The Vegan Poultry Farmer: Rethinking Animal Agriculture
Food Tank Editorial Team (2 weeks ago)
In a new documentary, The Vegan Poultry Farmer, filmmaker Kadir van Lohuizen follows Ruud Zanders as he navigates a moral dilemma: raising animals for food while adhering to a vegan diet. Zanders embarks on a global journey, consulting with food systems experts, to explore the feasibility of an animal-free food system.
"Personally, I would say: stop exploiting farm animals," Zanders states in the documentary.
Zanders, after his large-scale poultry business faced bankruptcy, established Kipster's first farm in the Netherlands in 2017. He acknowledges the efficiency of large-scale farming in producing inexpensive eggs but highlights its environmental and animal welfare costs.
His farming philosophy centers on sustainability, animal welfare, and transparency. Zanders aspires to contribute to an animal-free food system while offering the highest standard of welfare for animals, stating, "It's very complicated to produce eggs or other animal-based products in a really animal-friendly way."
Kipster farms house 24,000 chickens per barn, contrasting with industrial operations that can accommodate up to 350,000 birds per barn (according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [APHIS]). These chickens enjoy indoor and outdoor spaces, fresh air, sunlight, and an enrichment area to satisfy their natural instincts.
Kipster aims to produce carbon-neutral eggs by utilizing feed derived from waste streams, such as stale pastries or food no longer suitable for human consumption.