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1.
CONGRESS ACTS TO PROTECT EQUINES
The U.S. House of Representatives has
voted (277-to-137) to prevent the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) from selling for slaughter any wild horses and
burros from public lands. There are about 29,000 such
equines, according to the BLM which removes some 10,000
of them annually. The April 26th vote aims to restore
protection from a 1971 law that was removed in 2004
by a measure inserted in a spending bill. The House
voted last year and in 2005 to end the sales but the
Senate didn’t act on it. On April 25th, the
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
passed a bill to outlaw horse slaughter nationally.
(It has yet to be voted on by the full Senate.)
BAN ON COMMERCIAL SLAUGHTER OF WILD HORSES,
BURROS OK'D
Associated Press, Suzanne Gamboa, April 27, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/3cpf3z
2.
WELFARE ACTION FOR PIGS: TAIWAN, AUSTRALIA, OREGON
More than 70% [21 of 27] of the public
slaughterhouses in Taiwan kill pigs in a inhumane
manner, according to a 3-year study by the Environment
and Animal Society of Taiwan. The organization says
that pigs are hung upside down by one leg and then
beaten unconscious before being killed. Video footage
brought several lawmakers to tears, and a member of
the ruling party has promised to propose an amendment
to the country’s animal protection law to bring
animals raised for economic purposes under its protection.
On April 20th, Australian agriculture
ministers approved new welfare codes for pig gestation
stalls. The revised codes call for larger stalls and
reduce the time pigs can be kept in them to 6 weeks
(down from 16). The changes are to be phased in over
a 10-year period. Australia’s animal protection
laws exclude farmed animals. Instead, industry and
the government outline welfare guidelines in codes
of practice. Industry is supportive of the new codes
but animal advocates want the stalls banned. Noting
that 68% of the country’s pig farmers already
comply with the proposed terms of the code, they point
to the European Union and large companies in Canada
and the U.S. which are phasing out the stalls entirely.
Paul Hemsworth, Director of the Animal Welfare Science
Centre at the University of Melbourne, says that scientific
research suggests a combination of stall and group
housing yields the best welfare results. The Sydney
Morning Herald includes video of pigs in stalls on
its website:
http://tinyurl.com/2tpwyj.
On April 26th, the Oregon state Senate
passed by a two-to-one margin a bill intended to prohibit
the use of gestation stalls. The legislation specifies
that pigs cannot be confined during pregnancy in a
manner that prevents them from lying down, fully extending
their limbs, or turning around freely. [This marks
the first time in U.S. history that a gestation stall
bill has passed an entire state legislative chamber.]
The Salem-News article includes a legislative timeline.
PIGS KILLED CRUELLY AT OVER 70% OF TAIWAN
SLAUGHTERHOUSES
ThePigSite News Desk, April 20, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/27ysrb
NEW PIG HOUSING CODE
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Jennifer Macey,
April 23, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/2nrxk4
RSPCA URGES MINISTERS TO REJECT CONTINUED USE OF
SOW STALLS
ThePigSite News Desk, April 21, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/3bnbl7
OREGON SENATE PASSES BILL TAKING AIM AT PRACTICE
CONSIDERED ONE OF FACTORY FARMING’S WORST ABUSES
Salem-News.com, April 26, 2007
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april262007/cruel_crates_42607.php
3.
CONTAMINATED PET FOOD GIVEN TO PIGS
More than 60 million containers of cat
and dog food have been pulled from U.S. supermarket
shelves in recent weeks. The food is believed to be
contaminated by two chemicals which, when combined,
can cause kidney failure. Chinese suppliers have been
accused of intentionally adding one of the toxic chemicals
to cause the ingredients to test higher in protein
content. It is estimated that 39,000 cats and dogs
have fallen ill from the food and that hundreds have
died. According to Stephen Sundlof, the Food and Drug
Administration’s chief veterinarian, it is common
in the U.S. for pet food that doesn’t meet quality
standards to be reconstituted into farmed animal feed.
Authorities have identified 6,000 pigs in seven states
who may have consumed the contaminated pet food or
pet food byproducts. As many as 300 such pigs may
have entered the human food supply. Officials claim
the human health risks of eating animals fed the contaminated
food are very low. The surviving pigs are quarantined.
They are to be euthanized and the government will
pay compensation for them. It is also possible that
chickens may have been given contaminated food.
CRIMINAL PROBE OPENED IN PET FOOD SCARE
The Washington Post, Patricia Sullivan, April 21,
2007
http://tinyurl.com/23l765
HOGS THAT ATE TAINTED FOOD TO BE EUTHANIZED
The Washington Post, Rick Weiss, April 27, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/238prb
INVESTIGATORS: TAINTED PET FOOD FED TO HOGS
The Boston Globe, Diedtra Henderson, April 20, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/22g8a6
FDA: LIVESTOCK FED PET FOOD WITH SUSPECT
ADDITIVE
The New York Times, Sarah Abruzzese, April 25, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/2ddds7
4.
NO MERINO MULESING IN NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand farmers have stopped performing
mulesing on merino sheep, a procedure whereby skin
around the tail is cut off to prevent flies from laying
eggs there (see: http://tinyurl.com/2vwtpy
). Instead, some three million sheep have been selectively
bred to be bare of wool in that area. This is said
to have been done in an attempt to capture U.S. textile
markets, and follows a 2005 declaration of commitment
between the U.S., Britain and regional ranchers to
establish a timetable for finding an alternative to
mulesing. Australia has set a 2010 deadline for ending
the practice (see: http://tinyurl.com/2x8lfu
).
NZ FARMERS END MERINO MULESING
ABC Radio Australia, April 25, 2007
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1906081.htm
5.
VEAL RESUSCITATION
In the 1950s and 1960s Americans ate
four pounds of veal a year on average. Today per capital
consumption is around half a pound a year. In large
part, this is attributed to “the most successful
animal rights boycott in the United States.”
Decreased supplies of veal due to higher beef demand
and smaller dairy herds are also said to be responsible.
Alternative production methods are causing some consumers,
including former vegetarians, to indulge in veal “without
the guilt.” Despite premium prices, sales of
veal at D’Agostino, a 20-store supermarket chain
in New York, have risen 35% since it began carrying
“certified humane” veal only. The article
notes: “Farm Sanctuary, an organization that
sponsors a campaign urging people not to eat veal,
acknowledges that raising animals in pens rather than
in individual crates is more humane. But the organization
believes, as its president, Gene Baur, put it, that
‘the least objectionable way to do it is on
pasture.’” One farmer who now pastures
calves for veal admits: “I did raise factory
veal — all the chemicals, antibiotics, steroids
I used. We wouldn’t let our friends eat what
we used to raise. For our own use we were raising
humane veal.” Baur adds: “We think vegan
is better.” The New York Times ran three letters
in response to the article: http://tinyurl.com/youobz
(It also ran three letters in response to its Wolfgang
Puck article: http://tinyurl.com/3e3qn7
See: http://tinyurl.com/2l2sup
)
The Ontario Veal Association (OVA),
which represents about 450 farms, has been spiffing
up its website, persuading supermarkets to carry more
veal, and recently hosted a six-course veal luncheon
for the media. OVA President Judy Dirksen also invited
members of the media to tour her farm. She explains
the basics of raising calves for veal, at one point
noting the inquisitive nature of the grain-fed Holstein
calves she uses. The article quotes celebrity chef
Anthony Bourdain: "It's not nice what they do
to calves to make that pale, tender, and attractive
meat we so love. But if I tasted that good after being
locked up and immobilized in a dark shed, I wouldn't
blame anyone for trying." In his book The Ethical
Gourmet, American chef and author Jay Weinstein, who
uses veal bones to make "ethical brown stocks,"
wrote: "With the exception of the small amount
of humanely raised meat, sold mostly by mail order,
veal is produced in reprehensible ways. I won't go
into the details, because by now they're widely known."
The Toronto Star published three letters in response
to the article: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/200057
VEAL TO LOVE, WITHOUT THE GUILT
The New York Times, Marian Burros, April 18, 2007
http://www.twincities.com/restaurants/ci_5746882
THE REAL DEAL ABOUT VEAL
The Toronto Star, Jennifer Bain, April 4, 2007
http://www.thestar.com/article/199070
6.
MEATLESS ONE DAY
In 2000, total meat consumption, including
poultry and fish, reached 195 pounds per person —
57 pounds above the average annual consumption in
the 1950s. "Would we all be better off if we
dramatically reduced meat to the point of one meal
a week? I would say yes," said Dr. Bob Lawrence,
director of the Center for a Livable Future at the
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, "But
the reality is that, from a public health perspective,
if we just get some modest reductions in our intake
of saturated fats, it'll have a big impact."
Lawrence works in association with the Meatless Monday
Campaign, which aims to prevent heart disease, stroke,
diabetes and cancer by helping people reduce their
consumption of saturated fat 15% by 2010. This translates
into cutting out meat and high-fat dairy products
one day a week. The article notes health benefits
of limiting meat intake and includes tips for doing
so.
MEAT CAN BE MURDER ON LONG-TERM HEALTH
Forbes, Allison Van Dusen, April 27, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18310903/
7.
U.S. VEG RESTAURANTS NEARLY DOUBLED IN 7 YEARS
There are 1,000 to 1,200 vegetarian
restaurants in the U.S., nearly double the number
seven years ago, according to the president of VegDining.com,
an online guide to vegetarian restaurants. “…the
vegetarian and vegan experience in some cities has
blossomed on par with its carnivorous counterparts,
complete with Zagat ratings and celebrity clienteles,”
notes this Associated Press article. This is attributed
in part to advances that have enabled chefs to prepare
proteins with taste and texture similar to meat. It’s
also due to “an expanded global pantry,”
with international dishes now receiving a higher profile.
"It's been going on in pockets for years, but
it's much more of a trend across restaurants now,"
explains Eve Felder, associate dean for culinary arts
at the Culinary Institute of America (New York). "They
say it's harder to change people's food habits than
their religion or politics," comments the owner
of one of the fine dining venues featured in the article.
"The door is wide open," Felder remarked.
VEGETARIAN CUISINE GAINS MAINSTREAM MOMENTUM
The Associated Press, Kelli Kennedy, April 26, 2007
http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_5754952
8.
GOURMET MAGAZINE FEATURING MEATLESS RECIPES
The April cover of Gourmet Magazine
announces "Tips from a Vegetarian Chef + Amazing
Meatless Main Courses." The issue includes nine
mostly vegan recipes in an article entitled “Mission:
Meatless” [http://tinyurl.com/2rhzdv
]. Beginning in May, the magazine will include a monthly
column featuring vegetarian main courses. In her monthly
letter, editor Ruth Reichl writes: "Time has
marched on, and now it is becoming increasingly clear
that we ought to change our ways. We live in a society
that consumes more meat than any other group in history.
There are currently more than three billion domesticated
cattle, sheep and goats in the world - and that number
does not include the 100 million pigs or the 9 million
chickens that we consume every year in this country
alone. Livestock grazing and feed production now use
30 percent of the surface of the planet, and that
takes a toll on the environment. Eating so much meat
takes a toll on us as well: Most health professionals
agree that we would be better off if we consumed less
meat and more vegetables." Pressure cookers for
easier vegetarian cooking are also considered (and
see: http://tinyurl.com/2nyrrs
).
GOURMET MAGAZINE FEATURES MEATLESS MAIN
COURSES AND PROMISES MORE
DawnWatch, Karen Dawn, April 6, 2007
http://tinyurl.com/2qvsj2
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