Money Vs. Animal Rights Battle Rages Over California's Proposition 2

You can bet that if all the animals in America had televisions -- as they do in San Francisco's SPCA shelter -- they'd be tuned in to California's election returns on Nov. 4.

On the ballot is an initiative -- Proposition 2 -- that is as potentially transformational for the treatment of farm animals raised for food in the United States as the presidential vote could be for the nation itself.

Watching closely will be the nation's big meat and egg producers. Because if Californians embrace Prop. 2 -- and scant polling on the initiative suggests it's a runaway hit -- they will be sending a message that goes far beyond the relatively modest changes required by the measure: Consumers really do care about where their food comes from and how it is raised, and they're willing to set limits even if industry isn't.

Read the full story here

RELATED:

See Arianna and others showing their support for Proposition 2

Comments

[strangebee]

I don't get why people do not want to vote for something that will benefit all. I guess some humans still believe that we are not all connected.
I mean if the animals we grotesquely over-produce are being treated and fed better than we will be treating and feeding ourselves better.

[messy]

No it's not about better food for health. It's about banning animal products and enforcing political veganism on the masses. This will help McCain win California.

[strangebee]

It's not about BANNING animal products. It's not about "political veganism". It's about TREATING OUR food supply with integrity, with compassion. And just so you know I am by no means a vegan. The more we *&%$ with our food supply... the more it will *&^%$ with us.

---California's Prop. 2 would prohibit veal and gestation crates as well. But it's really all about eggs. Prop. 2 takes square aim at the commodified egg industry's practice of crowding laying hens into small wire cages, stacked to the rafters, in the name of efficiency and profits.

Prop. 2 would not require egg producers to stop caging hens. But they would have to provide enough space in the cages for the hens to do the things that hens naturally do, as defined by the initiative.

Often, though, so many hens are jammed into battery cages that they can't lay down, let alone flap their wings -- if there's room for them to get their feet on the ground at all. (I've never seen this firsthand, but documentary film footage of abuses is widely available online. The latest, shot in August and September, shows carnage inside a facility run by Norco, one of California's big egg producers. The anti-2 campaign called it "dubious and cynical" pro-2 propaganda.)---

[degenerate1991]

Perhaps it won't benefit all. Perhaps low-income families are going to be hurt by increased egg prices. Perhaps U.S. workers won't benefit when egg production is outsourced. The Chickens? They will simply be farmed or left to die, perhaps they will be burned alive to prevent the outbreak of some phantom virus. I certainly can't see how egg producers would benefit from increased housing and energy costs (chicken houses have to be heated. In this age of uncertainty, we should be seeking to INCREASE efficiency, not DECREASE it for the sake of childish idealism.

[strangebee]

Childish? Hmmm... Nice... real nice. If you want any more of a response see my post to messy.

[LiberalBuzz]

Free ranger eggs and food will be purchased before people will buy food raised in Mexico or china.

We've been buying free range eggs for a while and think that despite a slight price increase it is worth it.

I refuse to eat veal or lamb and have as long as I can remember. I also stopped eating pork products because I came to find out that pigs are the only other animal when raised as pets wag their tails in pure happiness when you come home or give them treats.

There is no reason to slaughter baby animals for "gourmet' food anymore than there is to slaughter Sturgeon for their eggs so some rich morons can have their (horrible tasting) eggs.

[DRaymond]

I am in California and will be voting no on this.

How much do I know about what is the truly best practices for handling farm animals? Nothing.

How much do I think the rest of Californians know? Even less.

Why is this interest group spending a huge chuck of money on petition signing and an ad campaign so that a bunch of people who know nothing about the handling of farm animals will permanently set detailed policies about it? Most likely because we know nothing.

Our tax dollars pay for a State Department of Agriculture supposedly full of people who know the isues and whose job is to set policies on the safe handling of farm animals. Our tax dollars also fund one of the best veterinary programs in the country at UC Davis including a specialty in Poultry Science. If there is a need for a change convince the people whose job it is to know rather than spend a ton of money to give the task to the ignorant.

[LiberalBuzz]

And you are actually believing that the people FIGHTING this prop have our best interests at heart and treat these animals humanely?

You probably still think the banking and finance industry are just misunderstood and had everyone's best interests at heart too.

I DO KNOW about how this is done and it's is inhumane and is not needed to raise these animals this way.Tell ya what sparky YOU go watch how this is done. I have never eaten Veal or lamb and think that so called "gourmet" chefs who use this are just plain cruel at heart. This is NOT a food we need or have to have under any circumstances.

So yes it doesn't take an "expert' to see these animals are treated horrendously and your argument is one set out by the opponents who are pretty cruel to their animals and basically just cheap and lazy.

Go ahead and vote no, the majority are voting YES.

[DRaymond]

No, I have no doubt that the people fighting this have their own profit margins in mind.

No I do not expect the industry to regulate itself. It hasn't since the days of Upton Sinclair.

What I do know is that we have a whole department of people whose job it is to know the issues involved in a safe healthy and humane food supply. They should be the ones making this decision. Not only because they are the ones who DO know but also they are the ones able to keep up with new discoveries and techniques. This itiative would be like the voters in 1998 requiring that all personal computers must have a floppy disk drive and a CRT monitor and a serial and parallel port.

[Gary47]

If you have any doubt whether voting for Prop. 2 is the right thing to do, go check out Omnivore's Dilemma from your library and read it now. The way the food industry treats chickens is not only abominable, it puts consumers at risk for disease. The people in this business will literally do anything (and have, and are) to make an extra buck. Please stop them by voting for Prop. 2. Doing so will be one small step in remaking food decent and whole in America again.

[JScott]

I don't eat many eggs (at least directly) and after seeing how some of them are caged, and the filth and the smell and flies and this from the caged variety (my uncle used to have a chicken moving business) plus even with this industrial farming they still go outta business-Egg City a massive operation near Moorpark Ca. went backrupt many years ago so this BS about biz losses is just that BS and if they move it outta the country, I'd be even less likely to buy them (of course the big ag producers would refuse to disclose where they were from) and the bit about 'oh the price will increase' interesting that when industry ag brings this up they forget the other part of market economics, prices will adjust to demand.
I've already voted Yes on this.

[timezone]

I stopped eating meat for good about 8 years ago because I felt hypocritical. If I couldn't stand to see a cow or chicken killed, I had no right to eat it. I think if people actually saw how these animals are treated (and that they don't live a happy, long life on Old McDonald's farm before being humanely put to sleep), their conscience wouldn't allow them to grab those neatly wrapped carcasses at the supermarket. I have friends who hunt, do so humanely, and eat the meat. I respect them because they show respect for the animals. I certainly have more respect for them then those who profit from the inhumane treatment and slaughter of farm animals.

[DanSmith]

This would help Californians to consume less animal-products and help combat global warming.

[peace1970]

I hope this gets some coverage, it's an important article. As a vegetarian I hope people at least become more aware of the extreme cruelty in our food industry and for their health and the sake of the animals take a second look at how they are raised and try to make it more humane.
peace :))

[PoppyPiru]

There is no excuse for cruelty. If we must pay more " so be it.

[newshawk14]

I've always felt that maltreatment of animals is wrong, even if our intention is to consume them.
Giving the animals a bit of freedom, independence, and the ability to grow and develop seems
right. My only explanation of why so many Americans seem to be terminally stupid, is that they
have been eating stupid meat, that has been raised on factory farms, where the animal has
never had the chance to develop any capabilities. Just a theory, but I think interesting.

[Katie6383]

I think this is wonderful. Whenever I go to the store I always make sure to buy "cage-free" eggs. I'm sure it doesn't mean that they live in a giant pasture with rainbows and butterflies, but it sure is better than what others go through. Farm animal treatment is terrible in general, and I hope this is one step toward a goal of humane treatment for ALL farm animals. Thumbs up to California, I hope it passes.

[RightWingMarine]

I don't know if the line about the San Fran SPCA having a TV for the animals is in jest or not. Common sense tells me that it is in jest, common sense also tells me that tree huggers in San Fran possibly do have a TV for animals to watch.

When CA passes this law won't animal farmers simply move to another state rather than pay to upgrade all the cages?

[oldGunny]

I think we will be importing our eggs from Mexico or other states if this passes.

[LiberalBuzz]

No it will just mean we pay a quarter more for our eggs and I got no problem with that at all.

[colbert2006]

The cats in SF SPCA up for adoption have televisions in their rooms--three or four cats usually share a small room, which is kitted out with a small couch/bed, climbing tree, toys, and television. As far as I know, all furnishings are donated. When my husband and I wanted to adopt a cat, we visited some cats there and all seemed happy.