Neil Young is refusing to play concert venues that make use of factory farming, something that could make touring incredibly difficult. Young explained that, “When I look at the compromise that I would have to make to do that, the things that I don’t believe in, that I’d have to endorse, it doesn’t turn me on, I can deal with the power for the venue, I can make it clean. I can make the P.A. clean, the lights clean, the electricity in the building clean. I can clean up all my vehicles. I’ve got the right fuel. I can do all of that. But the food — all those places are fed by factory farms, I can’t support it, good food that has to be clean food, sustainably grown, and presented in a sustainable way.”
Young continued to say, “Unless the venues are clean, and that they work that way, I won’t be there, I’ve seen too much, I can’t do it. I believe in what I believe, and it’s grounded in science. I know what’s going on in the planet, what caused it, what we’re continuing to do, and I cannot support buildings, organizations and companies that will not change that. If they change it, then I can consider going.”
Factory farming is a way of producing industrial livestock that is aimed to maximize product and minimize costs. Many consider it to be harsh towards the animals as well as being bad for the environment. Almost every major foodservice and catering company receives some amount of their food supply through factory farming.
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