Plant Based News recently highlighted a troubling setback: major fast-food brands, including KFC and Nando’s, have withdrawn from the "Better Chicken Commitment." These companies will continue to use "Frankenchickens"; these are breeds genetically selected to grow so fast their bones often collapse under their own weight. Despite initial pledges to move toward slower-growing breeds and better living conditions, these corporations have cited "supply chain issues" as a reason to backtrack on animal welfare.
From a Jewish perspective, the industrial "manufacture" of life in this way is deeply problematic. When animals are treated merely as units of production rather than living souls (Nefesh Chaya), we lose our connection to the sanctity of creation. The Kashrut of our food should go beyond just the method of slaughter; it should encompass the entire life of the animal. If an animal is raised in a state of constant pain and deformity, can we truly call the system "fit" or "proper"? As consumers, we have the power to demand better. Choosing to boycott these practices is an act of Tzedek (justice), ensuring that our "daily bread" does not come at the cost of systematic, genetically-engineered cruelty.