Food Politics

I thought I heard a radio news report on this reform bill this afternoon, and I thought it said the new requirements do not have to be met until 2015. Why does it take that long to get more humane situations worked out for the animals? Seems to me a few months would be enough to renovate the confinement areas.

Well I’m really optimistic with this, its a step in the right direction. As was pointed out, most people dont really think about where their food comes from and this started to make some people think about it. I hope they will think for a minute whether its worth paying the extra for properly treated meat.

Isn’t there a push for labeling of food with country of origin? If this goes into affect, coupled with Prop 2 then it should make it easier to know if the meat you’re buying came from a place where such horrible practices are permitted.

This bill is a great step in reducing the torture these animals endure before they make it onto people’s plates. Though having over 6 years to put this bill into effect is a long, long time, I’m very pleased that it has been accepted by so many CA voters. California has been a leader in other areas too, hopefully soon other states with these atrocious factory farms as well as states that currently have none or few–since this could quickly change–adopt their own, similar version of proposition 2.

I honestly struggled with how to vote on this one, because of the economic effects that might accompany companies moving out of state.

But ultimately I decided that I really wouldn’t miss the kind of industrial operation that can’t give even these basic physical conditions to animals. And it gives me more motivation to seek out food products from California, not only because it supports the local economy but also because it assures me that at least some standards for animal treatment were met.

[...] Californians passed Proposition 2 in the election on Tuesday, which will abolish veal and sow crates, as well as battery cages for chickens, and will provide all factory-farmed animals room to move around and stretch their legs and wings. [...]

I was impressed to see that Prop 2 passed not only in the urban counties, but also in most of the rural counties.

I hope that the groups who fought for it will also make some effort to encourage consumers to buy California eggs, rather than cheaper out of state eggs. (Of course, with high fuel prices, imported eggs may not be cheaper anyway.)

It is sad to know that there are so many people who think they know all the right answers when it comes to agriculture.
Do you not know that caged hens live twice as long as cage-free hens?
Do you know that caged hens are less susceptible to disease?
There are guidelines in place established by animal behaviorists, animal welfare groups, and animal scientists that puts in place space requirements that allow the hen to stand up, turn around, and spread out. This is already followed by 98% of California egg producers and 90% nationwide. They are voluntary guidelines.
Next, these groups will go after banning cages altogether. Eventually, they will try to ban animal agriculture completely. Their agenda is to have a completely vegan society.