Farmed Animal Watch - June 25, 2003

1. Comment Deadline for N.J. Farmed Animal Standards: July 4th
2. NYT Considers Farmed Animal Welfare
3. UEP Accused of Scamming The Public
4. Supermarkets, Students Reject Battery Eggs
5. Misleading Labeling
6. Animal Protection Groups Back "Certified Humane" Label
7. Alternative Production, Conventional Slaughter: Chickens
8. Animal Sentience
9. New College Course: Animals & Society
10 Increasing Meatlessness
11 Protesting Is Good for You

1. COMMENT DEADLINE FOR N.J. FARMED ANIMAL STANDARDS: JULY 4TH
Six years behind schedule, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has released its draft of standards for the humane treatment of farmed animals (see issue #85). According to Farm Sanctuary, the Department has received tens of thousands of letters from concerned citizens. The organization notes: "Shockingly, the department explicitly allows cruel factory farming practices. Rather than developing ‘standards for humane raising, keeping, care, treatment, marketing, and sale of domestic livestock' as required by law, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) endorses the agribusiness status quo, codifying the inhumane exploitation of animals on industrialized farms." It gives such examples as the adoption of the American Veal Association guidelines which permit confining calves in crates for veal production, the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs, and force molting hens by food and water deprivation. See: http://www.njfarms.org/njhs.htm

At the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA)'s animal welfare committee meeting last October, Ernie Zirkle, the director of the N.J. Department of Agriculture's Division of Animal Health, reported on the status of the standards. According to Zirkle, the animal agriculture community responded to pressure from the N.J. SPCA by convincing the state legislature to pass legislation mandating the standards. He said a funding delay enabled animal rights activists to promote the concept that veal production, caged egg production, forced molting and beak cutting are below the minimal level of care that can be considered humane. Zirkle concluded by stating that, according to the Agricultural Research Service, over $1 billion had been spent by animal activists in the U.S. the past year. He encouraged USAHA to step up efforts to counter activist pressure through involvement with such allied organizations as animal industry groups, breed associations, and research institutions to disseminate information and engage in other pro-agriculture activities. See: http://www.usaha.org/reports/reports02/r02anwel.html

2. NYT CONSIDERS FARMED ANIMAL WELFARE
Today's New York Times includes an article about the driving forces behind U.S. farmed animal welfare reforms. Fast-food restaurant chains, McDonald's in particular, are credited for instituting new standards. "A decade ago, big food companies would have dismissed [welfare] research as silly, a deviation from the advances in industrial farming that have allowed them to reduce the cost of hamburgers and chicken nuggets. But today, those companies are not just taking the research seriously; they are financing it," the article explains. Growing health concerns, criticism of production methods, and looming regulations are cited as reasons for the industry attention. "As a result, after decades of crowding more and more animals into smaller and smaller stalls and pens, livestock producers and processors are being asked to create more space for animals, to reduce their reliance on growth-promoting drugs, and to transport and slaughter animals in more humane ways," the article states.

McDonald's, in particular, is noted as being in the forefront of corporate concern. This includes its requirements which double space allotments for egg-laying hens, prohibit forced molting, and call for automation "to gently gather chickens" and restraining devices "that make livestock more comfortable" during stunning. McDonald's size and purchasing power are causing its evolving stance to drive change throughout the food industry. (A beef industry spokesperson says there will be overall agreement though there may be differences on such matters as branding, castration and dehorning.) McDonald's attributes its attitudinal change to industry consultant Temple Grandin's scientific approach, while PETA is identified as the primary instigator of corporate reform (see also issues #13 & 14 of V.2). PETA recently cheered when KFC's parent company head was doused with fake blood and feathers for not adequately carrying out announced welfare improvements (see http://www.KFCcruelty.com ). European welfare regulations are also mentioned as causing global companies to act. In Germany, for example, pigs must have daylight and the government encourages companies to provide pigs with toys and [at least] 20 seconds of affection daily. Welfare research at Purdue University is described, which includes animal handling techniques and determining if cows feel pain when their tails are "clipped."

3. UEP ACCUSED OF SCAMMING THE PUBLIC
"Animal Care Certified" states the new logo being used on cartons of eggs produced by companies enrolled in United Egg Producers' new welfare standards program (see issue #56). The vast majority of U.S. egg companies have agreed to follow the guidelines. Compassion Over Killing (COK) has petitioned the Federal Trade Commission, the FDA, the USDA, the Better Business Bureau, and the California Attorney General, charging that the logo constitutes false and deceptive advertising. COK contends that, with the exception of increased cage space, "the UEP's guidelines do nothing more than codify what has been the norm in the egg industry for years: systematic animal abuse." It claims the logo dupes consumers into believing the eggs come from humanely treated hens, and has set up a microsite explaining its charges: http://www.EggScam.com The site details how the guidelines do not prohibit beak cutting, the intentional starvation of hens, or the killing of hundreds of millions of unwanted male chicks every year. Regarding the space increase, COK explains that while the increase from the typical 48 sq. inches per bird to 67 sq. inches by 2008 is significant, it is still inhumanely restrictive. It claims the program "is a massive public relations scam" intended to avert potential government regulation. The site includes expert testimony and industry quotes, photos of conditions at a certified operation, consumer action advice, and a link to the UEP guidelines.

4. SUPERMARKETS, STUDENTS REJECT BATTERY EGGS
As of 2004, all large supermarkets in the Netherlands will sell only eggs from cage-less operations. The announcement comes after 30 years of campaigning against battery eggs by Wakker Dier, a Dutch animal rights organization. A national supermarket organization spokesperson said Dutch consumers generally reject battery eggs and willingly pay more for others.

On April 27th, Wesleyan University's student assembly passed a resolution calling for the removal of eggs from hens who have had their beak cut or were force molted, and requiring only eggs from free-range operations be carried in the school store and for eggs to be removed as non-essential ingredients in school dining facilities (see issue #13, V.2). It is claimed to be the first American university student assembly to have taken a stance against intensive egg production: http://www.wesleyan.edu/wsa/warn/eon/campaign/index.html

5. MISLEADING LABELING
The "free-range" label doesn't guarantee that an animal spent any time outdoors but merely indicates that outdoor access was available for an undetermined amount of time (see N.8, V.2). To help counter confusing, incomplete or misleading food labeling claims, Consumers Union has set up http://www.eco-labels.org It addresses such labels as "organic," "natural," and "treated with irradiation." Steaks sold by Laura's Lean Beef, for example, were found to have twice the amount of fat as stated on the label. The American Heart Association has directed the company to remove its certification logo. The USDA, which oversees meat labeling, is investigating.

6. ANIMAL PROTECTION GROUPS BACK "CERTIFIED HUMANE" LABEL
Supported by a coalition of animal protection organizations, Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), an independent nonprofit organization, has announced its "Certified Humane" animal product labeling program. According to a press release, the label "assures consumers that meat, poultry, egg or dairy products come from animals raised at facilities meeting precise, objective, and humane standards for farm animal treatment." The extensive standards, developed by veterinarians and animal scientists and based on guidelines developed by the RSPCA, require that animals be kept in conditions that "offer sufficient space, shelter, and company of same-species animals to limit stress." They prohibit cages for hens, gestation crates for pigs, tie-stalls for cows, and the transport of nonambulatory animals or their use as food. Antibiotics and added growth hormones are not permitted. The American Meat Institute's slaughtering standards must be met, which exceed those of the Federal Humane Slaughter Act. In contrast to the federal organic standards, Certified Humane does not require outdoor access for animals (see N.8, V.2). Castration, tail docking, dehorning, desnooding, and beak cutting, without anesthesia, are permitted with limitations. Cattle can be kept in dirt feedlots. During catching, up to 3 chickens are allowed to be carried in one hand. Other than for piglets, who are not to be weaned from sows prior to 3 weeks of age, there is no minimum time requirement for keeping babies with their mothers.

Participating farmers and ranchers will be required to pass an initial inspection and annual re-inspections by HFAC inspectors. The USDA" Agricultural Marketing Services will verify the inspection process. Participants in the HFAC program are charged royalty fees and pay $400 a day for the annual inspection. A similar program initiated by American Humane in 2000 failed from lack of funding {this was incorrectly reported by the Associated Press, American Humane's "Free Farmed" program is still in existence}. The supporting coalition includes Animal People, the ASPCA, the Hawaiian Humane Society, The Humane Society of the U.S., the MSPCA, and 5 county humane societies. The National Pork Producers Council has said the labeling program is part of an "anti-meat agenda," while cattle and egg producer groups have been more complimentary of it. Information about Certified Humane, can be found at: http://www.certifiedhumane.com The extensive standards are available on the site, and include references with links. (Incidentally, codes of practice regarding Canadian farmed animals, including bison, deer, fox and mink, can be found at: http://www.afac.ab.ca/Codes.htm )

7. ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION, CONVENTIONAL SLAUGHTER: CHICKENS
Darrel Freitas, president of Petaluma Poultry, an alternative chicken production company, has written an article contrasting alternative and conventional chicken production. He asserts "It is important to understand that, as a rule, farmers and ranchers treat livestock humanely. It's the right thing to do, and their livelihoods depend on it." He blames inhumane treatment of farmed animals on economic pressures. For example, conventional production is increasingly employing "blackout housing," buildings with artificially controlled environments devoid of natural sunlight. [This discourages movement, resulting in maximum weight gain at minimum cost.] Less densely housed birds experience less stress, enabling their immune systems to better ward off disease without the use of antibiotics. (The USDA prohibits the use of added growth hormones in commercial chicken production.) Some alternatively produced birds are also fed a vegetarian diet. Freitas explains the requirements for poultry to be labeled as "organic."

Bell & Evans (B&E) is an alternative chicken production company with annual revenues nearing $100 million. Birds at B&E are not treated with antibiotics and receive a diet devoid of animal products. They sell for a premium at Whole Foods and other upscale retailers. Rejected by several other meat processors, a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter was allowed to tour the B&E plant. Every day, it turns 150,000 chickens into meat "leaving behind heaps of animal scraps, rivers of waste, and swirling lagoons of blood and feathers." There: "workers yank flopping chickens from the crates and shackle their feet to a slaughter line that throttles along at 180 birds per minute. The room is kept in darkness, making the chickens disoriented and easier to grab; the air is an irritating swirl of dirt, dust and feathers." With the 2 production lines speeding by at 91 birds per minute, inspectors have 2 seconds to inspect each bird for the USDA seal of approval "in a filthy fight against food-borne disease." On the kill floor, "a brightly lit arena of splattered blood, flying feathers and staggering smells,"after passing through an electrified bath the chickens have "two fixed blades run across their necks. Chicken heads are scattered across the floor. A bloody collection tank roils beneath the slaughter blades. In a trench carved into the concrete floor, a steaming current of feathers and animal fluids shoots toward the plant's $6 million water treatment facility. The warm air reeks of fresh death and feces." Focusing on inspection, reporter Oliver Prichard explains what happens next to the "still-writhing birds" as they continue through the plant. (One in every 10,000 birds is tested for salmonella.) B&E has never had a recall, and its owner says it's because "our customers pay us to do it right." Blaming market forces for food-safety problems, he says pathogen control is often sacrificed for fast, cheap production. "Wal-Mart wants 99-cent hamburgers, and people wonder why we have E. coli," he remarks.

8. ANIMAL SENTIENCE
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) Trust has launched a new microsite about animal sentience: conscious thought, feelings and awareness. The site explores such matters as natural behavior, family bonds, communication, fear, pain, pleasure and play. The site is designed to appeal to a broad audience, combining interesting facts and important discussion. There are sections on animals in the home, on the farm, and in the wild. Thought-provoking interactive features, such as opinion polls and quizzes, are included. CIWF Trust's new report, "Stop-Look-Listen: Recognising the Sentience of Farm Animals," which includes an illustrated summary, is also available on the new site, as well as conference presentations and summaries. http://www.animalsentience.com See also: http://www.sentientbeings.org

In "Hog Heaven," in the June 22nd Sun-Sentinel, travel writer Ericka Hamburg relates her experiences during a tour of Farm Sanctuary, where: "The premise is that ‘food animals' are as deserving of humane treatment as the family dog, especially since it is merely an accident of geography and culture that the family dog is not our food animal." http://www.sun-sentinel.com/travel/print/sfl-animalworldjun22.story

9. NEW COLLEGE COURSE: ANIMALS & SOCIETY
The moral and legal status of animals in contemporary society will be considered in a new series of classes, to begin this autumn at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). Students will focus on the use of animals in factory farming, medical research, hunting and trapping, and entertainment. The class is the first of four in a series designed for animal advocates, rescue workers, and other interested individuals. Other classes will compare racism, sexism and speciesism, and focus on advanced leadership in the animal advocacy movement. Students may take one or more of the classes. Those successfully completing them all will receive 12 credit hours and a certificate. Instructing the class will be CCBC's Brenda Fick and Kim Stallwood, Executive Director of the Institute for Animals and former editor of The Animals' Agenda. Plans are underway to make the course available on-line. For the course curriculum and other information, visit: http://www.animalsandsociety.org

10. INCREASING MEATLESSNESS
A new survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) indicates a growing trend in both veganism and vegetarianism. Approximately 2.8 percent of those polled said they never eat meat, poultry, fish or other seafood, compared with about 2.5 percent in 2000. "There was a fairly large increase in the number of people reporting that they did not eat meat, fish or fowl in our poll in 2000," explains VRG's Debra Wasserman. "The new results affirmed the findings of the 2000 poll and indicated an increase in ‘true vegetarians,' who never eat meat," she said. As many as 5.7 million American adults are estimated to be vegetarian; of which about 2.4 million of them are vegan.

The Meatless Mondays campaign, which encourages people to avoid meat once a week (see issue #94) is drawing concern from the meat industry. Steve Krut, executive director of the American Association of Meat Processors, explains: "What is significant here is that they are targeting not only consumers, but decision makers and opinion shapers. The Website is well-produced, the message is clear, and they target a very broad group of people. I think this is serious cause for concern because, if left unchecked, such a campaign could perhaps erode away the demand for meat." See: http://www.meatlessmonday.com

"Meatless Monday Campaign Draws Industry Scrutiny," Meating Place, Daniel Yovich, 4/24/03.
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?clickthrough=true&ID=10761
"More Meatlessness," Meat News (Meat Processing) June 20, 2003.
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&artNum=5610

11. PROTESTING IS GOOD FOR YOU
A new study shows that although protesters may be depressed about the state of the world, their collective action actually improves their physical health and mental outlook. A series of in-depth interviews with activists, conducted at Britain's University of Sussex, discovered that involvement in political demonstrations boosted feelings of empowerment, connectedness, and well-being. Study leader John Drury, a professor of social psychology, explained: "Positive experiences engender positive emotions like joy and contentment. These emotions are not only psychologically good but they are linked with the absence of depression, anxiety, and stress."