Earth Song - Why Soy-Free Animal Feed

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Why “Soy-Free” and Non-GMO Animal Feed?

At Earth Song Farm we feed our animals Organic, Soy-Free and Non-GMO feed
so that our eggs, chicken and goat milk are the best we can offer.

We want you to know why, so you can make informed choices
on what you feed your family.

When you eat eggs, chicken, dairy products, meat, farm-raised fish, etc., you are eating....
“SECOND-HAND SOY FROM ANIMAL FEEDS”

It does not look like soy, taste like soy or is required to be labeled as soy, but remember....
“YOU ARE WHAT YOUR ANIMALS EAT!”

Hey... What’s that stuff they’re feeding us? I don’t feel so good.

Oh, they call that SOY.
It’s supposed to be good for us.
We can’t grow without it.

Some humans even think we’re vegetarian and HAVE to eat soy.
What a joke!

That’s funny... Our grandparents never ate soy. They got to eat yummy bugs and worms!

Feeding soy to chickens just ain’t normal!....

Soy is not something a chicken would eat in the wild. First the soybeans are processed for oil (an unhealthy but cheap cooking oil), and then the fiber that is leftover is toasted and fed to the chickens. I guarantee you that no chicken would harvest soy beans, pick off the fiber and toast it. Farmers who let their chickens roam freely in the soy fields, find that the chickens will eat bugs, but they don’t touch the soy plants! “Raw” soy is actually a poisonous plant and is listed in the FDA’s Poisonous Plant Database.

Soy is not the healthiest food choice for chickens....

Chickens who eat a soy and corn based diet do not absorb manganese well.
Chickens that are fed isolated soybean protein will have iron deficiencies and need to be given iron supplements.
Isolated soy protein causes a Vitamin E deficiency and higher mortality rates than feeding casein (a milk protein) to chickens.
Soy and corn based feeds are selenium deficient and lead to pancreatic atrophy in chickens unless they are supplemented with selenium.
Soy-based chicken feeds create a zinc deficiency in chickens, leading to leg problems and abnormally formed bones. Chickens who are fed soy have such tremendous zinc and calcium deficiencies (because the soy depletes these minerals from their bodies) that if their feed wasn’t supplemented with zinc and calcium, the chickens would be more likely to die, less likely to produce eggs, less likely to hatch, etc.

Most Soy is Genetically Modified....

Around 90% of all soy produced in the United States is now genetically modified. The genetic modification is done to impart resistance to Monsanto’s toxic herbicide Roundup. While this is meant to increase farming efficiency and provide you with less expensive soy, the downside is that your soy is loaded with this toxic pesticide. The plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that has never been part of the human food supply.

We don’t want SOY either!

Although GM soy, corn, canola and sugar beets have been banned in many other countries, apparently there is too much profit to be made here in the US.
Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is blamed for the dramatic increase in devastating birth defects as well as cancer. Sterility and miscarriages are also increasing. A web-search will turn up thousands of studies showing the dangers of GM foods.

Soy - Not So Good for Humans either.....

Fermented Soy.... Originating in China, soybeans have been consumed by humans for thousands of years, but it is “fermented”. Examples of health-promoting fermented soy foods include Natto, Miso and Tempeh. The fermentation process breaks down harmful elements in the soy, while providing health-promoting natural probiotics. It's important to realize that tofu is NOT a fermented soy product, and should not be consumed if you want to avoid the health problems associated with non-fermented soy. RAW soy is not fit for consumption and can be considered toxic.

Phytoestrogens.... Although phytoestrogens occur naturally in many foods, including eggs, cheese, and soy, the levels of phytoestrogens in soy are significantly higher than any other food. Chickens who free range have much lower levels of phytoestrogens than chickens who are caged up and fed a soy-based feed.
Soy’s phytoestrogens cause many health issues for humans, with some of the most devastating harm occurring in the 2nd and 3rd generations. Soy increases levels of estrogen (possibly simulating the growth of related tumors) and decreases levels of testosterone. It has been related to pre-mature sexual development in females, and delayed development in males. Animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in just a couple of generations.

Protein..... Soy is not a complete protein (as commonly believed), lacking some important amino acids. Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D.

Allergies.... Because soy is a prolific food allergen (one of the top 8), the FDA requires it to be listed clearly as an ingredient in processed foods. At this time the FDA does not require meat, raised on soy feeds, to be disclosed. People highly allergic to soy may also have allergic reactions to eggs, dairy, fish, chicken and meat from soy-fed animals.

Soy is bad for the environment....

Soybeans are perhaps the most environmentally offensive agricultural crop in the world! About 20% of the Amazon rain forest has been cleared, mostly to grow GM soy. GM soy was created so that the soy plant itself would not be damaged by toxic pesticides and herbicides. These toxins leach into the soil and water and impact the vegetation and animal life in the area. In days past, soy was grown as a “green manure crop” only, and then tilled into the ground for soil fertility. Now days, GM soy is grown for human and animal consumption and it is destroying the biology of the soil. Because of GM soy, there are now “super weeds” that are resistant to strong chemicals like Monsanto’s “Round Up”.

If soy is so bad, why is it used?....

Come on... You all know this one! - IT’S CHEAP! - It’s not about what’s better, nutritionally; it’s about money, and that’s it. Soy isn’t a nutritionally better food for chickens, it’s just cheap. It’s a by-product of the vegetable oil industry, and it would be garbage if it weren’t for the fact that they’re turning it into animal feed. Soybean is a “human-decided” choice for animal feed.

But wait - there’s a hidden cost -
yes, soy is only “artificially” cheap.....

Soy is one of the main crops in the United States that is government subsidized. If a farmer does not sell all of his soy beans, it doesn’t matter - the government will pay him anyway. The reason soy products are so cheap is because about 70% of the true cost of growing soy is getting paid for by the government (which actually means paid for by all of us through our taxes).

Why “Organic” or Non-GM Soy is NOT the Answer Either.....

Unless it is fermented, Soy (organic or not) contains a number of other problematic components that can wreak havoc with your health, such as:

Goitrogens - found in all unfermented soy whether it’s organic or not, are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism and thyroid function. One common source of soy is soy milk. Many consume it as an alternative to milk or one of their primary beverages. Soy milk is a significant contributor to thyroid dysfunction or hypothyroidism in women in the US.
Isoflavones: genistein and daidzein - Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound resembling human estrogen. Some recommend using soy therapeutically to treat symptoms of menopause. But there’s evidence it may disturb endocrine function, cause infertility, and promote breast cancer, which is definitely a significant concern. Drinking two glasses of soy milk daily for just one month provides enough of these compounds to alter your menstrual cycle. Although the FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, no warnings exist on soy.
Phytic acid - binds to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc -- all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates. The soybean has one of the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume, and the phytates in soy are highly resistant to normal phytate-reducing techniques such as long, slow cooking. Only a long period of fermentation will significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans.
Natural toxins - known as “anti-nutrients” - such as saponins, soyatoxin, protease inhibitors, and oxalates. Some of these factors interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. While a small amount of anti-nutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating is extremely high.
Hemagglutinin - Hemagglutinin is a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together. These clumped cells are unable to properly absorb and distribute oxygen to your tissues.

Infant Soy Formula - Perhaps the Most Dangerous Soy Product of All....

Sadly, soy formula (organic or not) is FAR worse than conventional formula, in large part due to its excessive levels of phytoestrogens. The estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm your baby’s sexual development and reproductive health. Infants fed soy formula receive a level of estrogen equivalent to five birth control pills every day, and have up to 20,000 times the amount of estrogen in circulation as those fed conventional formulas! In addition, soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk, which can lead to brain damage in infants, and altered behaviors in adolescence.

Educate Yourself about the Health Effects of Soy.....

When you understand that a primary motivation of the soy industry, appears to be money as opposed to benefiting your health, things begin to look different. You can see through the fancy marketing hype and misleading health claims. The purpose of this article is to present information. You are encouraged to continue reviewing the evidence against soy if you’re still skeptical. With information, you will have the power to take control of your family’s health.