#46

["Luigi Biagini" <luigibiagini@tin.it>]

Ricevo e giro
Luigi Biagini

Farmed Animal Watch
A Project of Animal Place
December 20, 2001
Issue #46


1. Senate Amends/Postpones Farm Bill
2. Making Birds Grow Faster
3. The Trials of Factory Farming
4. Tyson Foods Indicted for Illegal Aliens
5. Salmonella Testing Failure Wont Shut Meat Plants
6. New Reports on Diet and Health


1. SENATE AMENDS/POSTPONES FARM BILL
Democrats have ceased trying to pass the Senate version of the Farm Bill
this year. Republicans are strongly opposed to the $73.5 billion measure
which they consider to be too costly and contrary to free trade. The Bush
administration has argued that subsidies in the Democratic bill will
overstimulate production and depress prices. The subsidies are also said to
primarily benefit  big agricultural operations. Republican leaders contend
there is no need to hurry with a vote since current farm programs do not
expire until next year. The House version of the Farm Bill was passed last
month.

Last week, the Senate killed a Republican amendment to the Farm Bill which
would have made it easier to overturn federal regulations deemed harmful to
farmers' economic safety or security. Opponents of the amendment had argued
that it would make safeguards, such as the Clean Water Act and the
Endangered Species Act, unenforceable. The Senate also voted down a proposal
to scrap $2 billion in dairy subsidies. Critics say the subsidies will
encourage herd sizes to increase, potentially requiring the government to
buy more surplus milk to prevent a collapse of the market.

"Democrats Pigeonhole Farm Bill Till 2002," The Washington Post, John
Lancaster, December 12, 2001.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3473-2001Dec19.html
"Senate rejects effort to ease regulations affecting farmers," Las Vegas
Review-Journal, Tony Batt, December 16, 2001.
http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Dec-16-Sun-2001/news/17675791.html
"Senate Oks Dairy Farm Subsidies," Associated Press, Philip Brasher,
December 11, 2001.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27821-2001Dec11.html


2. MAKING BIRDS GROW FASTER
"Broiler" chickens in the U.K. have been bred to reach 5.72 pounds in 6
weeks. Lameness and heart failure are common afflictions resulting from this
rapid growth rate. The two dominant breeding companies plan, in the next 5
years, to make chickens reach 6.61 pounds in the same amount of time. Animal
welfare advocates allege that the birds will suffer even more. The companies
claim health problems will be fewer because the birds will also be bred to
be more robust. This article quotes the responses of leading supermarket
chains to the news. Generally, they state that growth rates should be
limited if they cause welfare problems.

In the U.S., efforts are underway to chemically increase the efficiency of
chickens' digestive systems. Other researchers are attempting to speed the
growth of turkeys by injecting eggs with a substance which accelerates
protein absorption. The poults hatch 10% larger and could reach market
weight in 50 days rather than the 60 days it current takes. The digestive
efficiency of domestic birds is contrasted with that of their wild cousins.

"Stores Call for Limits on Chicken Growth Rates," The Independent, December
11, 2001.
http://webpublisher.lexisnexis.com/index_edit.asp?layout=story&gid=113000091
3&did=44MS-CVY0-0105-4027-00000-00&cid=480004048&b=s
"Turkeys gobble young," Nature, Helen Pearson, December 12, 2001.
http://www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-13.html


3. THE TRIALS OF FACTORY FARMING
A National Law Journal review of recent trends lists the environmental
liability of factory farming among newly successful litigious actions. The
article recounts specific legal actions against various pig and poultry
operations, including the largest-ever such "environmental nuisance"
judgement, a $19.7 million judgement against Buckeye Egg Farm in Ohio.

In a Business News article, two agricultural economists explain the trend
toward "mega-farms" and why they believe it is slowing. Environmental
regulations and risks to the food safety are cited.

"New ways to win," Miami Daily Business Review," Margaret Cronin Fisk,
December 13, 2001.
http://webpublisher.lexisnexis.com/index.asp?layout=story&gid=1130000913&cid
=480004048&did=44NK-Y110-00D9-N1H7-00000-00&b=s
"Agricultural Economist Thinks Trend toward Mega-Farms is Slowing,"
Post-Bulletin, December 16, 2001.
http://rooster.yellowbrix.com/pages/rooster/Story.nsp?story_id=26165227&scat
egory=Food&ReturnURL=&StoreName=&utype=b&ID=rooster&


4. TYSON FOODS INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
Executives of Tyson Foods, the world's largest poultry producer, have been
indicted on charges of conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants. The aliens
were enlisted to work at 15 Tyson plants in 9 states. The company is alleged
to have "cultivated a corporate culture in which hiring of illegal alien
workers was condoned to meet production goals and to cut costs to maximize
profits." The 36-count indictment stems from a 2-1/2 year investigation by
the INS. The scheme is believed to date back to 1994. Tyson's denies the
charges and points out that they are "limited to a few managers who were
acting outside of company policy...." In 1998, the company agreed to pay a
$6 million fine to settle allegations that it had provided gifts to a former
U.S. Agriculture Secretary.

"U.S. Charges Tyson Foods with Alien Smuggling," Reuters, December 19, 2001.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011219/ts/crime_tyson_dc_3.html


5. SALMONELLA TESTING FAILURE WONT SHUT MEAT PLANTS
A federal appeals court confirmed a lower court decision that the USDA
cannot shut down meat plants that fail Salmonella testing. The decision is a
blow to the modernization of meat inspection which the USDA began
implementing 5 years ago. The standards are based on average plant
contamination levels around the country. The case arose when the USDA shut
down a now-bankrupt processing plant which had failed Salmonella testing 3
times. (The contaminated meat was allowed to be sold. The plant was a major
supplier of ground beef for school lunch programs.) The USDA considers the
testing to be a good indicator of a plant's sanitariness. The meat industry
argued that the contamination occurred in the slaughterplant, and was not
the processor's fault. The court ruled the USDA's action was not in line
with the 1906 law that allows the agency to prevent contaminants from being
added to meat. It noted that, since Salmonella is "present in a substantial
proportion of meat and poultry products, [it] is not an adulterant per
se...."and can be destroyed by cooking. In his column, meat industry
commentator Steve Bjerklie explains why the standard's implementation,
rather than the standard itself, was flawed. The USDA has vowed to continue
testing and to shut down plants that don't meet  statutory and regulatory
requirements. Recently, the Senate rejected legislation designed to ensure
the USDA could close plants that violated Salmonella limits.

"Meat Processors Can't Be Shut Down," The Washington Post, Marc Kaufman,
December 12, 2001.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28917-2001Dec11.html
"Perspective," Meat News, Steve Bjerklie, December 18, 2001.
http://www.meatnews.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Article&artNum=2338
"USDA to Keep Testing Meat Processors," Associated Press, Philip Brasher,
December 18, 2001.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011218/pl/meat_safety_2.html
"US meat safety takes 'backward step,'" New Scientist, Kurt Kleiner,
December 19, 2001. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991711


A lengthy article on the mobile slaughter/processing unit reported in the
previous issue of Farmed Animal Watch can be found at:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/sosland/19469/7791698/4


6. NEW REPORTS ON DIET AND HEALTH
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher warns Americans that they are heavier
and more sedentary than ever. In a new report, he points out that excess
weight is gaining on smoking as the cause of the most preventable disease
and death. Obesity among adults has doubled since 1980, with an estimated
61% of U.S. adults and 13% of children and adolescents being overweight.
Heavy people are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, asthma, arthritis and certain cancers. Among other things, Satcher
encourages Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. He also notes that,
at the very least, schools need to comply with a USDA regulation that no
low-nutrition foods be available to children at mealtimes.

People who consume a diet high in meat and/or dairy products are at
substantially higher risk for certain cancers. Researchers at the National
Cancer Institute and Tufts University surveyed residents of Nebraska. They
found that those who ate the most meat had 3.6 times the risk of esophageal
cancer and twice the risk of stomach cancer. Those who consumed a lot of
dairy products, and tended to also eat a lot of meat, had double the risk
for both cancers. The findings adds to previous studies that have linked
meat eating to certain cancers, most notably colon cancer.

"Surgeon General Orders Americans to Lose Weight," Reuters, Maggie Fox,
December 13, 2001.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/nm/20011213/sc/health_obesity_dc_3.html
"Study Links Meat Consumption with Cancer Risk," Reuters, December 20, 2001.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011220/hl/meat_1.html