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1. Human Rights Group Says Meatpacking is Most Dangerous Job in the US
A new study released by an international human rights group says that workers at slaughterhouses and meatpacking facilities "suffer severe, life-threatening and sometimes life-ending injuries that are predictable and preventable." According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), increased line speeds, insufficient working space, unsanitary conditions, long hours, and inadequate training all contribute to a high rate of injury and illness. The study's author states that "meat packing is the most dangerous factory job in America." Indeed, research shows that in 2001 the meatpacking industry experienced about 20 injuries or illnesses per hundred full-time workers; by comparison, the average rate for all manufacturing jobs was about 8, and lower still for all private industry jobs. The research focused on interviews and secondary data from three facilities belonging to Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, and Nebraska Beef. The report recommends a range of federal actions to address the safety problem, including new legislation to slow production, establish standards to reduce injuries, and protect workers from being denied compensation for injuries.
The US meat industry has criticized HRW's report, including vehement responses from the American Meat Institute (AMI), Tyson Foods, the National Chicken Council, and others. The AMI's J. Patrick Boyle said the report is full of "falsehoods and baseless claims" and offered a point-by-point but largely non sequitur refutation of some criticisms. Among the refutations: line speeds have not increased "appreciably" in the past 15 years; government inspectors have adequate oversight for workplace safety; and that the meatpacking industry is at the forefront of setting standards for immigrant workers. Nonetheless, a day before HRW's report was published, Tyson Foods released a so-called "Bill of Rights" for its workers guaranteeing safety, nondiscrimination, and fair compensation.
FULL REPORT: "Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers' Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry Plants," Human Rights Watch, 1/24/05
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/
EDITORIAL: "Human Rights Watch Report 'Way off the Mark,' Says AMI," J. Patrick Boyle, AMI, 1/25/05
http://tinyurl.com/6pgfn
(MeatAMI.com website)
EDITORIAL: "Human Rights Hotspot: Iraq? Sudan? Try Omaha," Dan Murphy, Meatingplace.com, 1/28/05
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=13752
"Meat Worker Safety Criticized," CNN, 1/26/05
http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/26/news/fortune500/meat.reut/
"Analysis: Is Meatpacking a 'Jungle'?," Washington Times / UPI International, 1/26/05
http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050126-034450-9061r.htm
2.
Animal Handling and Welfare: Pigs; Dairy Cows; and Chickens
Farmed animal welfare is the subject of several recently-published items from the Canadian radio program FarmScape; topics include general animal handling, with emphasis on pig handling and stall size. An animal handling trainer in Saskatchewan says that understanding animal behavior and recognizing fear is essential to both humane and productive handling of farmed pigs. "A lot of times when we're getting responses that we don't want, it's because we haven't respected their need for time and space and those sorts of things." Other recent articles include an academic study on the genetic impact of injuries and illnesses on dairy cows and an industry report on the stress caused by cutting off the beaks of chicks reared as layer hens. See below for details.
PIGS: A Manitoba veterinarian claims
that gentle handling of pigs will result in reduced
stress for the animals, easier handling for farmers,
and higher quality flesh for human consumption. In
a small test conducted by Elanco Animal Health, individuals
in a group of gently-handled pigs showed no signs
of fatigue, while 20% of the pigs in the aggressively
handled group showed fatigue. The latter pigs also
showed other related effects, including increased
heart rates, increased levels of serum lactate, and
acidosis. Separately, Dr. Harold Gonyou of the Prairie
Swine Centre (Canada) recently spoke about research
showing that up to 80-90% of large sows are too big
for their stalls, which forces their udders to protrude
into neighboring stalls. Farmed sows approximately
double their body weight during their reproductive
lives, according to Gonyou. The sows typically lay
on their sides 60% of the time, and for large animals
there is significant potential for their udders to
be trampled by pigs in other stalls. Gonyou suggests
increasing stall size to reduce risk to sows, and
says that further research is being conducted to estimate
impact of larger stalls on sow longevity.
DAIRY COWS: A recent article in the
Journal of Dairy Science provides details of a comprehensive
study of genetic correlations between different health
traits affecting dairy cows. The abstract that is
available to non-subscribers mentions using nearly
275,000 "lactation incidence records" among 162,000
cows to evaluation correlations between ketosis, mastitis,
lameness, and other health problems. Although the
study found some correlations suggesting that on-farm
genetic selection can be improved, but for most problems
there appeared to be no correlations.
CHICKENS: A study from the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute & State University found that
different methods of beak-trimming chicks do not cause
different levels of stress. The project, funded by
the industry's US Poultry and Egg Association, found
no differences in stress between computerized infrared
beams and hot blades for trimming chicks' beaks. The
physiological stress was measured by calculating corticosterone
levels, with higher levels for birds showing greater
stress. Although the study found no differences between
trimming methods, there appeared to be "significantly
higher" stress levels among chickens whose beaks were
trimmed at younger ages. Those birds tend to have
higher levels of stress and lower body weights later
in life. The study authors sum up the industry's profit-focused
view of the research: "Since the results of this study
showed no significant increase in stress due to beak
trimming methods… the method chosen should be the
least expensive and fastest."
"Gentle Handling of Pigs Improves Pork Quality," Farmscape, 1/28/05
"Knowledge of Animal Behavior Eases Livestock Handling," Farmscape, 1/26/05
"Scientists in Saskatoon Evaluate Larger Sized Stalls," Farmscape, 1/31/05
>> All articles available at http://www.farmscape.ca/
(unique links not available)
"Genetic Selection for Health Traits Using Producer-Recorded Data," Journal of Dairy Science, Dec-2004
ABSTRACT: http://jds.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/12/4295
"Comparison of Age and Method of Beak Trimming in Layer Chicks," Poultry Times, 1/28/05
FULL REPORT: http://www.poultryegg.org/ResProj/PROJ_378.html
3. Key Points from Consumers Union Study of Animal Feed
As
mentioned in FAW # 79 (volume 2), the Consumers Union,
publisher of "Consumer Reports," published a new report
detailing food safety issues. The report addresses
the food and drugs administered to "beef" cows, chickens,
and farmed versus wild-caught fish. A few key points
from that document are provided below. Visit the Consumers
Union website to purchase the full report (http://www.consumerreports.org/).
- People in the US ate an average of "137 pounds of beef, chicken, fish, and shellfish" in 2002.
- Corn and soybeans make up 70-90% of feed for cows and chickens.
- Poultry litter, feathers, and even plastic pellets are acceptable in feed for cows according to the FDA. The FDA also approves of meat and bone meal used as feed for chickens.
- In the US, more than 14,000 companies sell up to 200 basic animal feeds and an even greater number of custom feeds.
- From late 1997 through 2003, 47 companies recalled 280 feed products that were in violation of the federal rules.
- The FDA is only able to test about 2% of imported fish and shellfish although imports account for 80% of fish consumed in the US.
4.
Pollution from Dairy Cows Less than Previously Believed, not from Waste
According to new research from the University of California Davis, dairy cows produce half as much air pollution as previously thought, and most of it comes from belching, not from waste. The study takes account of the approximately 700 ozone-forming gases that are collectively known as "volatile organic compounds." The authors say their research findings suggest dairy farmers may need to try a new approach to pollution control. Previous estimates were based on a study from 1938 that pegged volatile organic compound levels at 12.8 pounds per year. The most recent study identified that number to be 6.4, exactly half the previous estimate; moreover, only 2.5 of the 6.4 pounds are attributed to waste. The UC Davis study is one of the first of its kind, involving environmentally controlled chambers to isolate cows and measure waste and gas production. Air pollution is a major concern is California, which has about 1.5 million dairy cows, and has been a controversial issue recently in the San Joaquin valley. The number one cause of pollution in the valley is identified as automobiles, but gas emissions from cows and their waste is believed to be the number two cause.
"Cow Study Yields Surprises About Source, Amount of Dairy Air Pollution," UC-Davis, 1/26/05
http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7263
"Cows Get Whiff of Vindication in Smog Study," Sacramento Bee, 1/27/05
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/12152866p-13023005c.html
5.
Farmed Animal Related Events
For
a full list, visit http://www.farmedanimal.net/events.htm.
USDA'S AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK FORUM 2005
February 24-25 - Arlington, Virginia. The
US Department of Agriculture's annual economic forum
addresses "forecasts of farm prospects and insight
into developments affecting the farm economy. Speakers
include top government officials, industry analysts,
farmers, business leaders and experts."
http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/
FARM SANCTUARY'S FARM ANIMAL FORUM
March 12-14 - Boston, Massachussetts. The
Farm Animal Forum will include an activist training
and education seminar and will features presentations,
exhibits, and speakers including, Gene Bauston, Holly
Cheever D.V.M., Brenda Davis R.D., Michael Greger
M.D., lauren Ornelas, and Wayne Pacelle. The forum
will also include a rally at the Massachussetts state
Capitol "to raise awareness about factory farming
issues and urge passage of humane legislation."
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/visit/calendar.htm#FAF
FROM DARWIN TO DAWKINS: THE SCIENCE AND IMPLICATIONS
OF ANIMAL SENTIENCE
March 17-18 - London, England. Compassion
in World Farming (CIWF) will host a conference to
discuss the implications of animal sentience for animal
farming, zoology, veterinary science, biology, and
other issues. The program includes experts in the
field of animal sentience and animal protectionists.
The conference will offer several plenaries and workshops
relating to the sentience and welfare of farmed animals.
http://www.ciwf.org/conference2005
(Registration info and program details)
ANIMAL AGRICULTURE ALLIANCE STAKEHOLDER SUMMIT
March 21-23 - Arlington, Virginia.
The day and a half-long conference is entitled "Animal
Welfare Initiatives, Needs, Regulation and Communication:
Building on the Past, Preparing for the Future." The
Animal Agriculture Alliance is a nonprofit organization
comprised of meat producers, meat industry trade groups,
and other industry companies. The group's stated mission
is to "communicate the important role of animal agriculture
to our nation's economy, productivity, vitality, security
and that animal well-being is central to producing
safe, high-quality, affordable food and other products
essential to our daily lives."
http://www.animalagalliance.org/main/home.cfm?Section=Summit_2005&Category=ConferencesEvents
6. Other Items of Interest
A
French goat slaughtered in 2002 has tested positive
for BSE instead of scrapie, which was first reported
and is similar in many ways to BSE. The case marks
the first time BSE has been identified in any animal
other than a cow. Scientists with the European Union
have declined to say whether goat flesh is safe to
consume and have agreed to increase testing of the
nearly 12 million goats in EU member countries.
"Suspected BSE Infection in Goat Confirmed," Meatingplace.com, 1/31/05
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=13756
USDA-funded research with consumers in five
California counties found that humane treatment of
animals is a major concern among respondents. When
presented with five different labels featuring different
concerns such as animal welfare, supporting local
businesses, buying US products, etc., the humane label
was the first choice for nearly a third (30%) of respondents.
According to one lead researcher, "Humane treatment
of animals was a very emotional topic in the focus
groups--it came up in all of them."
"Consumers Eager to Know More About the Environmental and Social Impacts of the Food They Buy, Survey Finds," Lexis-Nexis / Ascribe Newswire, 1/24/05
http://tinyurl.com/6n4lv
(Lexisnexis.com website)
As a federal appeals court judge reopened
a case claiming McDonalds Corporation is liable for
the obesity of some of its customers, the company
announced it will use its mascot to reach children
with an anti-obesity message. According to McDonalds,
"Ronald does not promote food, but fun and activity-the
McDonald's experience." A Harvard psychologist, however,
called the campaign "just another marketing ploy."
"Ronald McDonald to Take on Child Obesity," Meatingplace.com, 1/31/05
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=13762
Both the US and the European Union (EU) have
filed complaints with the World Trade Organization
(WTO) in a dispute over trade of hormone-treated beef
products from the US to the EU. Although the EU was
previously ordered by the WTO to end the ban on imports
of hormone-treated beef from the US, union officials
claim to have pulled together scientific data justifying
the ban, citing six distinct hormones.
"US, EU Escalate Battle Over Hormone-Treated Beef," Meatingplace.com, 1/27/05
http://www.meatingplace.com/DailyNews/init.asp?iID=13740
In the US, only Louisiana and New Mexico currently
allow cockfighting, but an Oklahoma state senator
wants to bring the practice back to his state by introducing
a new, non-lethal form of cockfighting. Based on the
idea of a California company, the so-called "sport"
involves fitting cocks with padded boxing gloves,
which the senator believes will eliminate any bloodletting
and "take away the main argument animal rights groups
have against cockfighting."
"Senator Wants Boxing Gloves on Chickens," ABC News, 1/27/05
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=447252
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