Pig Farmer On A Mission

Bev Eggleston is out to prove Michael Pollan wrong. Bev agrees with all of Pollan’s mantras about sustainability, the need to eat fresh, simple andwell cared for food. He just has to prove Pollan wrong that he can stay in business with his new way of bringing food to market. Pollan wrote in his “Omnivores Dilemma “   “ Bev runs Eco Friendly Foods, the first farmer owned , multi species, Federally inspected, humane certified slaughter house. If you think that sounds complicated…it is.

Bev is way out in front of public policy on food “pushing with my fork” as he says. He considers the business of keeping small farmers in business and bringing new ones in as “the moral issue I can most contribute to.” In an era of huge feedlots, inhumane conditions for animals and a food economy that crushes small family farms, Bev is the “missionary man” for small farmers. His plan is to expand the farm owned slaughter house  model to 50 sites around the country so that 5000 farmers will be able to take control of their own destinies. When he talks about his hopes and goals the hair on his arm starts to stand up.

The Useful Bits:Places to eat Bev’s Pigs

Manhattan: Il Buco

Washington, D.C.: Mininbar By Jose Andres