Please Help Farm Animals!

[nismosmama]

I am not sure if that has been posted already. I looked around and didn't see anything about it posted, so please forgive me if this is a repeat.

There is currently a bill called the The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act that I along with millions of people are hoping will make it to the voters ballot and will HOPEFULLY be passed. I am just asking that if anyone sees petitioners with the signature sheets around town to PLEASE sign it, or if you'd like to do more, you can go to the following link and actually volunteer to help gather signatures . We must collect the signatures of 650,000 registered California voters by the end of February 2008. Here is the link for volunteer information:
http://www.humanecalifornia.org/volunteer/index.php

And here is some general information about the bill and what it is exactly:
For calves, pigs and egg-laying hens, intensive confinement in crates and cages causes painful and severe welfare problems.

Due to animal welfare concerns, the entire European Union has already banned veal crates and is phasing out gestation crates and barren battery cages. Yet, in the United States, the use of these abusive crates and cages remains customary practice.

By voting YES to prevent farm animal cruelty, you will help us to outlaw these cruel crates and cages in California

Who is Californians for Humane Farms?
Californians for Humane Farms is sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary and other animal protection groups, family farmers, veterinarians, and public health professionals, who have joined together in an effort to launch a statewide initiative for the November 2008 ballot—one that will improve the lives of millions of farm animals in California.

What will this measure do?
The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act provides the most basic protection to farm animals: merely allowing them to turn around and extend their limbs. It's hard to imagine a more moderate initiative. The purpose of the measure is to prevent three of the most cruel and inhumane forms of extreme confinement in the world of animal agribusiness: veal crates, battery cages, and gestation crates. All three of these practices have already been legislated against in the European Union.

What are veal crates?
In order to produce veal, calves who would normally still be nursing are taken from their mothers. For the four months before they're slaughtered, the calves are typically tethered by their necks in crates too narrow for them to turn around or even lie down in comfortably. Prevented from engaging in their natural behaviors or from satisfying basic psychological needs, calves crated for veal suffer immensely.

Not only has the American Veal Association now recommended that the industry phase out the confinement of calves in veal crates, but the largest veal producer is ending its use of veal crates. The company's CEO asserts that veal crates are "inhumane and archaic practices that do nothing more than subject a calf to stress, fear, physical harm and pain."

What are battery cages?
California has approximately 19 million egg-laying hens. The vast majority of them are confined in barren battery cages that are so small they can barely move. In fact, each caged hen has less space than a sheet of letter-sized paper on which to live for more than a year before she is slaughtered.

The birds can't even spread their wings, let alone nest, dust bathe, perch, or walk. They endure lives filled with suffering.
Poultry scientist Dr. Ian Duncan states unequivocally: "Battery cages for laying hens have been shown (by me and others) to cause extreme frustration, particularly when the hen wants to lay an egg. Battery cages are being phased out in Europe and other more humane husbandry systems are being developed."

How will egg-laying hens be housed if they must be able to turn around and fully extend their limbs?
Cage-free housing usually provides hens 200-300 percent more space per bird. The animals are able to walk, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in nests—all behaviors permanently denied to hens confined in battery cages. Several California egg producers already operate cage-free egg farms

What are gestation crates?
During their four-month pregnancies, nearly 20,000 female breeding pigs in California are confined in barren gestation crates—individual metal stalls only two feet wide. The crates are so small that the animals cannot even turn around. Barely able to move, the pigs develop crippling joint disorders and lameness.

Renowned farm animal expert Dr. Temple Grandin agrees that gestation crates are problematic, stating that, "Basically, you're asking a sow to live in an airline seat. . . . I think it's something that needs to be phased out."

Doesn't the gestation crate protect the mother pig from rolling or stepping on her piglets?
No. A typical sow is locked in a gestation crate for nearly her whole four-month pregnancy. Right before giving birth, she is moved from the gestation crate into a farrowing crate—a metal stall designed to separate her from her nursing piglets. After the piglets are weaned prematurely, the sow is re-impregnated and confined once again to a gestation crate. Farrowing crates are exempted from this proposed initiative.

How will female breeding pigs be raised if they must be able to turn around and fully extend their limbs?
Many farmers already raise pigs without using gestation crates, so there is no reason why those currently using gestation crates here in California can't do the same. In fact, the nation's largest pig producer—Smithfield Foods—is ending its confinement of pigs in gestation crates, and its competitor Cargill already raises more than half of its breeding sows without gestation crates. When gestation crates aren't used, pig producers generally use a group housing system where the sows are kept together in more spacious conditions, where they at least have room to turn around and extend their limbs.

Why focus on veal crates, battery cages, and gestation crates?
These three practices are among the cruelest confinement techniques used on factory farms—both in terms of the intensity and duration of confinement. Keeping animals so restrictively crated that they barely move for months on end is cruel and inhumane.

Why launch this initiative in California?
The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act will reduce the suffering of nearly 20 million animals confined on California factory farms. The measure will also prevent other out-of-state factory farm operators from setting up shop in our state with veal crates, battery cages, and gestation crates.

Florida, Arizona, and Oregon have banned gestation crates, and Arizona has also banned veal crates. Major California food retailers are moving away from supporting battery cages and veal and gestation crates. What's more, California city councils have passed resolutions opposing battery cage confinement.

Will this initiative put farmers out of business?
This measure targets large factory farms that have displaced smaller, independent family farms. Not only will this effort prevent animal cruelty, it can help protect small farmers from massive animal factories. Furthermore, producers will have six years—until 2015—to phase out these cruelest confinement practices, allowing ample time for the transition.

How do these factory farms affect public health?
The tolls factory farms exact on public health are well-documented. In 2003, the American Public Health Association passed a resolution urging officials nationwide to adopt a moratorium on factory farms. Studies have found that neighbors report more frequent occurrences of headaches, excessive coughing, diarrhea, and burning eyes as well as respiratory problems, weakness, and nausea. Furthermore, recent studies have found that children who attend schools near factory farms suffer increased incidences of asthma.

Will food prices increase if this initiative passes?
The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act does not have any impact on what food products can or cannot be sold in California, so consumers will still have many choices in the marketplace. The law merely requires that calves used for veal, female breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in the state be given enough room to turn around and extend their limbs -- it's hard to imagine something more moderate. Its passage will encourage producers to raise animals in systems that allow them to engage in more of their natural behaviors and are more environmentally sustainable. While it's possible that giving animals better living conditions may increase the retail cost by a few pennies, the hidden cost of continuing to keep them in such extreme confinement is increased cruelty, and it's the animals who are paying that extra price.

How do factory farms impact the environment?
Factory farm waste is a major pollution issue. Each year in the U.S., confined farm animals produce almost 500 million tons of manure, which frequently pollutes water and air and, in the process, harms rural communities. Factory farm waste also emits greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change. Ending the most intensive confinement practices will result in fewer animals and less manure in each facility.

How can I help?
Visit www.humanecalifornia.org for more information on how to support this historic initiative.

Contact director@humanecalifornia.org for more information on how to help, including door-to-door canvassing, securing campaign endorsements, fundraising, etc.

And of course, vote YES on the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act on November 4, 2008!

THANK YOU IF YOU HAVE READ THIS FAR, AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

[Ianthe]

I live in California, if I see any petitioners I will be sure to sign this. Non-pet animals are so overlooked.


Do you know how many signatures you have already? I'd think this would have a better time passing in California than many other places. I would volunteer if I weren't a total social phobic...

[Mommy Of One]

I am just going to add that in certain places you can adopt abused animals like pigs, chickens, and cows.

[Jenni_Feathers]

It is so sad, it makes me so mad to...there are these people that live on the road to my house who raise cattle, and every winter they bring them up into this really small pasture (its like 1 1/2 to 2 acres tops with about 40 head of cattle in it) and the grass obviously is gone and they live waist deep in cold mud that is mixed with manure and urine untill they are fat enough to sell to be sloughtered. It is so sad, and the worst part is there is nothing I can do, they have food and water...so it is legal.

Ya, there are places for abused farm animals. There is one not too far from me called Long Meadow Rescue Ranch, it is a branch of the Humane Society of Missouri.