With worldwide demand for meat increasing, and global population growing to 9 billion by 2050, the only response—other than eating less meat, which at times seems unimaginable as a government policy—is to figure out how to produce more meat with the same amount of land and animals. But is it surprising that figuring out ways for Americans to eat more meat, more easily, comes at a cost? The New York Times piece is shocking; but being shocked and being surprised are different reactions.

The article describes the Center’s work based on interviews with current and former employees of the Center and documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. According to the Times, the Center uses “surgery and breeding techniques