Farmed Animal Watch: Objective Information for the Thinking Advocate
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FEBRUARY 15, 2008 -- Number 6, Volume 8

1. SAFEWAY ANNOUNCES WELFARE INITIATIVES

Safeway, the third largest North American grocery retailer, has announced new animal-welfare policies. They include:
  • a purchasing preference for cage-free eggs, for pig meat from operations that do not use gestation crates, and for birds slaughtered via Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK, see: http://tinyurl.com/33k7m4);
  • doubling the percentage of cage-free eggs it carries to over 6% of its total egg sales within two years;
  • increasing the percentage of pig meat from systems that don’t use gestation crates by 5% each of the next three years to reach 15% in 2010.

The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been using the potential of stockholder resolutions to pressure Safeway into addressing animal welfare (and see: http://tinyurl.com/2od6th and http://tinyurl.com/2uc5aw). Both organizations have praised the company’s announcement. Safeway asserts that it is responding to consumer demand, explaining: “These new policies are also an evolution in our own thinking and approach to animal welfare." (See also: http://tinyurl.com/2vped6 )

Regarding Safeway’s CAK initiative, the National Chicken Council said it is unaware of any major poultry producer using the system. According to PETA’s Matt Prescott, there are five companies in the U.S. now using it (http://tinyurl.com/2c8pp3). Safeway has said that the new policies generally won’t raise prices for consumers.


SAFEWAY LEADING THE WAY ON ANIMAL WELFARE
HSUS press release, February 11, 2008
http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/safeway021108.html

SAFEWAY EMBRACES ANIMAL WELFARE
Wall Street Journal, Lauren Etter, February 12, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/2k2fso
or
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120278612709361227.html

SAFEWAY EVOLVES ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES
Meat & Poultry, Bryan Salvage, February 12, 2008
http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=91266

 

2. SHACKLE-AND-HOIST SLAUGHTER OPPOSED

The majority of Israel’s beef, and a large portion of America’s kosher meat, comes from South America (S.A.). In recent years, every major American kosher meat company has set up a S.A. operation. The majority of the S.A. slaughterplants that produce kosher meat “shackle and hoist” (s&h) cattle: lifting them off of the ground by one hind leg prior to slitting their throat. The method is generally illegal in the U.S. but remains popular with kosher slaughterplants elsewhere. Most kosher meat imported into the U.S. from S.A. is produced using s&h. The method causes the animal to be upside down when slaughtered, which, according to Forward, a Jewish publication, “is required by Israel’s chief rabbis, the final authorities on kosher meat entering the Jewish state.” Israelis are the primary market force in S.A. As such, they dictate the standards of meat production there. Eliminating s&h will require the support of Israeli companies, which will require pressure from Israel’s chief rabbis.

In late October of 2007, an investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) obtained footage of kosher slaughter in Uruguay (http://tinyurl.com/2oe2hx). Forward relates: “In it, the animals can be seen hanging from a single leg, struggling in the air and bellowing. Once the animal is put on the ground, it is shown writhing and being restrained by multiple workers who step on it and prod it before the cut.” Having viewed it, Temple Grandin (http://www.grandin.com), who has advised many kosher meat companies, remarked: “It is in a category by itself for badness.” Grandin contends that s& h is cruel to animals and dangerous for employees.

In 2000, the Rabbinical Assembly of Conservative Judaism deemed s&h a “violation of Jewish law.” For the past year, Orthodox Union, America’s largest kosher supervision agency, has quietly campaigned to have Israeli rabbinical authorities change s&h. Despite its concerns, the Orthodox Union continues to certify S.A. plants that use s&h. Attempts by PETA and Concern for Helping Animals in Israel, another animal protection organization, to contact the Israeli chief rabbinate have so far been unsuccessful.


WIDESPREAD SLAUGHTER METHOD UNDER SCRUTINY FOR CRUELTY
Forward, Nathaniel Popper, February 13, 2008
http://www.forward.com/articles/12666

 

3. HANDLE WITH CARE CAMPAIGN

Every week, hundreds of millions of farmed animals are subjected to journeys, some lasting weeks or even months (http://tinyurl.com/2mbt3o), often in “overcrowded and filthy” conditions. Thousands die en route from disease, injury, deprivation, exposure and stress. Many others survive only to be immediately killed –often savagely- upon arrival at their destination. In some cases, animals are subjected to long-distance journeys in order for higher prices to be charged for the meat from them by claiming it is from locally obtained animals. Handle With Care (HWC), an international coalition, is using footage obtained during a two-year investigation to campaign for a world-wide ban on the trade.

The campaign is focusing on four routes said to be particularly egregious:
  • horses sent crowded together on “a sweltering 46-hour journey” from Spain to Italy (see: http://tinyurl.com/2rfmbe);
  • hundreds of pigs “crammed together in the dark, exposed to extreme temperature changes, suffer[ing] from motion sickness and forced to lie in their own filth” for a 7-day, 4,500-mile trip from Canada to Hawaii;
  • wild cattle shipped for three weeks from Brazil to Lebanon, the live living virtually on top of the dead;
  • and the four million sheep shipped from Australia to the Middle East each year “in such cramped conditions that many die of suffocation on the way” (see item #3 and http://tinyurl.com/35ew8c).

The coalition warns that human health is also put at risk by live transport from the potential spread of zoonotic diseases. HWC contends that the transport is cruel, dangerous and unnecessary. It argues that the animals should be killed and the meat from them refrigerated or frozen and shipped instead. The hope is that consumers will be so appalled by the footage that governments will be embarrassed into banning the trade. In addition to the videos, a petition has been posted at: http://www.handlewithcare.tv. New Zealand, which last year put a limited ban on the export of live animals for slaughter, is being held up as a model (see: http://tinyurl.com/2yyjaq). Canada’s federal agriculture department is proposing changes that would ban the export of live animals if transportation conditions anywhere on the route do not meet Canadian standards. See also: http://tinyurl.com/2u2z52


'CRUEL' ANIMAL TRANSPORT TARGETED
BBC News, February 12, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7239456.stm

EXPOSED: THE LONG, CRUEL ROAD TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE
The Independent, Emily Dugan, February 13, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/2eo9mk

'STOP LIVE ANIMALS EXPORTS FOR SLAUGHTER'
Telegraph, Paul Eccleston, February 12, 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/02/12/eaanim112.xml

ALBERTA-HAWAII PIG ROUTE SLAMMED AS GROUPS CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANIMAL SHIPMENTS
The Canadian Press, Colin Perkel, February 11, 2008
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iINPe_DePQ7L3bDmKVl1T4zC2mLA

ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATION INTO TRANSPORTED PIGS TO HAWAII
KHON, Brianne Randle, February 12, 2008
http://www.khon2.com/news/local/15572412.html

 

4. RULING ON SHIPPING DISASTER

Cruelty charges against Emanuel Exports, Western Australia’s largest sheep exporter, have been dismissed. The charges, initiated by Animals Australia, were in relation to the death of more than 1300 sheep who died during a 16-day trip to the Middle East during 2003 (see item #2 and http://tinyurl.com/35ew8c). The company and two of its directors were charged with transporting animals in a way likely to cause unnecessary harm, and with neglecting to provide proper food. Although the first charge had been proven under the State’s Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the magistrate was obliged to dismiss it due to a conflict with federal law governing live animal exports. The other charges were then dismissed due to their subsequent lack of relevance. Industry expressed relief since a conviction could have threatened the future of the trade. Animals Australia said the finding shows that every export of live sheep breaches the AWA. The RSPCA is calling for tougher federal laws. The state government may appeal the ruling: http://tinyurl.com/yqjqe5.

More than 30,000 sheep are said to die annually while being transported from Australia to the Middle East. Industry insiders reportedly claim that 1% (about 40,000) of exported sheep die en route each year. An investigation is not required unless more than 2% of a load die in transit (see: http://tinyurl.com/2eo9mk). Following a recent trade development mission to the Middle East, Australia’s Agriculture and Food Minister anticipates exports of meat and live animals to the region to grow significantly over the next five years (see: http://tinyurl.com/2fgto5). He announced the successful resumption of cattle and sheep exports to Libya, which was once the major destination for live cattle exported from West Australia.

MAGISTRATE RULES THAT LIVE EXPORT IS CRUEL
Animals Australia, Glenys Oogjes (Executive Director), February 8, 2008
http://www.animalsaustralia.org/media/in_the_news.php?article=82

DIRECTORS CLEARED OF ANIMAL CRUELTY
News Limited, February 8, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23180706-29277,00.html#

EXPORTER ACQUITTED OF ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES
WA News, Jodie Thompson, February 8, 2008
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=57788

 

5. COMPETENCE CERTIFICATE REQUIRED FOR EU ANIMAL TRANSPORT

In accordance with new regulations, anyone in the European Union who conducts round-trip transport of animals in conjunction with an economic activity must now pass a written test to show their competence in seeing to the welfare of the animals. A Certificate of Competence is required for taking farmed animals, including poultry and horses, on a return trip consisting of 65 km (about 40 miles) or eight hours. The regulations provide for veterinary exclusions. Those undertaking journeys in excess of said amounts must meet additional requirements to obtain a Transporter Authorization.

NEW ANIMAL TRANSPORT TEST IS NOW COMPULSORY
Farmers Guardian, Simon Wragg, February 1, 2008
http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=24&storycode=16072





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Compiled and edited by Mary Finelli, 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.