Compassionate Living (Mercy for Animals Magazine) Issue 1

CLTHE MAG OF MFA. SPRING/SUMMER 2007 ISSUE 1

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ON THISCHEWExclusive Interview

ANIMALSLAWAND THE The Shocking Truth

- FREE -Go ahead, take it.

MercyForAnimals.org

Contributors

Derek Coons

Maureen Jacob

Amy MacKenzie

Rhiannon Mehring

Lizz Petroff

Nathan Runkle

Priya Shanker

Anya Todd R.D.

Spring/Summer 07

Nathan RunkleExecutive Director

Mercy For Animals (MFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profi t animal advocacy organization that believes non-human animals are irreplaceable individuals who have morally signifi cant interests and hence rights, including the right to live free of unnecessary suffering. MFA is dedicated to establishing and defending the rights of all animals.

Given that over 97% of animal cruelty occurs in the production of meat, dairy, and eggs, MFA’s main function is promoting a vegetarian diet. MFA works to be a voice for animals through public education and advertisement campaigns, research and investigations, working with news media, and grassroots activism.

MFA relies on the generous support of compassionate individuals to carry on our lifesaving work. To become a member, simply send a contribution of $15 to:

Mercy For AnimalsP.O. Box 363Columbus, OH [email protected]

Thank you for your commitment to making the world a kinder and more compassionate place for all beings.

| newswatch

Arizona voters overwhelmingly passed a historic initiative to improve the lives of farm animals — the Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act. Proposition 204 passed with 62 percent of Arizonans’ votes making Arizona the fi rst U.S. state to ban veal crates, and the second state to ban gestation crates for pigs — Florida was the fi rst to do so in Fall 2002.

Sixty-nine percent of Michigan voters said “NO!” to opening the fi rst target-shooting season on the state’s offi cial bird of peace — the mourning dove. Well-funded hunting groups wanting to overturn a 100-year-long Michigan tradition of protecting doves initiated the proposal. The crushing win at the polls of “NO” votes exceeded the “yes” votes by more than 1.3 million, all thanks to a two-year grassroots campaign by The Committee to Keep Doves Protected. The Humane Society of the United States.

Go — Bye-Bye — Fish

No longer considered a “hippie fad,” the vegan lifestyle is translating into a growing $50 billion annual natural-products industry. There are more than 1.7 million vegans in the United States, according to a 2000 poll conducted by the Vegetarian Resource Group, based in Baltimore, MD. Choices for vegan consumers are growing along with demand, as more niche businesses cater to vegans, and mainstream grocery stores carry more products, said John Cunningham, consumer research manager for the vegetarian group. The market for foods replacing meat and other animal products is estimated at $2.8 billion, according to Mintel International Group Ltd., a research consumer company. Arizona Daily Star.

Gazoontite!

According to researchers, daily consumption of more than an ounce of smoked and processed foods such as bacon, sausage, or corned beef, increases the risk of developing stomach cancer from 15 percent to 38 percent. The culprits in such meats are likely the high salt content, which irritates the lining of the stomach, or the carcinogenic nitrate and nitrate additives. More reason to just skip the bacon. Time Magazine.

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2 | COMPASSIONATE LIVING | www.MercyForAnimals.org

2006 Election Victories for Animals

If you’re a fanatical germaphobe, then you might build yourself a self-containing bubble and never come out after reading Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching, by Michael Greger, MD. Greger traces the human role in the evolution of the virus, whose humble beginnings belie its transformation into a killer mutant strain with the potential to become as ferocious as Ebola and as contagious as the common cold. In the face of the coming pandemic, Greger reveals what we can do to protect our families and what human society to can do to reduce the likelihood of such catastrophes in the future. The entire book is available online for free at BirdFluBook.com.

Mainstream Vegan Money Machine

Omnivores and pescavegetarians wanting to satisfy their craving for the “catch of the day” may not be able to fi nd any seafood anymore, especially if it’s in the year 2048. That’s what researchers predict if current trends in habitat destruction and commercial over-fi shing continue. After analyzing data and historical records from over a thousand years, researchers found that marine biodiversity — ocean fi sh, shellfi sh, birds, plants, micro-organisms, ocean mammals including seals, killer whales, and dolphins — has declined dramatically, with 29 percent of species already in collapse. Why does this matter in the big picture? Because the loss of biodiversity makes ocean ecosystems less resilient in recovering from the effects of global climate changes, such as aggressive natural disasters like tsunamis, hurricanes, fl oods, typhoons, etc. The solution? Experts say that to protect the existing marine ecosystems, and inevitably human life, stricter controls on commercial fi shing need to be enforced. Consumers also have the power to make a difference by eliminating fi sh from their diets. Reuters.

Want to keep up-to-date on all the important animal rights and vegetarian headlines? We

have you covered. Sign up today for MFA’s free monthly enewsletter, The Voice, at www.MercyForAnimals.org.

Don’t Bring Home the Bacon

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The oppression animals face by the meat, dairy, and egg industries cannot be overstated.

Every minute in America, over 16,000 farmed animals take their last breath while suspended upside-down on a slaughterhouse line. Each year, the meat industry subjects billions of cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys to abuse so extreme that it could warrant felony level cruelty-to-animal charges if committed against a dog or cat. These acts of abuse occur out of sight, and largely out of mind, from a country of complacent consumers.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity,” declared Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in From Strength to Love. It is this attitude of apathy, the mentality Dr. King warned against, that has led many consumers to choose palate preference over principle. Adopting a vegetarian diet is perhaps the single most important act each of us can take to end animal cruelty. As conscientious and compassionate citizens, we must do more than merely dream of a day when animals receive their due consideration – we must embody such change. We must fi rst look at our beliefs, our choices, our actions, and our inactions.

By leading lives that refl ect the change we wish to see in the world, we are changing more than ourselves – we are changing the future. With all our collective acts of compassionate living, we can create a world where animals receive the respect they so rightly deserve.

Welcome to the premier issue of Compassionate Living – Mercy For Animals’ newly expanded and improved magazine. We have chosen to retire our publication’s original title, Outrage, in exchange for one we feel more accurately refl ects MFA’s mission – creating a society where all animals are treated with the respect and compassion they deserve.

Each issue of CL will be packed with exclusive interviews, helpful advice, thought-provoking exposés, essential news updates, opportunities to meet key activists behind MFA’s work, action alerts, tasty and satisfying vegan recipes, and much more. I hope you fi nd its content informative, entertaining and inspiring.

Mahatma Gandhi once proclaimed, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” These wise words have long been echoed by many of history’s most progressive thinkers and outspoken social justice leaders. Gandhi’s motto of personal responsibility certainly still rings loud and clear today when we are confronted with the harsh reality of animal suffering at the hands of humans.

Activist Spotlight: Joe EspinosaVegetarian since: November 1992Vegan since: December 1994MFA Activist since: Spring 2006Featured Activism: Leafl etingResides in: Steger, Illinois (about 35 miles South of Chicago)Favorite Food of the Moment: Boca Spicy Chik’n Patties

Walking into the student union of the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana to cash a check, Joe Espinosa never imagined that his exposure

to a short video on animals in modern day factory farms would forever change his life. It was October 1992, and Joe was a semester and a half away from graduating with a degree in Biology. Growing up, Joe worked on his uncle’s family-owned dairy farm and had never seen the grotesque conditions displayed on the video footage in front of him. An animal advocate was there to answer questions and offer literature on vegetarianism. Joe was immediately impressed with the advocate’s polite demeanor when fi elding questions and dealing with resistance.

The advocate spoke about the standard practices on modern day factory farms and explained how small, family-owned farms were succumbing to the pressures of these massive factory farms and were shutting down by the droves. Joe could relate, as his uncle had recently lost his farm as well. Eager to learn more, Joe attended a meeting of Students for Animal Rights, and he became vegetarian a month later. The advocate that introduced Joe to veganism is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Vegan Outreach, Matt Ball. Upon meeting Matt and learning of the massive suffering of farmed animals, Joe felt compelled into action.

Today, Joe is one of the most prolifi c vegetarian leafl eters on the planet. Since the fall of 2003, he has distributed over 70,000 booklets on college campuses. In addition to working 40 hours a week as a social worker, each Tuesday he travels to college campuses in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin to leafl et. According to Joe, “there is no substitute for consistency.”

Q. Tell us about the Adopt-A-College Program.A. It’s a systematic effort, created by Vegan Outreach, to leafl et colleges across the country. Activists participating are linked by a Yahoo Group, which allows us to report our results and share information. The results are posted on the Vegan Outreach website to coordinate our efforts.

Q. Where do you seem to get the best responses?A. I have really enjoyed leafl eting colleges in Indiana. The stu-dents are remarkably polite and receptive. There will always be people who want to argue with you, but it’s best to just be polite, make a few good points, and move on. There are far too many

people who are ready to have this information for us to waste time trying to win an argument with a meat eater.

Q. What is your #1 goal when leafl eting?A. Ending animal exploitation is the moral impera-tive of our time. My goal is to share this burden

with others, as they have the power to stop sentencing animals to brutal fates of suffering and death. I have

already made the decision to be vegan, which spares about 35 farm animals each year. Helping others to re-

duce their consumption of animal products, become vegetarian or vegan spares so many more.

Q. What have you learned about activism that may help others who want to leafl et, but feel

intimidated?A. It may be hard to believe, but I tend to be a shy person. To this day I am still a bit nervous every time I pull into the parking lot of a school to leafl et, even schools that I have been to many times before. But what activists need to keep in mind is that what

they are doing is right, standing up against oppression is something that the best people have always done. The

reward in terms of the reduction in animal suffering is well worth overcoming any nervousness we might feel.

Q. What keeps you motivated?A. To me, it’s a matter of justice, and I feel compelled to do this work. Knowing that my efforts have spared tens of thousands of animals from the horrible experi-ences of factory farms is a rich reward.

Q. Why Leafl et?A. Rather than sitting around wishing people would stop

supporting the cruelties of factory farming, we should go out and ask them to, with compelling and accurate information that might move them to stop. In leafl eting, you can be an effective activist anytime. I’m able to reach a large number of people, and it’s statistically likely that the information I distribute will change some people’s diets, which spares many animals from an existence of horrible suffering.

| meetmfa

4 | COMPASSIONATE LIVING | www.MercyForAnimals.org Spring/Summer 07

SchmoeSchmoeSchmoeSchmoe(JoeNoJoeNoJoeJoe| actionreportVegNews Names MFA 2006 “Non-Profi t of the Year”

Mercy For Animals’ two powerful new pro-vegetarian TV commercials, “Hidden from View” and “Old MacDonald,” recently hit the airwaves in Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus.

The chilling 30-second spots take viewers behind the closed doors of America’s factory farms, giving a shocking glimpse into the unseen suffering endured by billions of chickens, pigs, and cows. The commercials have already exposed over half a million MTV, MTV2, and Bravo network viewers, many for the fi rst time, to the untold cruelty involved in the production of meat, dairy, and egg products. Viewers are encouraged to learn more at MFA’s

ChooseVeg.com website.

Two New MFA Pro-Veg Commercials Hit the Airwaves

VegNews Names MFA 2006 “Non-Profi t of the Year”VegNews, America’s premier vegetarian lifestyle magazine, recently released its highly anticipated 2006 Veggie Awards issue – and Mercy For Animals is honored to have been selected as the Non-Profi t of the Year!

From the November/December holiday 06 issue of VegNews magazine:

“When Nathan Runkle was 11 years old, he was exposed to the mistreatment of animals, turned veg overnight and began a career as a professional animal advocate. Now, at the ripe age of 22, Runkle has seen the organization he conceived and leads, Mercy For Animals, become an effective force for change. Founded in 1999, MFA grew from a Dayton, Ohio-based grassroots effort to a powerful statewide organization after conducting ‘open rescues’ at the two largest egg farms in Ohio in late 2001. MFA has since merged with Chicago’s Protecting Animals USA to form a 10,000-member organization that uses cutting edge, modern design and pro-veg MTV commercials to reach a young audience.”

In December of 2006, MFA launched over 100 new anti-fur advertisements on the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line subway system – the most ridden train line in the city.

The ads urge residents, students and tourists to choose compassion over violence by choosing fur-free fashions. Over the course of the month, MFA’s ads were viewed by over 2 million riders.

The fi rst ad pictures two young, fur-bearing animals look-ing directly at the viewer next to bold lettering, “Two Great Reasons Not to Wear Fur.” Text follows, explaining how animals are trapped, drowned, gassed, electrocuted, clubbed, and skinned alive to make fur-trimmed garments.

TWO GREAT REASONSNOT TO WEAR FUR

Choose CompassionChoose Fur-Free Fashion

MercyForAnimals.org1.866.632.6446

>> Animals are trapped, drowned, gassed, electrocuted, clubbed,and skinned alive to make fur-trimmed garments.

SHE NEEDSHER FURMORE THAN WE DOChoose Compassion. Choose Fur-Free Fashion. MercyForAnimals.org

1.866.632.6446

● Animals raised on fur farms

live their entire lives confined

in tiny, barren cages. Their

misery only ends when they

are gassed, electrocuted, clubbed, poisoned, or skinned

alive.

● Animals caught in leghold

traps can suffer for days -many will chew off their own feet in a desperate attempt to escape. These

cruel traps also mangle and kill countless dogs, cats,

endangered species, and other non-target animals.

The second ad design shows a fox looking up from inside a log and proclaims that “She Needs Her Fur More Than We Do” along with a description of the deplorable living conditions on fur farms. The ad also explains how animals trapped in the wild for their fur may suf-fer for days with the trap clamped painfully into their fl esh.

MFA Reaches Millions of Shoppers with Launch of Anti-Fur Ad Campaign

Throughout 2006, MFA members were highly active working on behalf of the animals. The numbers are in, and they speak volumes to the tireless work our members have done over the past year. In 2006, MFA: • Conducted over 170 public outreach events, including lectures by our humane educa-tors at high schools and colleges, video showings, educational exhibits at festivals and conferences, vegan feed-ins, and leafl eting outreach on busy street corners, outside concerts, and on campuses • Distributed over 160,000 pieces of vegetarian literature • ChooseVeg.com, our popular pro-veg-etarian website, attracted over 85,000 visitors and received more than 500,000 page views.

By the Num6ers: 2006 Year in Review

| veganhealth

Anya Todd is a vegan registered and licensed dietitian who graduated from Case Western Reserve University and completed her internship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Active in animal rights for nearly 20 years, Anya resides in Ohio with her vegan boyfriend and not-quite-vegan animal companions. Though she follows a well-balanced diet, she never turns down a plate of vegan french toast, especially if topped with strawberries and bananas. Here, Anya answers your pressing questions about vegan health and nutrition.

Despite what the dairy industry claims, milk is not the only way to obtain calcium and maintain strong bones and teeth. There are many plant

sources that will supply calcium while leaving out the choles-terol and saturated fat found in the milk from animals. It is recommended for the average adult under 50 to consume ap-

proximately 1000mg of calcium per day. For those people over 50, the amount increases to 1200mg per day.

Luckily, more common foods in a vegan diet are being fortifi ed – everything from soymilk to orange juice to granola bars now provides an ample amount of calcium. An 8-oz glass of fortifi ed soymilk or rice milk provides 300mg. Tofu processed with calcium can provide 250mg in a 4 oz. serving. Blackstrap molasses, soy yogurt, and collard greens are

also excellent sources. Like any other nutrient, calcium is best obtained by eating a variety of foods. A vegan who lives on a diet based heavily on Swedish Fish and coffee is sure to run the risk of a defi ciency. So, if you think you would benefi t from a calcium supplement, it is important to note this mineral is best absorbed in amounts of 500mg or less.

How much protein do I need, and is it possible to get enough through a plant-based diet?Q:

A: Protein intake is a common concern and often a misunderstood issue when speaking with regard to a vegan diet. Its function in the body is to as-

sist with cell growth and repair, as well as assist in immunity and hormone production. The daily human body requirement is approximately 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight (To get kilograms, just divide your weight by 2.2). Therefore, a healthy person weighing 130lbs would require approximately 60grams of protein per day. Please note that these requirements vary through life stages (childhood, pregnancy, lactation).

In today’s society, we tend to have the mentality that one can never have too much of anything – and this applies to protein as well. Though the Atkins craze is slowing, Americans still consume considerably more protein than what is recommended. Excessive amounts of animal protein have been linked to osteoporosis and kidney disease. There are a variety of plant foods that can provide substantial amounts of protein without the cholesterol and saturated fat that is offered in animal protein. Soy, seitan, qui-noa (a grain), beans, and nuts are just a few of these protein powerhouses. There is no need to worry about the issue of ‘complementary proteins’ in order to ensure you are getting all your essential amino acids. That is far too complicated and eating should not be complicated. A well-varied vegan diet can provide your body with the protein it needs. Now go enjoy that tofu stir-fry without any worries!

If I do not consume dairy products, how can I get the calcium I need?Q:

A:

tip For one-stop vegan health info, recipes, tips, and videos, check out ChooseVeg.com. A vegan food

pyramid, cancer-fi ghting recipes, and videos on preventing disease through

plant-based foods are all just a click away.

AskAnya


Though the Atkins craze is slowing, Americans still consume considerably more protein than what is recommended.

| veganflavor

Quick Chili

1/2 cup boiling water1/2 cup TVP*1 onion, chopped1 green bell pepper, diced2 large garlic cloves, minced1/2 cup water or vegetable stock2 15-ounce cans pinto beans1 15-ounce can tomato sauce1 cup fresh or frozen corn1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon dried oregano1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/8 teaspoon cayenne *TVP = Textured Vegetable Protein and is made from soy protein and can replace beef.

Pour the boiling water over the textured vegetable protein and let stand until softened.

Braise the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in water until the onion is soft, then add the remaining ingredients, including the textured vegetable protein. Simmer at least 30 minutes.

Apple Crisp

4 large tart apples3/4 cup sugar or other sweetener1/2 cup flour1 teaspoon cinnamon1-1/2 cups rolled oats1/3 cup Spectrum Naturals Spread or margarine Preheat oven to 350° F.

Peel the apples, if desired, then core and thinly slice them. Toss with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and cinnamon. Spread evenly in a 9” x 13” baking dish.

Mix the rolled oats with the remaining flour and sugar. Add the Spectrum Naturals Spread (or margarine) and work the mixture until it is uniformly crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes, until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Curried Tofu with Peanuts

3/4 cup chopped peanuts, whole or chopped1 pound tofu, drained and sliced3 tablespoons oil1 onion, chopped1 teaspoon salt 2 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon curry powder1 cup peas (fresh, frozen, or canned)1 carrot, diced Sauté the onions and garlic in oiled frying pan. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10-20 minutes. Add a little water if needed.

Variations: Use garlic powder or ginger instead of garlic. Use different nuts or vegetables.

Have a killer craving for cheesy pizza? Or cheesy potato fries? Or just need to inhale an entire tub of mac & cheese? Being a vegan doesn’t mean you have to trade those comfort foods in with your past omnivorous lifestyle — all thanks to Vegan Gourmet®’’s line of cheese alternatives from the Follow You Heart®

Natural Foods company.

The 100% non-dairy cheeses are all natural and free of cholesterol, animal products, casein and gluten.

With four delicious fl avors to satisfy any food craving — rich cheddar, savory jack, zesty nacho and tasty mozzarella — Vegan Gourmet®’’s cheeses can be used in casseroles, sauces, baking, and even fondues. It melts just like the real thing for anything needing that ooey, gooey, stretchy cheesiness! Follow these tips for best results:

FeaturedProduct • Keep the dish covered, as cheese melts best in a moist environment.

• Keep slices thin for faster and even melting.

• For fondues, melt chunks of cheese completely on medium heat setting, then turning the heat down and stirring occasionally. If the fondue becomes too thick, just add a little water.

• When making thick-crust pizzas, pizza bagels, or French bread pizzas, shred the cheese, and place under

broiler at 450° F.

• When baking casseroles, cover until almost fi nished, then uncover to brown cheese under the broiler at 450° F.

Can’t fi nd Vegan Gourmet®’s cheeses in your local grocery store? Visit FollowYourHeart.com or call (818) 725-2820, for ordering and distribution information.


| coverstory

THE LAW“…if one person is unkind to an animal, it is considered to be cruelty, but where a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and, once sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people.”

– Ruth Harrison, Animal Machines By Maureen Jacob

• Lumberton, North Carolina: a resident at a mobile home park sees a young girl throwing a squirming pillowcase into a pond. Authorities find three six- to eight-week-old cocker spaniel puppies alive inside.

• Albuquerque, New Mexico: a 5-month-old Chihuahua is recovering from severe head and internal injuries after being thrown against a wall.

• Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania: a stray cat is found shot in the arm and meowing in agony.

• A day-old calf is torn from his mother’s side as she bellows in distress. He is chained by his neck in a wooden crate too small for him to even turn around. Motherless and alone, he languishes in isolation for 16-weeks before being shipped to slaughter.

• A newly hatched male chick -- deemed “worthless” by the egg industry -- is thrown into a huge blender-like machine, where his body is torn apart while he is still alive.

• A young steer is burned with a hot iron (branded), his testicles are ripped out of his scrotum (castrated), and his horns are cut off. He endures these agonizing procedures without a single drop of painkiller.

• A 6-week old chicken is snapped into a moving shackle, has her throat slit open by a mechanical blade, and is drowned in scalding water.

ANIMALS &Inflicting third-degree burns to cattle: legal legalConfining 5-11 hens to a single cage: Neglecting a companion dog or cat: Illegal

Quite simply, institutionalized animal abuse is, for the most part, perfectly legal in the United States.

These are just some of the latest disturbing animal abuse cases that have captured the attention of the news media and left the public shocked and outraged. All cases are either undergoing legal investigation, or the perpetrators have been criminally charged and are serving jail time.

Here are some other recent, less publicized, but far more common, instances of animal cruelty:

What is the difference between these acts of animal cruelty, which rarely grab headlines, and the previous ones? The answer is simple: they involve institutionalized animal abuse -- occurring in the name of profit and food production. These inhumane acts are, for the most part, considered perfectly legal under current American laws.

This article aims to expose the little known truth behind the legal loopholes in our country’s federal and state laws that often render over 97% of domestic animals – those that are bred and killed for food – outside the legal realm of protection from egregious cruelty.

To the shock of most consumers who mistakenly believe that cows, pigs, and chickens are protected from mistreatment, chilling acts of neglect and abuse are routinely allowed to continue behind the walls of factory farms and slaughterhouses. It often happens without so much as a blink of an eye from local, state, or government agencies. In fact, every year in the U.S. alone, nearly ten billion farmed animals are subjected to crowded living conditions, painful mutilations, traumatic transports, and inhumane deaths. The perpetrators of such treatment could face felony level cruelty-to-animals charges if farmed animals were granted the same legal protection as dogs, cats, and other companion animals.

Quite simply, such exemptions are out of step with the values of most Americans who show widespread support for laws to protect all animals. A 2003 Gallup poll indicated that nearly two-thirds of Americans “support passing strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals.” A Zogby poll conducted that same year found that nearly 70 percent of Americans find it “unacceptable” that farm animals have no federal protection from abuse while on the farm, and more than four-fifths of Americans believe there should be effective laws to prevent farmed animal cruelty.

State Animal Laws & Common Farming ExemptionsState Animal Laws & Common Farming Exemptions

History & Federal Animal LawsHistory & Federal Animal LawsHistory & Federal Animal Laws

Spring/Summer 07

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is the federal law that governs the humane care, handling, treatment, and transportation of animals used in laboratories.

Contrary to popular belief, it does not prohibit any experiment, no matter how painful or useless; it simply sets minimum housing and maintenance standards for confi ned animals.

The AWA also applies to dog and cat breeders, puppy mills, zoos, circuses, and various other animal handlers.

The Humane Slaughter Act is supposed to require that livestock slaughter “be carried out only by humane methods” to prevent “needless suffering.”

However, this act does not apply to chickens, turkeys, or fi sh – which make up over 95% of the animals slaughtered for food in the United States. Thus, the law covers less than 5% of the animals slaughtered for human consumption.

The law also does not apply to ritual slaughter, such as Kosher slaughter, despite the fact that some of the worst abuses have been found in Kosher slaughterhouses.

Even when an act of cruelty is actually considered illegal under the law, it is unlikely to be enforced. The USDA has never bothered to criminally prosecute anyone for violating the Humane Slaughter Act. Further, the Act applies only to slaughterhouses under federal meat inspection - not state-inspected or small custom facilities.

The 28 Hour Law prohibits the interstate transport of animals for more than 28 hours without being unloaded for food, water, and rest.

This law is frequently violated with truckers sometimes going 36 hours or more without giving the animals a break. The law is rarely enforced by the Attorney General and the maximum penalty is only $500. Animals transported by air or water, or within state borders, receive no protection under this law.

The law does not regulate the actual conditions in which the animals are transported. For example, the law does not prevent animals from being overcrowded or from having to endure freezing temperatures.

Twenty-Eight Hour LawEnacted: 1873; repealed, reenacted and amended in 1994

Humane Slaughter Act1958

History & Federal Animal Laws

Today, not a single federal law exists that provides protection to animals raised for food during their lives on the farm. Shockingly, you can cram a farmed animal in a cage so small that they can’t turn around (battery-cages, veal crates, farrowing stalls), you can rip off their body parts without pain killers (castration), you can starve them (forced-molting), and you can deny them access to veterinary care. There is no federal law preventing any of these acts.

There are currently only two areas where some farmed animals have any federal protection whatsoever -- transport and slaughter. However, even these laws are weak to the point of absurdity.

A quick breakdown of federal laws pertaining to animal welfare follows: Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

Congress passed the AWA in 1966

State Animal Laws & Common Farming Exemptions

David Wolfson, lawyer and author of Beyond the Law: Agribusiness and the Systematic Abuse of Animals Raised for Food or Food Production, termed these laws Common Farming Exemptions (CFEs).

CFEs allow states to get away with carrying out acts that previously may have been considered illegal, such as using battery cages, veal and gestation crates; debeaking, dehorning, tail docking, castration, branding and beak searing without anesthesia; forced molting, force-feeding, skinning, dismemberment, suffocation, scalding, gassing, grinding up; and withholding veterinary care.

Other states go a step further and entirely exclude certain animals, such as poultry, from their anti-cruelty laws. This is quite signifi cant given that poultry account for 95% of the nearly ten billion farmed animals slaughtered each year.

At least thirty states have managed to pass their CFEs through the legal system and avoid prosecution for their inhumane farming practices.


The Animal Welfare Act, however, does not cover farmed animals (used or intended for use as food or fi ber).

Birds, rats, and mice, which make up nearly 90% of the animals used in animal experiments, are also not covered by the Act.

Like the other federal laws, the AWA is rarely enforced. A document from the USDA showed that in 2005, a mere 70 inspectors were responsible for inspecting over 8,000 facilities, making any type of meaningful inspection nearly impossible.

| coverstory

The federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) does not provide protection for mice, rats, birds, or any farmed animal.

Since the early nineteenth century, laws have been created to protect animals from cruelty. In fact, the original laws created by many states in the early to mid 1800’s were established for the protection of farmed animals such as cows, sheep, horses, etc – animals who possessed monetary value to the owner.

These laws were created not so much to protect the animals for their own sake, but rather to protect the interests of the property owner. For example, laws were passed that made it a crime to destroy another person’s livestock. Most of these early laws excluded dogs and cats.

Ironically, the situation today is somewhat reversed; dogs and cats are granted some legal protection on the state and federal level, but many federal and state laws now exclude farmed animals.

All fi fty states have anti-cruelty statutes – varying in degree, language, coverage, and criminal status (some consider animal cruelty a misdemeanor, while others classify it as a felony).

Given the ineffective federal legal protection for farmed animals, one may assume that such animals receive greater protection at the state level. In this context, the only signifi cant protection for farmed animals are criminal anti-cruelty statutes which are intended to prohibit “unjustifi able” and/or “unnecessary” suffering to animals. In fact, many of such statutes were originally enacted to protect farmed animals. Thus, the question is simple: do state criminal anti-cruelty statutes protect farmed animals from cruelty today? The answer is, for the most part, no. While these laws have never worked well to protect farmed animals, there is a fast growing trend to ensure that farmed animals are removed from the reach of these statutes entirely.

The trend, pushed forward by the heavy hand of agribusiness interests wishing to escape potential cruelty prosecution, is to remove legal protection to farmed animals by deeming legal anything viewed by the farming community as “accepted,” “common,” “customary,” or “normal.” Essentially the very corporations that profi t from farmed animal exploitation are now being given the power to decide what is and isn’t cruel.

Essentially the very corporations that profit from farmed animal exploitation are now being given the power to decide what is and isn’t cruel.

Calves raised for veal are isolated in crates so narrow they are unable to even turn around.


| coverstory

Spring/Summer 07

EnforcementEnforcement

Amidst the gloom, there is some hope on the horizon. Farmed animals are beginning to gain protection in a number of states when citizens, not lobbyists for agribusiness, are given a chance to draft and vote on initiatives relating to farmed animal welfare.

In November of 2006, for example, Arizona voters passed the Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act (Proposition 204), making it the fi rst state in the nation to ban veal crates and the second state to ban gestation crates for pregnant pigs.

Not only are the laws weak, but they’re also rarely enforced. Police and public prosecutors frequently view animal cruelty cases as a low priority, and let those responsible for the abuse off the hook, particularly when the victims are farmed animals.

Convictions are infrequent and often dealt with a slap-on-the-wrist mentality - punishments are typically limited to relatively small fi nes. Currently, eight states do not even consider animal cruelty a felony under any circumstances, no matter how egregiously cruel the crime. And while most states do consider certain types of animal cruelty a felony, the majority of these statutes specifi cally exclude farmed animals.

Even if the police and prosecutors were eager to enforce criminal anti-cruelty statutes, it is virtually impossible for enforcement agents to ascertain what occurs on the average farm because a farm is private property. Without any regulatory inspection powers, police and law enforcement

As we can see, gone are the days of the small family farmer. The big red barn and open pastures have been replaced with windowless metal sheds, wire cages, and tiny stalls. Intense factory farming has become the accepted standard in today’s agricultural system whose end goal is to produce maximum amounts of food for maximum profi t.

As the saying goes, “for the love of money is the root of all evil,” and the same might be said of commercial animal abuse — money feeds its hungry belly. This is big business and big money. Annual sales among the meat packing, meat processing and poultry processing industries are estimated at more than $100 billion per year.

With all this money comes power, and commercial farmers and organizations have used that power to designate huge budgets in enlisting lobbyists to ensure that their inhumane money-making machines can continue to operate at maximum effortlessness, without being hindered by anti-cruelty laws.

Compared to the monstrous budgets of commercial farms, typically, animal advocacy groups operate on much smaller pools of monies that limit their clout in getting legislators’ attention and votes.

According to a recent op-ed in The Arizona Republic, Matthew Scully, author of Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy, brought to attention how the power of the pork industry’s allies in the Arizona Legislature proposed a constitutional amendment to bar the public from passing any laws promoting the humane treatment of farm animals, effective Jan. 1, 2006. Scully reported that if the humane-farming initiative passed by the public’s vote, industry lobbyists planned to nullify the law retroactively.

Evidence of that persuasive monetary clout is also evident in the recent passing of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), a bill that protects animal enterprises by branding animal activists as “terrorists” and may threaten legitimate activities such as boycotts, investigations, and whistle-blowing by law-abiding groups and individuals.

The list of supporters who rallied in favor of the Act reads like a who’s who of the animal exploitation industries, including such deep-pocketed organizations as The Fur Commission and Animal Agriculture Alliance.

Another key component in this lethal mix of money, profi t and continued animal abuse is society’s misperception of farmed animals as incapable of experiencing physical or emotional pain. Agribusiness has long worked to strip cows, pigs, and chickens of their unique personalities and needs – reducing them to commodities. In food production, animals are turned into mere “food-production units,” “crops,” “grain-consuming animal units” (as defi ned by the USDA), and “biomachines.” In an issue of the industry journal Hog Farm Management, John Byrnes advised: “Forget the pig is an animal. Treat him just like a machine in a factory.”

One of the largest egg producers in the U.S. northeast, ISE Inc., was convicted of cruelty to animals for discarding two living chickens in a trashcan. ISE appealed the conviction, claiming that its hens can legally be treated like manure, because to ISE, it viewed the chickens as inanimate commodities and as “tools of production.”

In court, when asked if there was a difference between manure and a live hen, the defense attorney for ISE Inc. bluntly stated: “No, your honor.”

Once again, to agribusiness, the mighty dollar is more important than that of a sentient being’s welfare.

Eleven out of fi fteen Arizona counties supported the measure. A similar measure gained support of voters in Florida in 2002 – banning gestation crates.

These efforts, however, involve massive amounts of time and fi nancial resources and face fi erce opposition from animal exploitation industries. Further, many states prohibit or are working to severely restrict such citizen-initiated issues from ever making it on the ballot.

offi cers associated with Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and humane societies must demonstrate probable cause to obtain a warrant to search private property for evidence of abuse. Unless the agency is informed by someone “on the inside,” it is extremely diffi cult for information to be discovered, and evidence obtained without a valid warrant will be suppressed.

In certain states the obstacles are even greater. In Tennessee, for example, the anti-cruelty statute specifi cally states that although the SPCA is statutorily authorized to investigate animal abuse, it cannot do so in the case of farmed animals. Instead, law enforcement investigations relating to farmed animals, and entries onto farms, can only be conducted following an examination by “the county agricultural extension agent of such county, a graduate of an accredited college of veterinary medicine specializing in livestock practice or a graduate from an accredited college of agriculture with a specialty in livestock.” A small animal veterinarian does not make the cut.

How Did This Happen?How Did This Happen?How Did This Happen?

In court, when asked if there was a difference between manure and a live hen, the defense attorney for ISE Inc. bluntly stated: “No, your honor.”

(T) Sow in gestation crate. (B) Debeaked hen.

What Can We Do?What Can We Do?What Can We Do?


| coverstory

Spring/Summer 07

“To be a vegetarian is to disagree -- to disagree with the course of things today… Vegetarianism is my statement. And I think it’s a strong one.”

Certainly we must continue to work on improving the existing animal welfare laws, and to create new ones. We owe this much to the unfortunate animals who, due to current demand for their skin, milk, fl esh, and eggs, are condemned to the nightmare reality of factory farms and slaughterhouses. It is our obligation to provide relief and reduce their suffering as much as possible. Most importantly, however, we need to focus on attacking the problem at its roots – rather than merely addressing its symptoms.

To be effective in the long term, we must work to create a society that respects all of its members, including the weakest, most vulnerable, and those without a voice – the animals. Adopting a vegetarian diet is an essential fi rst step toward putting this commitment and vision into practice.

As Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer said, “To be a vegetarian is to disagree -- to disagree with the course of things today… Vegetarianism is my statement. And I think it’s a strong one.”

Such an ethic is sometimes viewed as impractical or not fast enough. But, quite the contrary, it is arguably the most effi cient way to reduce animal suffering over the long term. The simple act of one person adopting a vegetarian lifestyle prevents the suffering and death of thousands of animals. And for every person who is inspired to become vegetarian, or simply reduce their consumption of animal products, thousands more animals will be spared unimaginable suffering.

The current situation is a product of demand for cheap meat, dairy, and eggs. Like all markets, the food industry is driven by consumers. As demand for the fl esh, skin, milk, and eggs of animals declines, so too will the number of animals subjected to the grim realities discussed in this article.

Regardless of what path we choose in fi ghting the injustices against animals– whether it is writing letters to your representatives, changing your diet, or educating others about the issues -- it is essential that we take action. The system of animal exploitation won’t change unless we make it change.

Go Vegetarian – Every time we sit down to eat, we can choose compassion over cruelty. Adopting a healthy, non-violent vegetarian diet is the single most important and powerful action you can take to end animal cruelty. For free information, resources, tips, and recipes to help you make the transition to a cruelty-free diet, visit ChooseVeg.com.

Change the law – As many states in our Nation are moving backwards, by amending their laws to specifi cally exempt farm animals from protection, other countries are moving forward. Over the past decade the European Union has moved to outlaw such cruel factory farm systems as the veal crate, gestation stall, and barren battery-cage. It is high time that our elected offi cials stop ignoring the plight of farmed animals.

In the United States, 10 billion land animals are raised and killed

annually by the meat, egg, and dairy industries. Despite the incredible number of individuals and the routine suffering too many endure, these farm animals do not receive protection under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Moreover, 95% of the animals slaughtered each year do not receive protection under the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

Contact your elected offi cials today and urge them to support efforts to amend these federal Acts to provide protection to all farmed animals. Further, urge your representatives to support pro-animal legislation.

Expose the truth – Industries that abuse animals work very diligently to keep their abusive practices concealed from the public. Few consumers know the truth regarding animals and the law. Please share this issue of CL with a friend or family member.

The Larger ProblemThe Larger ProblemThe Larger Problem

One might think that the biggest problem animals face is that the laws are too weak, or that the laws aren’t enforced, or that the large corporations have too much infl uence and money in politics.

All of these present huge obstacles to achieve any type of meaningful protection for animals, but they are dwarfed by the underlying problem: that animals are regarded as pieces of property--commodities to be owned or consumed.

Since childhood, most Americans have been taught and conditioned to view certain animals as things – a hamburger, a chicken nugget, a leather couch, a fur coat – a means to an end – a something instead of a someone. As long as we regard other creatures as our property to be bought and sold, to be owned or mastered, to be slaughtered for fashion or because we like the taste of their fl esh—animals will continue to be exploited and suffer needlessly, and we will continue to distance ourselves from our own humanity.

The current oppression of animals is rooted in a belief system, and economic ladder, that has led humanity down the road of other injustices throughout our history.

The view, and legal status, for example, of human beings as slaves - mere property - led to unmitigated exploitation and cruelty. Similarly, the current legal status of animals as personal property has led to exploitation on an unimaginable scale. Enforcing and developing stronger and more stringent laws which protect animals from cruelty is crucial. However, the solution must not end at mere welfare reforms, as it only treats the symptom of a much larger societal injustice. Just as we would be foolish to believe that simply passing laws requiring shorter forced work days, lighter chains, or fewer beatings would end the injustice of human slavery, we must not fi nd contentment with simply a few more inches of cage space or wider crates.

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ActionTake !Action

The current oppression of animals is rooted in a belief system, and economic ladder, that has led humanity down the road of other injustices throughout our history.

The view and legal status of animals as mere property has resulted in billions of sentient beings being reduced to disposable commodities to be bought, sold, exploited, and slaughtered at their owners’ discretion.


| actionalert

Spring/Summer 07

Less than a year after it pledged to adopt a permanent fur-free policy, ShopNBC—the television shopping channel and online retailer for NBC TV—has reneged on its promise. This is despite the fact that leading clothing retailers like Forever 21, J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Polo Ralph Lauren, and others have pulled fur from their stores forever. Animals on fur farms spend their entire lives exposed to all weather conditions and confi ned to cramped, fi lthy wire cages. They often go without adequate shelter, clean water, veterinary care, or the ability to engage in natural behaviors like climbing, burrowing, and swimming. In these conditions of intensive confi nement, the animals suffer from severe physical and psychological trauma.

Fur farmers use the cheapest and cruelest killing methods, including suffocation, electrocution, gassing, and poisoning. These crude killing methods aren’t always effective, and sometimes animals “wake up” while they are being skinned. With so many fashionable, comfortable alternatives available, there is no excuse for ShopNBC to sell fur apparel.

Despite being one of the most popular companion animals in the country, rabbits are among the most exploited. Domestic rabbits – cherished for their playful, gentle natures – are skinned for their fur, blinded to test cosmetics, and raised by breeders motivated by profi t.

But the exploitation doesn’t end there. Rabbit meat is a growing U.S. industry. The rabbit-meat industry follows the inhumane practices of the poultry and egg industries, often packing animals in small wire battery cages. Such confi nement can cause a host of health problems, yet sick rabbits are routinely denied veterinary care. Investigators have found rabbits living in overstocked, unsanitary conditions.

The USDA divides animals into two groups: livestock and poultry. It defi nes livestock as large animals and poultry as “chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, capons, rabbits, and other.” As such, rabbits are exempt from the Humane Slaughter Act. Often fully conscious while being slaughtered, they are killed using a number of cruel methods, including a blow to the head, decapitation, or cutting the throat.

The combination of inhumane treatment and increased efforts to market their fl esh clearly spell bad luck for rabbits. Take action today to help turn the tide in favor of these lovable critters.

Morningstar Farms®, which is owned by the Kellogg® company, is currently purchasing eggs produced by hens confi ned inside barren wire battery cages. Battery caged hens are typically provided with a meager 67 square inches of space in which to live—that’s less than the size of this page. These birds are so intensively confi ned for their entire lives that they are denied their natural inclinations to spread their wings, perch, preen, or even walk.

Morningstar Farms® has long been a leader in supplying delicious vegetarian foods to a growing market. Let them know that the market also wants them to remove their support from the cruel battery egg industry. Please encourage them to join with companies like Gardenburger®, which last year announced it has taken eggs out of all its products except for one private-sourced item.

24Average number of hours it takes a hen to lay a single egg. Over

95% of U.S. egg-laying hens spend their entire

lives crowded into cages so small they can’t fl ap their wings or walk.

Please contact Morningstar Farms® and politely request that they remove eggs from their products. Let them know one of their biggest competitors, Gardenburger®, has already made this decision for all but one of its products.

Submit Your Comments Online

Visit Morningstar-Egg-Facts.com to send your polite and thoughtful comments directly to Morningstar Farms® using an online form.

Make a Call:

Call Kellogg®’s customer feedback hotline at1-800-962-1413, Mon. thru Thurs. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Fri. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m, Eastern Standard Time. Say: “Representative.” Press 2 for product information Press 1 for general inquiries

Write a Letter to:

Morningstar Farms®

c/o Kellogg® Consumer AffairsP.O. Box CAMBBattle Creek, MI 49016

WRITE, CALL, EMAIL

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Put the

Urge Morningstar Farms® to Adopt an Egg-Free Policy

Before theEggChicken

Eggs used in Morningstar Farms products come from hens confi ned in cruel, barren battery-cages - like the ones shown here.

UnfurgivableShopNBC Reneges on

Don’t patronize restaurants that serve rabbit; better yet, ask them to stop.

Ask the USDA to protect rabbits under the Humane Slaughter Act:

Secretary Mike JohannsUSDA1400 Independence Ave., S.W.Room 200-AWashington, DC 20250Phone: (202) 720-3631Fax: (202) 720-2166Email: [email protected]

Visit RabbitProduction.com and watch the fi lm “Rabbits: Pets or Poultry?”

WRITE, CALL, EMAIL

BatteredBunnies

BatteredBunnies

Battered

Fur-Free Promise

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Rabbits, which are exploited and killed by the fashion, food, and research industries, are classifi ed as “poultry” by the USDA.

WRITE, CALL, EMAILPlease take a moment to let ShopNBC know that you are outraged that it reneged on its promise and urge the company to discontinue its sale of real fur:

William Lansing, CEOShopNBC6740 Shady Oak Rd.Eden Prairie, MN 55344Phone: (952) 943-6868Fax: (612) 947-0188Email: [email protected]

| exclusiveinterview


What inspired you to write Chew On This?

ERIC: Chuck came to me with the idea. His mother runs a small children’s book company, and he thought that kids should have access to the information in Fast Food Nation. After all, they are being targeted by fast food marketers day and night. Why not give them a different point-of-view? It seemed like such a good idea, I insisted that Chuck write it with me.

CHUCK: Young people are bombarded with fast-food advertising, and they are establishing eating habits that can stay with them for a lifetime—often with very harmful consequences.

Similar changes have been seen in the hog, poultry, and egg industry. Some of McDonald’s egg suppliers house 1 million birds under a single roof. Chickens and turkeys are now processed on disassembly lines that can slaughter an animal every two-and-a-half seconds.

When researching for the book, was there anything you discovered that particularly surprised you?

CHUCK: We were delighted to stumble upon a few stories of renegade industrialized animals who managed to cheat death. We relate the tale of two pigs in England who, shortly before they were to be killed, wriggled through a hole in a fence, swam across the Avon River, and remained on the lam for a week. Eventually they were captured and bought by the Daily News newspaper and given to a farm where they are still living peacefully. People named them Butch and Sundance after the famous renegades in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

We also tell the story of a two-year-old dairy cow in Massachusetts named Emily who was sent to slaughter by her owner. Shortly before she was to enter the slaughterhouse, Emily ran away, jumped over a 5-foot high fence, and then escaped into the woods, where she foraged alongside deer for forty days and nights. She was eventually captured by a vegetarian couple and raised by them until she died of natural causes.

So we set out to write a book that explained in a very simple, direct voice where fast food came from, how it’s marketed, and what can happen to a young person’s body if he or she eats too much of it. A book like this allows young people to make their own informed decisions about what they are eating. We never wanted to be didactic or heavy-handed; we simply wanted to present a side of the fast-food story that young people would never see in $3 billion worth of television advertisements every year.

How has the fast food industry changed the raising and slaughtering of animals?

CHUCK: The fast-food industry’s demand for cheap meat has had enormous consequences for both animals and workers. During the late 1960s, McDonald’s bought fresh ground beef from 175 regional companies. Within a few years, as the chain rapidly began to spread across the United States, McDonald’s switched to frozen hamburger patties and reduced the number of its beef suppliers to five. This had a huge impact on the centralization and industrialization of the meatpacking industry. The fast food chains want a uniform product that tastes exactly the same at thousands of different locations—and they want it cheap. A major consequence is that they have turned animals into industrial commodities on a massive scale.

ERIC: For thousands of years, cattle roamed the prairie, eating native grasses and co-existing with a wide range of other species. Today, cattle are being fattened for slaughter at feedlots that contain as many as 100,000 cattle. They are routinely given antibiotics and growth hormones. They live in each others’ waste and eat genetically modified grain out of concrete troughs. These feedlots are bad for the environment, bad for the health of the animals, and bad for the health of people who eat them. Along with mega-feedlots, the industry has brought us mega-slaughterhouses. Fifty years ago, it was hard to find a slaughterhouse that could kill 120 cattle an hour. Today, the largest slaughterhouses process 400 an hour. It’s all about speed, efficiency, cheapness, and uniformity. Meatpacking used to be one of the most highly-paid, unionized jobs in America; now it is one of the lowest-paid industrial jobs—and one of the most dangerous jobs.

...do you want lies with that?

“Some of McDonald’s egg suppliers house 1 million birds under a single roof. Chickens and turkeys are now processed on disassembly lines that can slaughter an animal every two-and-a-half seconds.

Have you ever wondered what lurks behind those nuggets, fries and burgers? Award-winning journalist Eric Schlosser exposed the gruesome facts in his book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of

the All American Meal, a provocative exposé of the American fast food industry.

After the success of Fast Food Nation, Charles “Chuck” Wilson, who has written articles for publications such as The New York Times and Washington Post, urged Eric Schlosser to share his insight with young people. In Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast Food, Schlosser and Wilson empower kids by revealing the sad truth about Happy Meals. Mercy For Animals’ Lizz Petroff recently had the chance to ask Eric and Chuck about their groundbreaking book.


• One in four children and 40 percent of all teens eat fast food daily.

• Twenty percent of all public high schools sell “branded fast foods.”

• Ninety percent of kids eat at McDonald’s at least once a month.

• Children see $3 billion plus worth of fast food advertising every year.

• If a child is obese by the age of thirteen, there’s more than a 90 percent chance that he or she will be overweight at 35.

• A ten-year-old child diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can expect to lose 17 or more years of his or her life.

nearby streams or into groundwater—or it can somehow stray into spinach fi elds, as seen in the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.

We tell the story in our book of a 4 million pound pile of poop at a feedlot in Milford, Nebraska, that spontaneously caught fi re in 2004. Firefi ghters were not able to pour water on it because they did not want to pollute nearby streams. The 30-foot-high manure fi re burned for four months straight. The pictures of the manure pile look like a smoky Rocky mountain backdrop until you realize it’s something not nearly as serene.

How have workers been affected by the fast food industry?

ERIC: The fast food industry pioneered a whole new sort of service sector employment: low wages, high turnover, no benefi ts. There’s a reason why they’re called McJobs. The fast food industry is the nation’s largest employer of mini-mum wage labor. And it should come as no surprise that the fast food chains have for years been some of the strongest opponents of any increase in the minimum wage. Thanks to them, the federal minimum wage, adjusted for infl ation, is lower than it was fi fty years ago. It’s about 40 percent lower than it was in the late 1960s, when the industry started to grow.

Other companies in other sectors of the economy have imi-tated the fast food labor model. So you increasingly see jobs that have been carefully designed to provide no training and that treat workers like they’re interchangeable parts of a ma-chine. These companies have proven very skilled at impos-ing their labor costs on the rest of society—since taxpayers now have to pay for the medical care of these poor workers.

How has the fast food industry impacted public health?

CHUCK: The founders of the fast food industry realized very early that by appealing directly to children, they could use “pester power” to bring a whole family into a restaurant. At McDonald’s, the food is wrapped up like a little present. It was linked to a free toy and a warm, friendly clown. A warm, friendly aura has been created around this food—an aura that can extend far beyond childhood, especially to those seeking comfort and familiarity. The foods that young people learn to like from a very young age can determine their eating pat-terns for the rest of their lives.

Fast food usually tastes pretty good, but it can be very bad for your health if you eat it all the time. At many fast food restaurants, as much as 80 percent or more of the business comes from the same 20 percent of the customers. These customers have sometimes been called “heavy users” within the industry, and they are the ones who are most likely to develop health problems from eating fast food. It is our hope with a book like this that you might create the sort of aware-ness where young people look very skeptically at fast-food marketing and think hard about what they want to eat.

Chew on These Facts:

You mention in your book that chickens are now suffering from heart attacks. Can you explain what is causing this?

ERIC: The chicken nugget revolutionized the whole broiler industry—including how the chickens are raised. Thirty years ago, more than half of Americans bought their chick-ens whole—but now only about 10 percent do. People have grown accustomed to eating chicken that’s been cut into strips or reconstituted into nuggets. To meet this demand, the big processors started to raise birds that had large chests and to accelerate their growth in order to cut costs. They started giv-ing antibiotics to chickens and feeding them animal byprod-ucts instead of their traditional meal of choice: grass.

Thirty years ago, a typical chicken being raised for slaugh-ter weighed about three-and-a-half pounds after a couple of months on the farm. Today, a typical chicken weighs fi ve-and-a-half pounds after only six weeks. Their growth rate is phe-nomenal and totally unnatural. It’s the equivalent of breeding a child who’d weigh 286 pounds by the age of six years.

CHUCK: These single-trait engineering techniques have had unintended consequences. Many birds have developed prob-lems with their legs because of the diffi culty of supporting their top-heavy bodies. It would also be hard to fi nd a person who raises broiler chickens today who doesn’t have to discard birds killed by heart attacks. Even though chickens live only six weeks from hatching to slaughter, many don’t even survive that brief lifespan. Their hearts simply cannot support their tremendous rate of growth and simply give out. Some-times this results in something called “fl ip-over disease”—the birds suddenly fl ip over and die.

You also write about the problem of animal waste. How much waste is produced in feedlots and slaughterhouses and where does it all go?

CHUCK: Producing beef, as many have pointed out, is a very ineffi cient enterprise. One cow generates the amount of waste as about 16.4 people. Each steer deposits about 50 pounds of urine and manure every day. At the big feedlots, this stuff goes into lagoons that emit hydrogen sulfi de and ammonia that can be damaging to breathe. The manure can leak into

| exclusiveinterview

Today, a typical chicken weighs fi ve-and-a-half pounds after only six weeks. Their growth rate is phenomenal and totally unnatural. It’s the equivalent of breeding a child who’d weigh 286 pounds by the age of six years.

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Eric Schlosser

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>> Animals are trapped, gassed, electrocuted, clubbed, drowned, and skinned alive to produce fur and fur-trimmed garments.

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Compassionate Living (Mercy for Animals Magazine) Issue 1

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Transcript of Compassionate Living (Mercy for Animals Magazine) Issue 1