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Signature Gathering Begins For California Anti-Cruelty Measure

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - October 1, 2007 - Today, a broad coalition, including animal protection groups, veterinarians, environmentalists, and food safety advocates, begins collecting signatures to put an anti-cruelty initiative on the California ballot for November 2008.

Californians for Humane Farms will collect more than 650,000 signatures to place the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act on the general election ballot. The measure will help prevent cruelty to nearly 20 million animals confined in industrial factory farms in California, as well as protect California's environment.

The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act provides basic protections requiring that animals be able to turn around and extend their limbs. It will prevent the use of notoriously inhumane factory farming practices such as keeping animals confined in small crates or cages-specifically, veal crates for calves, battery cages for egg-laying hens, and gestation crates for breeding pigs.

"It is exceedingly cruel to confine animals in cages so small they can't turn around and extend their limbs," stated Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "California citizens can help prevent farm animal cruelty by volunteering to gather signatures to put this historic initiative on the ballot."

"The vast majority of consumers oppose the cruelties that are commonplace on modern factory farms," said Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary. "This initiative will help raise awareness about industrialized food production and provide an opportunity for citizens to outlaw some of the worst abuses."

Across the country, restaurants, producers, and retailers-including Burger King, Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Wolfgang Puck, Smithfield Foods, San Francisco State University, and University of California-Berkeley-are moving away from crates and cages on factory farms, and switching to housing where the animals have more freedom of movement and socialization.

The Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary are two of the groups sponsoring the initiative. The HSUS has offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento, about 1.2 million supporters in California as well as a wildlife rehabilitation center in San Diego County. Farm Sanctuary operates the largest farm animal rescue and sheltering network in North America, including a 300 acre sanctuary in Northern California. The two organizations led a successful ballot initiative in Florida in 2002 which banned gestation crates for breeding pigs (55%-45%) and in Arizona in 2006 which banned crates for breeding pigs and veal calves (62%-38%). In 2007, the Oregon legislature banned gestation crates.

Facts

• Veal crates are narrow wooden enclosures that prevent calves from turning around or lying down comfortably. The calves are typically chained by their necks and suffer immensely.
• California factory farms confine approximately 19 million hens per year in barren battery cages that are so small, the birds can't even spread their wings. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live.
• During their four-month pregnancies, nearly 20,000 female breeding pigs in California are confined in barren gestation crates-individual metal enclosures only 2 feet wide. The crates are so small, the animals cannot even turn around.
• The measure will prevent out-of-state factory farm operators from setting up shop in our state with veal crates, battery cages and gestation crates.
• Confining animals in crates or cages results in a high density of animals in industrial factory farms, leading to more animal waste and pollution of air and water, as well as risk of disease transmission such as salmonella.
• Florida, Arizona and Oregon have prohibited gestation crates. Arizona has prohibited veal crates, as well. Many major food retailers, in California and elsewhere, are moving away from supporting veal crates, battery cages and gestation crates. California city councils have passed resolutions opposing battery cage confinement. And all three of these abuses have already been legislated against in the European Union.

Timeline

• October 2007-Californians begin collecting signatures to put a measure on the ballot to ensure that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens, and breeding pigs are able to turn around and extend their limbs.
• August 2007-The American Veal Association recommends the phase out of veal crates.
• March 2007-Burger King announces that it has started phasing in the use of cage-free eggs and pork from producers that don't use gestation crates.
• March 2007-Wolfgang Puck announces the implementation of a wide-ranging program to improve animal welfare in his supply chain, including not using battery cage eggs or pork or veal from crated sows and calves.
• January 2007-Smithfield Foods and Maple Leaf Foods announce that they are phasing out their use of gestation crates to confine breeding pigs.
• November 2006-In a landslide, Arizona voters pass an initiative banning gestation crates and veal crates in the state (effective 2013).
• November 2002-Florida voters approve a measure banning gestation crates in the state (effective 2008).
• 1998-California voters approve a measure protecting horses from slaughter.
• 1998-California voters approve a measure restricting steel-jawed leghold traps and certain poisons.
• 1996-California voters reject a measure that would have repealed a ban on trophy hunting of mountain lions.
• 1990-California voters approve a measure protecting mountain lions from trophy hunting.

Media contacts:
Erin Williams, The HSUS, 301-721-6446, ewilliams@humanesociety.org
Tricia Barry, Farm Sanctuary, 607-583-2225 ext. 233, tricia@farmsanctuary.org

Californians for Humane Farms is a coalition of animal protection organizations, veterinarians, environmentalists, food safety organizations, and concerned citizens who joined efforts to launch a statewide initiative for the November 2008 ballot-one that will improve the lives of millions of farm animals in California.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.