Big Business Bigotry

The Big Agribusiness opponents of California's Proposition 2 have a track record of duping the public, harming animals, and polluting the environment. They also exploit workers, many of whom are Latino immigrants stuck in the most dangerous and lowest paying jobs in this country. Just look at the United Food and Commercial Workers campaign to end brutal working conditions at Smithfield, and the recent immigration raids in Iowa where authorities targeted low-wage workers as de facto criminals rather than focusing on the agriprocessors' big shots who allowed child labor, animal cruelty, and a range of other abuses to occur.

And now, in a shameless display of xenophobia, it seems the factory farm fakers have launched an all-out attack on Mexico. In nearly every communication from the opponents of Prop 2, including in the state's official Voter Information Guide, they find a way to disparage Mexico -- or, in case you don't get the point, they put it in capital letters, grade-school style: MEXICO. They claim that California farmers won't be able to adapt to more humane practices, so we'll have to start importing eggs from MEXICO, and you know what that insinuates. In their feverish desperation, they are trying to turn Mexico into a food boogeyman -- less nutrition, more diseases.

Never mind that it's a myth to suggest that local production is meeting California demand for eggs -- since the state already imports half its eggs, a trend that has accelerated in recent years. In terms of future economic activity, Prop 2 provides California egg farmers with an opportunity to reverse this trend by producing "California Grown" eggs that meet the increasing in-state and national demand for eggs laid by hens who are not cruelly confined in tiny, cramped cages.

Already, major retailers like Burger King and Safeway are asking producers to raise their standards for the humane treatment of animals. In fact, egg industry experts have predicted that demand for so-called "specialty" eggs on the West Coast will grow to 50 percent of the market within five years. Our opponents have no faith that California farmers can meet this booming demand for humanely raised products, and instead they resort to scare tactics about Mexican eggs.

Besides, the whole thing is just a straw man from the start. Dan Sumner, the author of a UC Davis study on the egg industry, said "it's not very likely" that Mexico would start supplying California's eggs. "Mexico doesn't produce much feed corn and that's why Mexico isn't a logical place for production," he said.

To raise the issue of Mexico in this campaign is an ugly scare tactic, an old one, and Californians won't be fooled. Latino leaders who know the California economy and who understand that cruelty to animals is simply wrong have endorsed Prop 2. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Senator Dean Florez, Assemblyman Joe Coto, and Assemblyman Jose Solorio are among the backers of the initiative. And the Chicano Latino Caucus of the California Democratic Party has endorsed Prop 2 as well.

"Proposition 2 will make life better for animals, better for farm workers, and better for California consumers," said Assemblyman Solorio. "It's only natural that animals should have enough room to turn around, lie down, and stretch their limbs. Having better animal welfare standards will also mean better conditions for farm workers and safer food for all Californians. I urge Californians to vote Yes on Proposition 2."

Organizations with authenticity and credibility on the issue of justice and better working conditions for Latinos understand that Prop 2 is the right thing for both animals and people. The Cesar Chavez Foundation and the United Farm Workers are urging a vote of YES! on Prop 2, as are Christine Chavez and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughters of the civil rights leader.

Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers, commented, "At a time when farm workers are making tremendous sacrifices in the fields of California, we recognize the importance of supporting Prop 2, the type of sensible reform that improves public health and stops the worst animal cruelty on factory farms. The founding principles of Prop 2 are the same as that of the Farm Worker Movement, built on the vision of Cesar Chavez."

During his lifetime, Cesar Chavez championed "kindness and compassion toward all living things." He said, "We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that the animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect them and love them as we love ourselves."

So while the factory farmers abuse their workers, torment animals, and sling mud at Mexico, those who envision a better world for people and animals in California will continue the rally cry of YES! on Prop 2. ¡Sí se puede!

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Follow Michael Markarian on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mmarkarian

Comments

[AAPJ]

I believe when God asked us to care for the lives of His animals in Proverbs 12:10 He meant what he said. 'The righteous man careth for the LIFE of his beast, but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.'
I don't believe this was a suggestion. I believe this is a command.

Thank you to The Huffington Post and The Humane Society of the United States for having the decency to address this issue head on.

May God continue to bless your efforts.

[LeFevre]

Animal welfare standards for food producers have to be mandated by law.
Otherwise, very few producers will be able to raise animals in a humane
way because they will always be undersold by competitors who can produce
at lower cost by horribly mistreating animals. While, public pressure on
companies like Burger King helps encourage voluntary improvements, only
a law like Prop. 2 can really begin to address the problem. Big
agribusiness companies are understandably opposed to Prop. 2. Higher
costs will lead to higher prices and lower profits. But, as Mr.
Markarian points out, they shouldn't try to confuse the situation by
propounding phony arguments.

[RightWingMarine]

When more and more laws are passed regulating what we can and cannot do do we become a more free or less free society?

[girlonfoot]

Great article. Factory farms have something to learn here: they should use a Yes on Prop 2 groundswell to rethink their business model and seize the opportunity to lead on a more humane farming future. Instead, they are spending billions to sow fear, not food.

Wouldn't it be more in agribusiness' interests to demonstrate how innovative and receptive to their customer's needs they are rather than fight these proposed simple reforms with deception and hateful spin? Isn't that the best way to keep American industry vital and relevant? Small family farmers at my farmer's market are already doing this...bec­ause they listen and know that most of their customers CARE deeply about the animals and workers on their farms.

[pumablues]

Hear, hear! Thanks for the wonderful editorial Mr. Markarian. Aren't we all getting a little tired of living in a Society of Fear?! Its time the general public hears what these scare tactics from big business really are: a blockade to forward thinking change. Implementing these kind of humane changes on farms does not mean an end to American farming... if anything, its a return to how things were once done in this country: with pride and quality as a goal. If anything, giving animals raised for food better living conditions can only result in safer food, contrary to what the opponents would have us believe.

[angelenad15]

First off - I am so excited about the potential positive changes Prop 2 will make!! From stopping obvious animal cruelty to giving farmers back their businesses.

Secondly - What a GREAT ARTICLE!! - how's that for using capital letters in a positive context :)
Michael, you hit the nail right on the head with everything you wrote. Opponents of Prop 2 seem to be working from greedy, unscrupulous angles in order to prevent the proposition. The HSUS and other groups are pushing this not only to put a stop to the cruelty of factory farming, but also to implement a more eco-friendly and healthy production of dairy products. To insinuate that importing eggs from big bad "MEXICO" is indeed a childish and cowardly retort.

When you get right down to it, these animals were not put on this earth to live in hell.

Two thumbs up for your article. And hats off to all groups and leaders who have endorsed and are behind Prop 2 - including the HSUS!

[RightWingMarine]

If I own the farm why is it anyone else's business what I do with my property there? If I offer my employees a wage and they agree to the work for that wage (difficult work though it may be) why is that the concern of anyone but the two of us?

There are already farms that advertise how well they treat their animals. If that is something the consumer is concerned about there is an avenue for them. If I am able to offer food at a low cost and consumers are willing to buy my product without concern of how I achieved that low price, why should someone be permitted to stop our exchange?

If farmers are required to reoutfit their operations to be in compliance with this new law won't that raise the cost of food production? What's to happen to the poor who are already struggling when we raise their food costs? What if the costs more to refit the farm than the farmer (or business) can expect to remake after the refit is complete? Why would anyone stay in business when they have no hope of recouping their investment? What will happen to food prices then?

[louiesmom33]

@RightWingMarine : are you really using that argument? That's like saying it's my house, so I have the right to do whatever to my children I want. That is such a cop out. It's time for people to take responsibility.

We would never treat pets this way – animals, even those raised for food, deserve to be treated humanely.

IF the price DOES go up, it would be less than a penny per egg. Small price to pay for these poor animals. This whole myth of a huge price increase is something that the opposition of prop2 is exploiting to try and get support.

Why anyone would advocate AGAINST this is beyond me... thank you Mike and Californians for Humane Farms for working so hard to raise awareness for Prop 2!

[ErnestBell]

The proposition that one can do whatever one wants with one's property has never been an absolute one. Going back as far as Roman law, there is an established social interest in the way that we use our property. And animals are coming to be seen as a kind of sentient property that deserve additional consideration.

It's interesting that a lot of these factory farming industries and operations benefit from public subsidies. Personally, I object to my tax money or anyone else's being dedicated to propping up these outfits.

[RightWingMarine]

children are people and have rights. Animals are property and have no rights. That is why we kill the animals and eat them.

Where is the evidence that a price increase would only be a penny per egg? I believe it would be much greater. Something has to be done with all the chickens while the old cages are being removed and new cages are built and installed. I suppose the chickens could be sold and turned into food but after the cages are built new chickens must be bought so the sale of chickens would not offset the cost of anything. Then there is the cost of no eggs being laid while the new cages are installed. This is as real a cost as if a person were to take a week off work unpaid. Not earning money is the same as losing money.

And even if the price did only increase a penny per egg. These chickens are my property, by what right does the state or anyone else have to tell me what to do with my property? Where will it end? What else can the state tell me to do with my life and my property?