Animal welfare news and information.
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a proposed rule covering requirements of the welfare of organic livestock. These changes are based on recommendations by the National Organic Standards Board. AMS Administrator Elanor Starmer said in a statement, “the demand for organic agriculture continues to grow each year and these proposed changes will build … Read more
The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) says that a Perdue contract grower must improve his culling program. The animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming took a video of flock conditions and showed it to the agency. The video was edited, but showed that the farmer need to fix his euthanasia protocols. Animal welfare programs … Read more
The Center for Food Safety (CFS) has issued a white paper that scolds the USDA for stalling poultry animal welfare regulations. Most egg and poultry operations would not be affected by the increased welfare standards. The USDA analysis of economic impact is “faulty”, according to CFS. The paper states that the largest organic farms are … Read more
Central Valley Meat, a California slaughterhouse that supplies meat to the National School Lunch Program, has been closed by the USDA for unsanitary conditions, according to the Los Angeles Times. A recall has not been issued. The closure is the latest in a string of recent troubles for Central Valley, located in Hanford, CA. In 2012, … Read more
The King Amendment, proposed by Representative Steve King (R-IA), which would have undercut animal welfare states and food safety laws, has been removed from the Farm Bill. The Humane Society of the United States supports this action. The Humane Society Fact Sheet on this amendment details their opposition. HSUS states that the amendment was an … Read more
Researchers at Auburn University have found the reason why vaccinations fail in some chickens in the U.S. The ARK IBV virus (Arkansas Infectious Bronchitis) causes infectious bronchitis in poultry even though the animals are vaccinated against it. The scientists found that the virus evolves as it replicates, making changes in the S1 protein that the chicken … Read more
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has sent a letter to the National Chicken Council (NCC), asking them to update guidelines for humane handling and living conditions for chickens. They say that “current unprecedented growth rates and standard living conditions of chickens not only pose serious concerns for their welfare, … Read more
Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) has analyzed the Pew Commission on Industry Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) report and its recommendations to fix health, environmental, animal welfare, and rural community problems caused by industrial food animal production (IFAP). The original report, “Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America” was released … Read more
Note: On June 20, 2013, the House failed to pass the Farm Bill 195-234. Of the 273 votes against the bill, 172 were from Democrats and 62 were from Republicans. The current Farm Bill expires in September 2013. The Humane Society is opposing the Farm Bill proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives because of … Read more
A report released by Compassion in World Farming and the World Society for the Protection of Animals has found that intensive factory farming is putting human health at risk. Factory farming that includes overcrowded conditions stress animals, increasing the risk of infection and the risk of these bacteria ending up in our food. In addition, … Read more