The ugly secrets behind Costco’s beautiful chicken

Biden's foreign policy, protests in India and reader mail. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~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~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0SyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee) ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTkwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [NYTimes.com/Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TIaHR0cDovL3d3dy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS9jb2x1bW4vbmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIwNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjg1MCZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTE1NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBrA9x5g8Yl5NFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) February 6, 2021 Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMDYmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY4NTAmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTExNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAawPceYPGJeTRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) By [Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Y_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMDYmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY4NTAmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTExNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAawPceYPGJeTRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Opinion Columnist, Opinion Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chickens are legendary, both cheap and delicious, even enjoying their own Facebook page. And Costco is a great company that treats workers well and claims to respect animal rights. To look at its marketing, you’d think its chickens enjoy a nice avian middle class life before volunteering for the rotisserie. Not so. An animal rights group called Mercy for Animals sent an undercover investigator to work secretly on a farm that grows chickens for Costco, and the investigator shared video from inside the barns. That’s the topic of [my Sunday column](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNi9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS9jb3N0Y28tY2hpY2tlbi1hbmltYWwtd2VsZmFyZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~), and I think Costco customers who read it would flinch before ordering their next rotisserie chicken. One problem is that the birds are almost genetically programmed to suffer. They are bred to grow extremely quickly, six times as fast as chickens did in 1925. If humans grew at the same pace, a two-month old baby would weigh 660 pounds. As a result, the chickens’ legs often can’t support the weight. The birds topple over and flop helplessly. They sit on ground encrusted with droppings and get terrible ammonia burns on their undersides. We grew chickens on our farm when I was a kid, and, no, Costco’s poultry practices are not humane. But I also realize that modern agribusiness is extremely efficient at delivering cheap protein, and there are complicated trade-offs between efficiency and animal well-being. I’d like to see Costco join 200 other food companies in making the “Better Chicken Commitment,” a pledge to work toward somewhat better conditions. If Burger King and Chipotle and Whole Foods can do it, so can Costco. [Please read the column](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNi9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS9jb3N0Y28tY2hpY2tlbi1hbmltYWwtd2VsZmFyZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)! [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg3JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYxOTg4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Biden on Foreign Policy President Biden gave [a good speech](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP4QZAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndoaXRlaG91c2UuZ292L2JyaWVmaW5nLXJvb20vc3BlZWNoZXMtcmVtYXJrcy8yMDIxLzAyLzA0L3JlbWFya3MtYnktcHJlc2lkZW50LWJpZGVuLW9uLWFtZXJpY2FzLXBsYWNlLWluLXRoZS13b3JsZC8_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDUmZW1jPWVkaXRfbmtfMjAyMTAyMDYmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY4NTAmbmw9bmljaG9sYXMta3Jpc3RvZiZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTExNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAawPceYPGJeTRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) on foreign policy on Thursday and pledged to halt the sale of offensive weapons for the war in Yemen. Biden also said all the right things about injecting values into American foreign policy. But I’m struck by how many foreign policy challenges Biden faces that simply don’t have easy solutions, perhaps no solutions at all. North Korea will start firing missiles again soon, I think, and Iran is testing the administration by advancing its nuclear programs. Meanwhile, we have almost no leverage over Myanmar to reverse its coup, or over Venezuela to lighten its repression. China continues its cultural genocide in Xinjiang and its bullying of Taiwan, while Putin seems ready to arrest much of his nation’s youth. In Afghanistan, Biden will have to decide whether to keep U.S. forces there or pull them out and risk a Taliban victory. A study commission [has suggested](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wMy91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9hZmdoYW5pc3Rhbi1iaWRlbi10cnVtcC10cm9vcHMtd2l0aGRyYXdhbC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) delaying the United States pullout, but I’m wary of that conclusion: I’m afraid that may enmesh our military in Afghan fighting for another 20 years. Yet I also fear what will happen to Afghan women and girls in particular if we pull out. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODA5JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTI4ODEwJmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ India’s Tragic Erosion of Democracy You’ve probably heard about the [farmer protests in India](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wMy93b3JsZC9hc2lhL2luZGlhLW1vZGktZmFybWVyLXByb3Rlc3QtY2Vuc29yc2hpcC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) and dismissed them as something complicated and distant. But what’s important about them isn’t the farming issues but rather the way India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is using authoritarian means to try to crush them. We’re refer to India as the world’s most populous democracy, but Modi is making it less democratic and less secular. Early in his career in the state of Gujarat, he was mixed up in horrific anti-Muslim massacres, and as prime minister he has discriminated against Muslims and overseen a harsh crackdown in Kashmir, as well as generally inflaming a Hindu nationalism that sometimes targets impoverished Muslims (accused, for example, of slaughtering cows). Now Modi’s government is cracking down on the farmer protests, arresting critics and journalists and sometimes shutting off the internet. I’m sympathetic to some of what Modi wants to do, including liberalizing the agricultural sector. And he has been heroic in pushing to build outhouses in rural India, an enormously important initiative that improves sanitation and saves lives. But I fear that his legacy will be undermining India’s democracy and promoting sectarianism. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk1JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk2JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzI4Njk4JmxpPU5LJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1OS18yMDIxMDIwNlcDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Answering a Reader I had a snarky but fair query from a newsletter reader, Ron B., who said he’d like to be a progressive, too. He said he understood the need for more aid to America’s poor but added: “then progressives seem to want to allow hundreds of thousands of desperately poor refugees into the U.S. every year as well … In addition, progressives seem to support defunding police at a time when murder and other crimes involving violence are at their highest levels …” So let me try to help. My view is that we can take more refugees, but you’re right that we can’t take everyone. The best approach is to try to improve conditions in Central America so people don’t feel forced to undertake dangerous journeys north. The U.S. had considerable success with that approach in the Obama administration in parts of Honduras and El Salvador. As for defunding the police, the steam has gone out of this idea because voters hated it and because, as you say, crime rates have gone up. “Defund the police” helped elect Republicans. So you’re right in your implication that we progressives sometimes do silly things, and it’s difficult to balance moral obligations to the poor at home with those to refugees. We don’t always get it right, but we do at least face our ethical obligations and try to turn them into policy. If Animals Go to Heaven, Do Agribusiness Executives? Beyond just exploring where Costco rotisserie chicken comes from, [my Sunday column](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNi9vcGluaW9uL3N1bmRheS9jb3N0Y28tY2hpY2tlbi1hbmltYWwtd2VsZmFyZS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ1JmVtYz1lZGl0X25rXzIwMjEwMjA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2ODUwJm5sPW5pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2YmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMTU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGsD3HmDxiXk0Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) also looks at the larger question of how society should regard animal rights. And I see unmistakable moral progress. When I began writing about these issues, I would never have guessed that McDonalds would have promised to provide cage-free eggs, California would have legislated protections for mother pigs, and the Pope would have said that pets go to Heaven and that the Virgin Mary grieves for farm animals. (In my column, I note that if the Pope is right, Costco chickens may have a better shot at paradise than Costco executives.) What rights should animals have? How much more are people willing to pay for food produced in more humane ways? Where are the red lines? These are complicated issues, and I hope my column will help you think about them. 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By Nicholas Kristof](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wMy9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWNoaWxkLXBvdmVydHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIwNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjg1MCZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTE1NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBrA9x5g8Yl5NFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Article Image](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRiAXzAP0TdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wMy9vcGluaW9uL2JpZGVuLWNoaWxkLXBvdmVydHkuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00NSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ua18yMDIxMDIwNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjg1MCZubD1uaWNob2xhcy1rcmlzdG9mJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTE1NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBrA9x5g8Yl5NFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Biden’s Nightmare May Be China Think dealing with Mitch McConnell will be tough? Managing a reckless Xi Jinping will be even harder. 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