Farmed Animal Watch
June 10, 2001                                              (To Search This Page Press Ctrl F)
Issue #12

CONTENTS

1.  Welfare Issues Dominate International Egg Meeting
2.  Exempting Painful Agricultural Practices
3.  Government Marksmen Make Mess of Slaughter
4.  Dairy Industry and The U.N. Seek to Habitualize Children
5.  PETA Goes to Schools With Anti-Burger King Campaign
6.  The Increasing Danger of Beef
7.  NPPC Wants $10 Billion for Environmental Compliance
8.  Industrialization of Pig Industry Hurts Rural Residents


1.  WELFARE ISSUES DOMINATE INTERNATIONAL EGG MEETING
The recent Directive which institutes minimum standards for the protection
of egg-laying hens in European Union countries was the primary topic of the
spring meeting of the International Egg Commission (IEU), held in London.
The IEU Chairman criticized the scientific evidence for the Directive and
noted costs that would be incurred from it. He held up the U.S., with its
voluntary guidelines, as the standard to be followed. Al Pope, with United
Egg Producers (UEP), thanked the IEU for making them aware of the animal
welfare issue, and said the UEP Scientific Committee had concluded that
conventional cages were the best production system for the health and care
of the birds. Philip Lymbery, with Compassion in World Farming, advised
that industry was deluding itself. He said the scientific evidence does not
favor conventional cages nor will modified cages resolve welfare problems.
"The general public won't buy it," he warned. The detailed results of a
survey were presented that show consumers have a high level of concern for
animal welfare and want to buy products that are also better for human
health, and listed what may prevent them from doing so. Also discussed were
global production and trade statistics and the potential consequences of
upcoming World Trade Organization meetings.

"Welfare Issues Central to IEC Spring Meeting," Egg Industry, June 2001.
http://www.wattnet.com


2.  EXEMPTING PAINFUL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
The implications of a federal Canadian anti-cruelty bill (C-15, a multi
faceted crime bill) are being debated as to the effect it may have on
certain agricultural practices. This article focuses on branding, and
whether passage of the bill might be grounds for outlawing the painful
procedure. The Canadian Cattlemen's Association is opposing the bill due to
a clause that prohibits practices that cause "unnecessary pain, suffering
or injury to an animal." Animal protection organizations are backing the
bill, which would replace the existing 120-year-old anti-cruelty laws. Some
practices, such as hunting wild boar in enclosed spaces, are expressly
forbidden by the bill.

"Brand a cow, go to jail?" Edmonton Sun, Doug Basle, June 6, 2001.
http://www.fyiedmonton.com/cgi-bin/niveau2.cgi?s=default&p=38547.html&a=1


3.  GOVERNMENT MARKSMEN MAKE MESS OF SLAUGHTER
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (RSPCA) is investigating a
report that slaughterers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food (MAFF) chased distressed calves around a field for 3 hours after
having killed their mothers. The owner of the herd of 26 cows, 25 calves
and 1 bull said the officials arrived without adequate equipment and,
rather than penning the calves, chased them around a field in 4-wheel drive
vehicles, taking potshots at them.  The animals were killed as a precaution
against the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease after a MAFF truck transported
infected bodies over an unfenced road through the field. A neighbor who
observed the onslaught said, "This is typical of the way MAFF is working
now. We got the impression that they were getting a bit of a kick out of
it." The RSPCA is also looking into another incident where a MAFF
slaughterman was videotaped standing in a field taking potshots at a flock
of sheep.

"MAFF marksmen `took potshots at fleeing calves,'" Electronic Telegraph,
Jenny Booth, June 3, 2001.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=004171553251977&rtmo=lzbnnQot&atmo=rrrrrrrq&pg=/et/01/6/3/nfnm03.html


4.  DAIRY INDUSTRY AND THE U.N. SEEK TO HABITUALIZE CHILDREN
The international dairy industry, aided by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, is attempting to habitualize
schoolchildren into becoming lifelong milk drinkers through school milk
programs. A 4-day conference in Toronto plotted out how to make milk more
appealing to children in North America and various foreign countries.
Milk's overall share of the beverage market in the U.S. has stagnated while
competitors are gaining ground. In Ontario, milk vending machines have been
installed in schools, and the milk industry is facilitating in-school milk
delivery promotions, health education and special children's events.
Students are also given chances to win industry-donated prizes.

"Milk is, like, cool, eh?" Soo Kim, The Star, June 3, 2001.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=991479573084&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News


5.  PETA GOES TO SCHOOLS WITH ANTI-BURGER KING CAMPAIGN
A Dayton, Ohio middle school was the first stop in a 10-city tour to bring
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' campaign against Burger King
("Murder King") directly to children. With "How much cruelty can you
stomach?" as a slogan, activists distributed paper crowns depicting pigs
and cows impaled on the points and information on how animals are treated
on factory "farms" as a counter to the toys which the fast food chain uses
to entice children. The organization wants the company to commit to at
least the minimal animal welfare standards which McDonald's has recently
adopted. Burger King claims to be endorsing animal welfare guidelines
developed by the meat and egg industries.

"PETA opens campaign in Dayton," Dayton Daily News, Margo Rutledge Kissell,
June 5, 2001.
http://www.activedayton.com/partners/ddn/local/0605peta.html


6. THE INCREASING DANGER OF BEEF
An extensive article in the Los Angeles Times lays out the tragic history
of beef and E. coli O157:H7, a lethal form of the common E. coli bacteria,
which is believed to have evolved from the relatively recent practice of
fattening cattle on grain. "Grain feeding has created a variety of problems
for the animal and for the environment," states a USDA microbiologist at
Cornell University. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association disputes this
finding and argues that switching to hay would be costly to the industry. The article explains how beef and crops can become contaminated from E. coli O157:H7 in cattle manure, and how infected people can spread it. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 73,000 people are infected by it every year, of which 60 die and others are permanently debilitated. A USDA scientist explains how difficult the invisible bacteria is to detect with slaughterlines moving at 300 animals per hour and inspectors working 12 to 16 hours, 6 days a week.  O157:H7 has been deemed an adulterant of raw ground beef, but a former meat industry representative notes that only a third of the more than 34 million pounds of meat recalled since 1994 has been reclaimed, the rest having been eaten. The government is now debating whether to also name O157:H7 as an adulterant of steaks, but a CDC epidemiologist, wants reforms to start at the animal production stage, explaining "Unless we go to the root of the problem and address the crowding of animals and how we dispose of their feces, how we feed them, and how we slaughter them, how can we expect our food supply to be free of pathogens?"

"The Bug That Ate The Burger: E. Coli's Twisted Tale of Science in the
Courtroom and Politics in the Lab," Los Angeles Times, Emily Green, June 6,
2001.
http://www.latimes.com/print/food/20010606/t000047014.html
"E. Coli: An Emerging Enemy," Los Angeles Times, Emily Green, June 6, 2001.
http://www.latimes.com/print/food/20010606/t000047021.html


7.  NPPC WANTS $10 BILLION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE
Testifying before the House Agricultural Committee regarding the future of
farm programs, the president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)
said $10 billion in government aid will be needed for farmed animal
producers to comply with environmental regulations designed to protect air
and water quality. Barbara Determan, an Iowa pig producer, urged the
committee to support "at least $10 billion over the life of a five-year
farm bill in mandatory spending for USDA conservation programs" to address
animal agriculture's contributions to environmental problems.

"Pork producers warn: $10 billion needed for conservation compliance,"
The  Meating Place News, Meat Marketing & Technology (MMT) Magazine, May
2001, p. 29.
http://www.meatingplace.com


8.  INDUSTRIALIZATION OF PIG INDUSTRY HURTS RURAL RESIDENTS
The centralization of operations within the pig industry, which was touted
as helping to stabilize markets and reduce risks for farmers, has instead
"endangered ecological systems and diminished the social and human capital
vital to the sustainability of people and rural communities," finds a rural
sociologist with the University of Minnesota. Operations grew larger and
fewer, with a 43% decline in the number of U.S. farms selling pigs between
1992 and 1997 [though the number of pigs increased by 3 million]. Wynn
Wright, who conducted the study by interviewing 50 Minnesota farm women,
warns that the change "appears to be having a profound impact on the
well-being of many farmers, their families and the rural communities where
they reside."

"Hog Industry's Vertical Integration hasn't Helped, Sociologist Says,"
AgWeb News, Kristin Danley-Greiner, June 6, 2001.
http://www.agweb.com/news_show_news_article.asp?file=AgNewsArticle_2001661022_4913&newscat=GN

http://www.meatingplace.com