Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?

After her tour, Lisa says she still eats meat but has a new appreciation for where it comes from. Nicole says she was happy to have Lisa at the plant, because she thinks people should know where their food is coming from. "I would not ridicule people who believe that you shouldn't eat animals, but I would say that we are committed to doing it right. And I believe that when animals are handled with dignity and harvested carefully, that's the natural order of things," says Nicole.

Nicole says the animal's dignity is something they take very seriously. When the animal is shot with the bolt, they make sure it's done in a way that doesn't startle them. "It's critical not to spook them. They are kept quiet on purpose. It gives them a peaceful end of life, and it's also important for the quality of the product that we produce." 

Whether you eat meat or not, Nicole thinks everyone who's interested in the American food system can work together to create better results. "I think we're all on the same path trying to figure out the right way to get to good health for our families and environmental sustainability and humane treatment," she says. "We'll find a better result together, even if we have perhaps different perspectives or different beliefs."