Lettuce Talk

Episode 21 Animal Testing w/Saskia Arndt & Koen Kramer

You might have heard about animal experimentation, but when is an animal experiment actually considered an experiment? What kind of animal experiments are done at Utrecht University? What are the purposes and what happens to the animals? Today, we will discuss these questions with Prof.Dr. Saskia Arndt and Dr. Koen Kramer.

Episode 20 Does the Animal Still Belong on Our Plate? w/Imke de Boer

People shift towards plant-based diets for many reasons: health, the environment, zoonotic diseases, and concern for animals. But which of these reasons actually justify a fully plant-based food system? In this episode, we explore this question with Imke de Boer, professor of Livestock & Sustainable Food Systems and author of Past het dier nog op ons bord?  (“Does the Animal Still Belong on Our Plate?”). We discuss common objections to a 100% plant-based food system, often raised by animal farmers and agricultural scientists, including the role of animals in manure production, the use of residual streams, and the claim that pasture land cannot be used for crops. Finally, we talk about why education matters and why reconnecting food production and consumption is crucial for future food systems. Curious to learn more? You can find Imke's book here: Past het dier nog op ons bord? | 9789056159054 | Imke de Boer | Boeken | bol [https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/past-het-dier-nog-op-ons-bord/9300000083243089/]

Episode 19: Cows' Agency and Technology w/Koen Kramer

Do cows have agency? What does "agency" actually mean? And do technologies in dairy farms and sanctuaries limit or enhance cows' agency? Koen Kramer, animal ethicists answers these questions after doing multispecies ethnographic research on various dairy farms and a sanctuary. What did he find out? And how did his research influence his own perspective on dairy products? We discuss these questions and many more topics in this episode of Lettuce Talk. Koen also published his research in the scientific journal "animal". You can read his paper here: Dairy farming technologies and the agency of cows - ScienceDirect [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124001228]

Episode 18: The History of Antibiotics in Animal Farming w/ Floor Haalboom

Last time, we talked about the history of industrialised animal farming and the history of animal feed. This time, we cover the influence of antibiotics on industrial farming. How did antibiotics contribute to industrial farming? Were people in the past aware of issues regarding antibiotic resistance? And which role did feed companies play in lobbying for antibiotics?

Episode 17: The History of Animal Feed w/ Floor Haalboom

Industrial large-scale animal farming is producing the vast majority of animal products in our supermarkets. But how did it emerge? And how is its emergence related to compound feed? Was there resistance to this development already in the past? And what was the role of lobbying companies? In this episode, we dive into these questions with historian Dr. Floor Haalboom (Utrecht University). Make sure to check out the other interesting podcasts at iroarpod.com [https://iroarpod.com/]