Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT)

As a country,  we have been deeply focused on these presidential elections for the past two years. Now that they are over it seems we are headed into a period of uncertainty, which can lead to stress. No matter what policies the new administration pursues you can be sure that FACT will continue to work for independent, humane farmers everywhere, and that we will work to make sure that the meat, dairy, and poultry you eat is safe and healthy for you. Civil Eats this week discussed what food and farming policies the new administration is likely to pursue. Of course, it's too early to know for sure. They spoke with some experts about what we're likely to see. Most talked about the need to work together to preserve what has been accomplished over the years. Mark Bittman said: We must be prepared for opportunities as they arise, and to find new battlegrounds on which we might win. But at the very least we can be pretty sure we’re going to be struggling to hold the line against cuts in entitlement programs like SNAP, and against the threat and promise of mass exportations, which are inhumane, immoral, and even unpractical. This food system cannot work without foreign-born workers. I urge you to read the article to learn what others are saying.

The FDA has claimed that it is winning the battle to cut farm antibiotics, but the evidence proves differently. Steven Roach, who works on safe and healthy food at the Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), a campaign group, says that after an initial welcome drop, sales began to rebound after the ban came into force. “We can all agree that what the FDA did had an impact,” he says. But the impact is limited and the drop in sales wasn’t big enough, he adds. We delve into the details in this week's blog post: https://lnkd.in/eXRe2GtQ

The collective effort of FACT's supporters has cultivated a community that cares about humane farming practices, safe food systems, and the well-being of both consumers and animals. Together, we’re advocating for impactful changes, supporting ethical farmers, and increasing awareness about safe, healthy food. Read more about our community in this week's blog.

Another intriguing article by Raksha Vasudevan from Civil Eats that highlights the complexities of the industrial animal agriculture industry. Denver's residents are voting on whether to close Denver's last slaughterhouse (for lambs) or not. The article does an excellent job of looking into the pros and the cons of closing this slaughterhouse. On one side, workers often find themselves in difficult, unsafe conditions, and many are injured because this work is so hard. "... Gutierrez had been working at Superior Farms for two years, skinning slaughtered lambs and cleaving off their noses, tongues, and hooves. She also restocked the facility’s paper towels, soap, and aprons. On July 25, 2020, her hands clutching gallon containers of soap, she descended the stairs to the plant’s storage room. Her manager had just ordered her to hurry. Rushed and unable to hang onto the handrail, Gutierrez misstepped, her right foot landing awkwardly on one of the stairs. X-rays later confirmed she’d fractured her ankle, becoming one of the thousands of workers injured in an industry that is both physically and mentally hazardous." She eventually lost her job and received some compensation, but she felt it wasn't enough. However, the article askes what would happen to the workers if the plant shut down tomorrow. Experts don't agree on what is the best solution. Then there is the question of animal welfare and environmental violations. The organization Pro-Animal Future organized for the referendum to ban the slaughterhouse. They are against cruelty to animals and factory farms. Those against the ban claim that they are against any animal agriculture. This is not clear from their website. I believe that this is another case of a failed industrial agriculture system. This system favors the slaughterhouses and big industrial corporate farms, and leads to a situation where all involved are dependent on existing systems. Even a smaller, independent sheep farmer, is dependent on this slaughterhouse to slaughter and butcher the meat in a way that meets their needs. If we want animals, workers and farmers to be treated with diginity we need to transform the entire system.

FACT runs many programs that benefit humane livestock and poultry farmers. One of the most impactful programs is our Fund-a-Farmer program. We award up to $3,000 in grants to farmers throughout the US. The application period for applying for these grants opened last week. This year there will be one new grant, a $10,000 grant, a Systems Change and Innovation Grant that will be awarded to one farm. If you are a farmer or know farmers, please share this information and this week's blog post with them.

People either love or hate goats. John Cahalin is one of three Happy Goat founders. "Goats are mischievous, they’re affectionate, and they’re just the most beautiful animals to me,” Cahalin says. “They make me laugh every time I see my favorite ones.” While that mischievous behavior is loved by some, it drives some farmers crazy. They eat everything, even the plants farmers are trying to grow. The goats at Happy Goat are being leased to farmers and other land owners in Mariposa County, near Yosemite National Park, to graze the land and prevent wildfires. This area has been devastated by wildfires in the past few years, and there is a good chance that these goats can mitigate the dangers of these fires. They are also helpful in regenerative farming since build up the soil. Goats can be used in lieu of herbicides to target invasive plants in a way that helps restore balance to the ecosystem, including by adding nutrients back to the soil through their waste, Denos says. Read on to find out more in this Civil Eats article byCarmen Kohlruss, all about these happy goats.

Think “Raised Without Antibiotics” means the food you’re buying is safe and ethical? Think again. The USDA allows this label even when it’s misleading! FACT’s latest blog post dives into the truth behind food labeling and how it affects your choices. Take action now! Urge the USDA to enforce testing requirements for labels like "Raised Without Antibiotics" so consumers can trust what they’re buying. Your voice can make a difference in protecting animal welfare and transparency. You can take action here: https://lnkd.in/gj5jWZe7

Is the "small family farm" really what it seems? FACT was very pleased to a guest blog post from Thom Norman at FarmKind. He debunks the romanticized image of small farms, showing us the reality of industrial-scale animal agriculture that dominates U.S. food production. This highlights the need to face the truth about modern American agriculture and question the industry's misleading narratives.

We often read about how rural Americans and farmers are for Republicans and urban Americans are for Democrats. The truth, of course is more complicated than that. Many rural Americans and farmers are fed up with "The Crusching Power of Corporate Meat." These big industrial farming corporations have not helped rural farmers. They have helped themselves. We at FACT see many third or fourth generation farmers looking for a new way of farming, not just because it is more humane (even though that is super important), but because it is better for them financially. "The Department of Agriculture is rolling out rules to give teeth to the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, a law that is supposed to protect farmers and ranchers from collusion and abuse but has rarely been enforced." As this article points out, it isn't always about politics. It's important that whoever is in power listens to the real needs of the farmers, and not just assume that they will vote one way or another, and not just caters to the big guys because they have money to be better at lobbying.

FACT signed onto this important legislation supporting farmers who are leaving the factory farming system to adopt more humane methods of farming. Thank you ASPCA, Representatives Alma S. Adams and Jim McGovern, and Senator Cory Booker for introducing this legislation.