September
1, 2004
Number 66, Volume 2
Check out our website: www.FarmedAnimal.net
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Animal Watch is sponsored by Animal
Place, Animal
Welfare Trust, Farm
Sanctuary, The Fund
for Animals, Glaser
Progress Foundation, and People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
1. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINS ABOUT MISLEADING EGG LABELS
The US Better Business Bureau (BBB) has complained to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that egg producers are misleading consumers when including the "Animal Care Certified" logo on egg cartons. According to a BBB attorney, "There's great potential for consumers, especially consumers who care about this issue, to be misled." A report issued by the bureau says that the logo "conveyed the message to consumers that the eggs … were produced by hens raised under caring and humane conditions when that was not the case." The bureau's complaint follows an affirmation of its concerns to the egg industry in May 2004, when the BBB asked producers to discontinue use of the logo. However, the BBB does not have power of enforcement with the egg industry, while the FTC is able to order producers to cease using the logo and to issue monetary penalties.
A spokesperson for the United Egg Producers (UEP), the subject of the complaint, said that the industry has voluntarily implemented higher standards for hen welfare and will fight for its right to continue using the logo. "We still think it's better than having no standards at all," said the spokesperson, who went on to say that each hen is required to have minimum cage space equal to the size of a sheet of notebook paper. A spokesperson for Compassion Over Killing (COK), the group that lodged the original complaint with the BBB, said the comparison is false. According to their website, UEP's welfare guidelines call for a minimum of 67 square inches per bird, while a sheet of regular notebook paper is about 94 square inches in size, according to COK.
"BBB: 'Animal Care Certified' Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be," USA Today, Elizabeth Weise, August 30, 2004
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20040830/bl_bottomstrip30.art.htm
"Investigation into Egg Labeling Sought," Associated Press, Patrick Condon,
August 25, 2004
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5822111/
"Bureau: Egg Labels are Deceiving," Des Moines Register, Philip Brasher, August 26, 2004
http://tinyurl.com/4gncy
United Egg Producers' Animal Care Certified Program Details
http://www.animalcarecertified.com/abouttheprogram.html
Compassion Over Killing's Campaign Timeline
http://www.cok.net/feat/bbb.php
2. SHEEP ARE COMFORTED BY PICTURES OF FAMILY, FRIENDS
Researchers at Cambridge University in the UK have published a study showing how lonely sheep are comforted and made happier when they see pictures of friends and family. The study involved keeping sheep in a darkened barn and measuring their responses to seeing the faces of goats and other sheep. The stress reaction of each sheep was measured by the animals' noises, movements, and heart rate, as well as monitoring of adrenaline and cortisol levels. The sheep exhibited fewer signs of stress and fear when presented with images of sheep that were familiar to them, according to the scientists. The lead researcher, Keith Kendrick, said, "Sheep, while apparently ruminating mindlessly, could be dwelling on long-absent flockmates, mothers, or even shepherds." Kendrick and his team continue to build on their earlier research in which sheep remembered up to 50 sheep faces and 10 human faces when showed pictures, and in which sheep are shown to prefer images of smiling human faces to those of angry faces.
"Family Snaps Keep Sheep Happy, Telegraph News, Roger Highfield, August
25, 2004
http://tinyurl.com/4mgfv (telegraph.co.uk
website)
"Sheep Pine for Absent Friends: Official," The Register, Lester Haines, August 25, 2004
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/25/ovine_separation_anxiety/
Also see: "Sheep Like Smiles, Suggesting 'Rich, Emotional Lives," Farmed Animal Watch n58 v2, July 7, 2004
http://www.farmedanimal.net/Newsletters/Newslettern58v2.htm#6
3. ANTI FOIE GRAS BILL PASSES CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
On August 24 the California State Assembly passed a bill to outlaw the force-feeding of geese, ducks, and other birds for the production of pate foie gras. By a vote of 44-28, the Assembly approved the measure submitted by Democratic senator John Burton. According to Burton, "Cramming food down a duck's throat to make a gourmet item known as foie gras is not only unnecessary, it's inhumane." The state Senate had already passed the bill on May 18, 2004. The bill has been sent back to the Senate to get approval on all final amendments and then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will have until the end of September to sign it into law. If signed, the bill will go into effect in 2012.
"Assembly Votes to Ban Force-Feeding of Birds to Produce Foie Gras," San Francisco Chronicle, August 24, 2004
http://tinyurl.com/6zua4 (SF Chronicle
website)
"California Foie Gras Bill Clears Legislature!" Farm Sanctuary, August 24, 2004
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/campaign/state_cafoie.htm
4. ANIMAL WELFARE A PRIORITY FOR NEW VETERINARY GROUP LEADER
The
incoming president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
believes the association should create a Division of Animal Welfare and
that veterinarians should get their "heads out of the sand" with respect
to animal welfare. Addressing the AVMA House of Delegates on July 23,
2004, Dr. Bonnie Beaver also said, "AVMA must be careful not to let its
ties to animal industries cloud its objectivity when considering welfare
policies." Dr. Bonner cited strong support for animal welfare from both
the public and from animal industries. The AVMA has been under persistent
pressure recently from advocacy groups to adopt more animal-friendly welfare
policies for farmed animals, including egg-laying hens, breeding pigs,
and calves raised for veal (see http://www.farmedanimal.net/Newsletters/Newslettern61v2.htm).
"New AVMA President Calls for Leadership in Animal Welfare," August 26, 2004
http://www.vetscite.org/publish/items/001862/index.html
"AVMA Challenged to Step up Animal-Welfare Efforts," Marlys Miller, September 2, 2004
http://www.porkmag.com/news_editorial.asp?pgID=720&ed_id=2883
5. CHICKEN WELFARE: STATISTICS, TRANSPORT, AND BATTERY CAGES
STATISTICS: On August 26, the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) released a comprehensive set of historical data from 1960 covering the slaughter and production of chickens, turkeys, and eggs. The "Poultry Yearbook" contains more than 175 downloadable spreadsheets with significant detail on the US poultry industry.
TRANSPORT: In New York State, more than 1,000 chickens being transported to slaughter were accidentally thrown from a truck over a span of several miles before the driver realized what was happening. The truck was carrying at least 100 plastic crates with 12 chickens packed in each crate measuring about 2 by 3 feet. According to an operations manager for Murray's Chickens, the company responsible for the crash, "We only lost a couple hundred (chickens) … we've had worse spills." Murray's Chickens is one of only a handful of chicken producers who have received the "Certified Humane" designation from Humane Farm Animal Care.
BATTERY CAGES: In New Zealand, lawmakers have delayed for at least 5 years a decision on banning battery cages for egg-laying hens. The government is instead expected to agree to recommendations that the minimum cage size be increased to 550 square centimeters by the year 2014. A 2002 poll found that 79% of New Zealanders were opposed to keeping hens in battery cages, although such methods currently account for 90% of the country's egg production.
"Poultry Yearbook," USDA / ERS, August 26, 2004
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/sdp/view.asp?f=livestock/89007/
"More than 1,000 Live Chickens Fell off a Truck," Pocono Record, Kim de Bourbon, August 27, 2004
http://www.poconorecord.com/topstory/tdo18743.htm
"Cage Hens Trapped for 5 Years," New Zealand Herald, Anne Beston, September 1, 2004
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3588357
6. ONLINE FARMED ANIMAL RESOURCES
Animal Rights Media Repository (ARMORY)
The ARMORY online database strives to collect and store high-quality images for animal advocacy purposes; the database currently includes more than 230 images of animals on factory farms.
http://www.animalrightsmedia.com
Pig Industry Statistics from Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods, the largest slaughterer of pigs in the US, provides a collection of data relating to pig farming and meat production, from the US Department of Agriculture.
http://www.smithfieldfoods.com/Investor/Statistics/
Welfare Issues Resource Centre from the Prairie Swine Centre (Canada)
A comprehensive site with reviews of literature relating to the welfare of cows, horses, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and sheep; also provides free registration to search and download articles from 1995-2000. To log in or request access, click on the "Search Database" button at right.
http://prairieswine.usask.ca/online/WelfareHome.htm
"Kerry Endorses COOL," Meatingplace.com, John Gregerson, August 27, 2004
US Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has endorsed mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) and a ban on meatpacker ownership of animal operations.
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=12953
"Birth Control for Horses," Standardbred Canada, August 25, 2004
Habitat for Horses, a national advocacy group, is administering contraceptives to mares as a means of reducing the number of horses slaughtered and sent to other countries for human consumption.
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/iss0804/birthcontrolvaccine0825.html
"Treading Warily in GM Minefield," The New Zealand Herald, Simon Collins, August 31, 2004
Discusses the use of animals as "bio-reactors," where in some cases farmed animals are genetically engineered to produce milk and meat products that benefit human health.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storyprint.cfm?storyID=3587759
"Mad Cow Hits Tyson Foods Earnings Forecast," CBC News, August 30, 2004
The world's largest meat processing company, Tyson Foods, lowered its earnings forecast by 7%, citing lower demand for meat due to the discovery of BSE in the US.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/national/2004/08/30/tyson_040830.html
"APHIS Proposes Amending Interstate Movement Regulations for Goats, Sheep," Meatingplace.com, Kristin Gagnon, August 31, 2004
The US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing stricter regulations for transporting goats and sheep, including requiring any company involved in such transport to be approved by APHIS.
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=12968
CONTENTS
- Better Business Bureau Complains about Misleading Egg Labels
- Sheep are Comforted by Pictures of Family, Friends
- Anti Foie Gras Bill Passes California State Assembly
- Animal Welfare a Priority for New Veterinary Group Leader
- Chicken Welfare: Statistics, Transport, and Battery Cages
- Online Farmed Animal Resources
- Other Items of Interest
RESOURCES
-------------------------------
Compiled and edited by Hedy Litke and Che Green, Farmed Animal Watch
is a free weekly electronic news digest of information concerning farmed
animal issues gleaned from an array of academic, industry, advocacy and
mainstream media sources.
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