I’m sure that’s what Whole Foods Market had in mind with the announcement earlier this month that the Austin, Texas-based natural foods grocery chain plans to create an Animal Compassion Foundation to “assist and inspire meat producers.”  Unfortunately, this seemingly noble gesture appears to be little more than a sugar-coated stunt to sidestep the ongoing challenge of humane livestock production.

In the five years since DC’s restaurant Nora became America’s first certified organic restaurant, a growing cadre of ecologically conscious area chefs has followed chef Nora Pouillon’s example – not necessarily going fully organic, but paying increasingly close attention to the sources of the meat, fish and produce on their menus.

Reliable Labels: Certified Humane Raised and Handled.

All right, well the Thanksgiving table may be the final destination, but how the turkey actually gets there is a concern of a group of humane farmers in Virginia. CNN’s Louise Schiavone reports on why letting turkeys be turkeys might actually just make them better.

The grilled hanger steak on the lunch menu at Equinox (818 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-331-8118) is dressed up with an arugula salad, pickled red onions and Parmesan-flavored bechamel, but that’s not all that distinguishes the meat from that of the competition’s.