About the Ethics of FDO Selling Meat:

Isn't FDO a vegetarian company?
Why is FDO selling meat?
I'm concerned about my produce having contact with meat.
Isn't selling meat against your environmental principles?

Isn't FDO a vegetarian company?

No. We are a small business who has always supported the Toronto Vegetarian Association and we will continue to support them going forward. We have done our utmost to ensure that the meat products we are selling are not in any way stored with or in contact with any of our other products. You'll find our newsletter and recipe focus will remain vegetable and fruit orientated and meat will never appear in the contents of the Fresh Box™ or be available as a substitution item. On a personal note, our staff are divided on the moral argument of meat consumption - we have staff who believe 'all meat is murder' and others who think there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating foie gras with every breakfast. Some who say 'if you drink milk or eat cheese, you should eat veal' and others who err on the side of 'our bodies are not designed to digest any animal products whatsoever'. As you can see, FDO is like the rest of Toronto - varied and divided on the morality of eating meat. But hey, we all get along because we all respect each others’ individual choices and world views ... right?

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Why is FDO selling meat?

Over the last few years FDO has had innumerous requests and inquiries about providing access to certified organic meat. The logistics, expense and availability of locally raised organic meat have always prevented us from seriously considering these requests - that is until now. We are very well aware of the environmental impacts of large scale industrial animal farming and we are not selling any such product nor do we advocate consuming such products. Our decision to sell meat is based on providing those FDO customers who do eat meat access to good quality certified organic locally raised products. FDO is fully aware of the arguments for and against meat eating (as well as dairy consumption) and our position in those arguments are personal and varied depending on the individual staff member. As a small business however, we have a commitment to listen to all of our customer's requests.

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I'm concerned about my produce having contact with meat.

FDO has thoroughly considered how we handle meat so as it does not come into contact with any other product in our warehouse. Upon receipt of the product, it will be promptly stored in a dedicated freezer and delivered in freezer bags kept in a cooler separate from all other orders.

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Isn't selling meat against your environmental principles?

Providing anything other than an organically raised meat product would, but local certified organic animal raising uses at least 30% less energy than a conventional farm. The farms in the Field Gate Organics collective are largely small-scale family run farms, growing vegetables and grains as well. Certified organic farmers are concerned with soil condition and on principle (as well as by regulation) do not use any chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or fungicides - all of which require large amounts of energy to produce, and in use, deplete the soil's nutrients. Organic farmers are stewards of the soil and the surrounding water shed, not only is it in their business interest to maintain good quality soil and water but it is also part of the requirements of organic certification.

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