Animal FarmingAnimal LandscapersSveva Steger, Mateo Mesenholl, Rosa Heer, and David Bodor
The high demand for animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy products in Switzerland is also evident in the agricultural area around Zurich North: pastures and farmland for the production of animal feed characterize the landscape.
The term “livestock,” which is widely used to describe farm animals, suggests an understanding of them as commodities. Looking at the mechanisms surrounding the production of animal products, it becomes clear that the agricultural system surrounding animal husbandry strives for efficiency and profitability. Little attention seems to be paid to animal ethics, or to ethics in general.
We believe that the current demand for animal products in Switzerland is not compatible with ethical principles. Instead, we propose establishing a new relationship with the animal beyond the commodity: Cows, pigs, chickens and other animals should be able to reclaim their role as active shapers of the landscape and live in freedom and dignity.