Las Vegas farmer fattens hogs at the casino buffet

[marmar]

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV.—With a satisfied grin, farmer Bob Combs watches the big truck slowly dump its greasy load, kitchen leftovers that send off a sickening spray as they splash into a metal bin.

The greenish-brown concoction — with hotdogs, corn, bright-orange carrots and bits of lobster bubbling to its surface — is ready to start a new culinary chapter. Just 24 hours earlier, these food scraps, albeit in decidedly more appetizing form, were served up to customers at lavish all-you-can-eat buffets on and off the Vegas Strip.

Now a new, less finicky clientele awaits: 2,500 pigs on Combs’ hog farm, a ramshackle spread of pens about 15 kilometres from the resort city’s gleaming hotel restaurants. A nose-insulting stench permeates the air.

“What smell?” the farmer asks with a wry smile. “Ahhhh, that’s good. It don’t bother me. To me, it’s like walking past a bakery.” .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/05/05/las_vegas_farmer_fattens_hogs_at_the_casino_buffet.html

[NYC_SKP]

1. "What smell?"

The smell of money.....

[BlueJazz]

2. Yeah but how about the poor Pigs.

"Ah..Geez..not lobster again"

[MineralMan]

3. Pigs have always eaten food waste.

Nothing new in that.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Food Waste, the hungry, and the unsustainable meat industry.

Whether or not hogs eating food waste new or not isn't the point, I think.

The point could be the excesses of modern society and, to me, Las Vegas as a monument to waste of all manner of resources.

It's good that this food waste is being put to some use, but that it exists at all is a testament to carelessness of the industry and it's clientele.

Why not find ways to eliminate it altogether and, where possible, feed the hungry?



And I'll bet you're already aware of the carbon and resource footprint of a meat-based diet compared to a leaner, more plant based diet.

[mainer]

5. All the pig farmers in my area are vying for local restaurant leftovers

It really is the perfect, green way to raise meat. Gets rid of the waste, and the pigs are happy to dine on restaurant meals.

Trouble is, the restaurants can't generate enough leftovers to supply our local farmers.

[Paulie]

6. Saw this on Dirty Jobs years ago