and farmland

This is the first time I have ever seenfactory farming and envirnomental stress covered in main stream media, thank you. Be proud!
**Ellen, I am 8 months pregnant and there are 2 very important points I and my husband will address with my son one day - and I really feel they need to be addressed when suggesting people look into vegetarian and vegan eating.

#1) It is so easy to be discouraged. if you read about factory farming, inevitably you will also find that ALMOST EVERYTHING you own is produced in a way that hurts people and the environment.
You can't do everything! Draw your own lines. If Americans and Canadians even ate half the meat and dairy in a week they usually do, serious pressure would be taken off the environment, and their waist-lines would probably benefit too!

And like any new diet, depriving yourself from what you love is bound to end in failure. do what you can, not what you think you have to do.

#2) I have read way too many times that being vegan or vegetarian is EXPENSIVE. We are a 2 person low - income family on one salary with a child on the way. Since I began living with my husband 3 years ago, we have maintained a vegan household. it costs us CDN$150 a week in groceries. Fresh veggies and fruit are CHEAP so are grains and tofu. Then we splurge on soy milk, multi vitamins and recycled toilet paper:)

Also, there is a balance.It is not about replacing everything you eat with the processed soy equivilant. Soy cheese, burgers, hot dogs etc.. are great once in awhile but its a lifestyle change. Be well informed, expand your eating to include many ethnic foods.

You cannot just simply eliminate what you used to eat from your plate. I did at 15 by 18 I was severely anemic(iron deficient). It is about re-configuring your meals completely! you will think about what you put in your mouth more than you ever have if you do choose to be vegetarian.

**Also really cool - a book written by a National Geographic journalist called the Blue Zones - about the world's hot-spots where people live to be over 100 the most...interestingly he finds most eat low amounts of meat and what they do it is grown nearby.

If you need any good christmas recipes - look us up!

Tammy & Mitch Sellar

Ellen!

I said self! Yes I replied to myself! We are not eating any fast food NO MORE! Even if its just a dollar for your fave burger from the King...Burger King (WHOPPER!...heavy onion please!)

I have not eaten fast food for 2 years now. I used to because it was fast and cheap. ...sorta because I found out that 3 and 1 and 1 are cheap by themselves but add it up and then add the tax and your at 6.50/7.00 for a meal of FAT. Then after watching Supersize Me. ... I just gave it up.

Now I make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and peeled carrots, a whole apple or an orange and some water for lunch everyday. I figure it comes to around 10 dollars a week or less just packing my lunch.

I feel better too!

I'm not there yet....but I do know where to get my protein. Beans are good sources!

I'm bad in that I still eat eggs but after hearing about what cage free really means.... I'm taking a look and thinking we should all just stop eating animals so that they can be ANIMALS!/FREE. Just like we should all just trash our gas/oil cars and drive electric and use man made oil..not the real stuff(i'm tired..whatchacalls it) I have amsoil in my car. Don't want to be a hypacrit but if we didn't make animals available to eat and cars that weren't good for the environment then it would match with what I think would make Earth better... because its sick... like MJ says! btw... like it when he beat box in This Is It! AWESOME!

HEy! I saw finding nemo fish in tank today at a business. I said, "I think they should make a finding nemo II. " They said... "YEAH!!!!They should!"

I don't eat as much meat as I used to..so that's good! RIGHT! ok.. denial I know. but its a start. :)

I absolutely adore your show. But a little hint next time you get an author or someone make sure their facts are real. I'm from a nearly 4000 acre farm with close to 200 head of cattle in Alberta and this appaled me. Cattle are not raised this was, beef cows are raised outside not inside barns. And a little timbit for you, if you want to listen to someone complain about the cattle industry make it factual and maybe think about what the Americans did to us Canadians mostly the Albertans. Your misinformed fears ruined peoples lives for good. They sold their farms because of that mis-information and you cant buy cattle that you've have raised since birth back. so next time make sure the information is right because you have no idea what something like that can do to an industry. Misinformation ruins everythhing from cattle to pork. And one more timbit, H1N1 does not come from pigs, it contains a piece of mutated DNA from a sickness they suffer from but it also contains our own mutated DNA. Gr.12 Biology people, if a 17 year old can realize that that why can't the rest of the world see it that your destroying peoples lives for no reason. Get the information right because you have no idea who's life is being ruined because of those words. That man disgusts me and his book should be boycotted. Visit a real farm not the on located in your bloody excuse for a brain and then people will see what they are really like. Hardworking people trying to stay with the tradition that their family has been apart of for generations.

Sorry for the extra (extra) post but I would like to just mention something I thought of as I was at the gym.

Farmers - contract, corporate or otherwise are sometimes the targets of threats by "animal rights" groups. Apparently these animal rights activists are fairly hypocritical as I know farms that have been set alight by these people. Animals die in the inferno - very humane (riiight). Not to mention that they run the risk of killing someone who might have been in the barn.

Also I can see some companies being wary of letting an author into their facility - as they have had their words and practices twisted in the media before.

So other than bio-security - which is a real, very important concern for farmers - these could be other reasons that he wasn't permitted onto the farm sites.

I'm just going to quote a bumber sticker I saw:

"I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain just to eat vegetables."

Ellen: I was appalled by the segment with Jonathan Safran Foer. I am from the Ontario "Swine Belt" and just tonight heard of another young man that was a pig farmer hanging himself in his shed... pretty blunt, but there it is Ellen. That is what the media is doing to the industry. I guess I am writing this for him as he doesn't have a voice any longer. I understand that you are a vegan?? but is it nessesary to have uninformed nobodies on your show that say uncomfirmed untruths about where the HIN1 orginated etc. Has Mr. Foer ever been on a farm. I am so disappointed in the show and I could write a book on everything I disagree with that Mr. Foer has said on todays show. Is he a Doctor??? I don't see a Dr. in front of his name. Please Ellen, you need to show the other side of this story that there is no proof that the H1N1 orginated in swine. This man is out to make a buck and you are helping him put another nail in the coffin!!

I came on here to let you know how disappointed and offended I was with this part of your show. Being a small beef rancher here in Northern California, I was shaking my head as he made statements that were not telling ALL the facts, such as I look out the window and see the beef cows roaming our green hills or that the Organic dairy down the road have the same view of their cows.......

But I see that there are many who beat me to the computer.........