There has been a lot of press in the past year or two about how Rubashkin, the second biggest kosher meat producer, has mistreated both the animals it slaughters, and the workers in the plants it operates. 
First, PETA released a video showing cows' throats ripped out with a meat hook and cows writhing on the floor, trying to get up and run away after the ritual slaughter. Then the Forward published an article about how poorly workers were being treated at the Postville, Iowa plant that had previously been the subject of the PETA video. Among the many complaints were low wages (the cap was at seven dollars an hour for most workers), and no unions because the workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, are afraid of being deported. There were also reports of workers being shortchanged for hours they worked, and of supervisers demanding bribes from employees who want to change shifts, or help relatives get a job. Perhaps the most troubling issue in the article is the lack of safety training given to the workers at the plant. The Forward quoted one man who said he received no training at all, and learned what to do only by being chewed out for bad work. Most recently, Rubashkin tried to prohibit its employees from unionizing by claiming they weren’t really “employees” if they were undocumented workers, and in the country illegally. The National Labor Relations Board found against Rubashkin, Rubashkin appealed, and two weeks ago the US Court of Appeals rejected the appeal. I know that in smaller communities it can be hard to get any kosher meat, and that when it is available, it’s often sold in Wal-mart, and is Rubashkin meat. There are rabbis debating whether or not Rubashkin facilities can even be considered kosher, but even if it is technically kosher, there’s no question that buying Rubashkin meat is supporting a company with bad ethical standards. Let’s stop buying Rubashkin meat.
Ideally, of course, I support going vegetarian (so does Alicia Silverstone) but if you can’t give up meat, try contacting Wise Organic Pastures who provide kosher organic meat to distributors nationwide. That way, even your chulent can be socially conscious.