Why don farmers butcher the livestock they raise?
When possible they do–sometimes putting the farm family in the position of having a freezer full of meat, but little else to eat. Sometimes it is not legally permitted: in the process of getting a loan, the farmer is likely to pledge the farm products such as crops and livestock as collateral. Thereafter, the farmer cannot sell or use these commodities without a release from the creditor. To do otherwise is to risk criminal charges on charges of “conversion of assets.” Even if a release is granted, the family’s cash flow may not allow for the cost of processing the meat.
