October 2008

News For Life

 

This newsletter, in its 6th year, is designed to keep you aware of the many effects our food choices have on personal health, a sustainable planet and respecting other species. I hope you enjoy it and share it with others!

 

General News Index:

70 IS THE NEW 40 (SEE THE AMAZING PHOTO!!!)

SAY NO TO VIOLENCE IN YOUR CUPBOARD

DOES YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL GET AN A+ IN LUNCH?

POLITICS OF THE PLATE: “NATURAL” LIES

PROFILES IN COURAGE

A FARM BOY REFLECTS

VIDEO: WOMAN GOES RAW, LOSES MORE THAN HALF HERSELF

VIDEO: GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

THE COST OF STEAK

DO HAMBURGERS CAUSE CRIME?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR CHURCHES AND GOVERNMENT PROMOTED VEGANISM?

WORLD VEGETARIAN AWARENESS MONTH!

 

Health News Index:

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES CUTS RISK OF DISEASE, STUDY FINDS

STUDY FINDS FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, VEGAN DIET AND EXERCISE

EXERCISE TRUMPS OBESITY GENE, U.S. STUDY FINDS

TOP 10 VEGAN HEALTH TIPS

BECOMING A VEGETARIAN - MAKING A CASE FOR THE VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE

RED MEAT CONSUMPTION LINKED YET AGAIN TO INCREASED CANCER RISK

DOCUMENTARY: CRAZY SEXY CANCER (2007)

MILK, "IT DOES THE BODY BAD"

TRANS FATS LINKED TO PRE-CANCEROUS COLON GROWTHS

 

Environmental News Index:

GO VEGAN! REDUCE EMISSION OF GREENHOUSES

EATING GREENS 'MAKES YOU GREENER'

THE U.N.'S MEATLESS DRIVE

EARTH'S EDIBLE FISH FACE EXTINCTION

BRAZIL ADMITS AMAZON DEFORESTATION ON THE RISE

EATING LESS MEAT AND JUNK FOOD COULD CUT FOSSIL ENERGY FUEL USE ALMOST IN HALF

 

Animal News Index:

VIDEO: CHRISTIAN THE LION

FACTORY FARMS ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS

DON'T BUY THE MYTH!

MAD COWS (AND LIVID LAMBS)

UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION REVEALS HORMEL SUPPLIER ABUSING MOTHER PIGS AND PIGLETS

 

Take Action Index:

FDA OKS IRRADIATED LETTUCE AND SPINACH

URGE JAPAN TO STOP CRUEL DOLPHIN DRIVE HUNTS

 

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General News:

“If you don’t stay informed, then who will tell the others the truth?”  JC Corcoran

 

70 IS THE NEW 40 (SEE THE AMAZING PHOTO!!!)

 

The first out gay man to win the Mr. America title, in 1973, Jim Morris is going stronger than ever, working as a personal trainer in L.A.'s Marina del Rey and posing, magnificently, for our photo portfolio "The Naked Truth" -- at age 73! Truly raising the bar on the concept of aging gracefully, Jim talks frankly about gays and self-perception, his vegan diet...

 

In all fairness, do you think you could have won the Mr. America title had you been a vegan back in the ’70s? I thought building muscle required protein -- and lots of it. Not only would I have won, I think I would have been spectacular. I won the Mr. America with the largest winning point margin in the history of the contest (30 points, and the record still stands), and I know the margin would have been even larger had I been a vegan. What I have always had going for me is symmetry. It would have emphasized those lines even more by eliminating the “bloat” that comes from eating animal products, especially dairy. Vegetable protein is infinitely better quality protein for humans and is available in more than sufficient quantities in vegetables.

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid59832.asp

 

 

SAY NO TO VIOLENCE IN YOUR CUPBOARD

 

Every year, millions of rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs and other animals are forced to swallow or inhale massive quantities of substances ranging from perfume to drain cleaner, or endure the pain of a chemical eating away at their sensitive eyes and skin. The results of animal tests vary greatly, even within species, and are unreliable when applied to humans.

 

No law requires that cosmetics and household products be tested on animals, but any product that makes “germ killing” or “antibacterial” claims on their label is regulated as a pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency. These must, by law, undergo dozens of separate animal tests before they can be marketed. The FDA has similar testing requirements for drugs, as well as chemicals that are used as additives or preservatives in processed foods.

 

Companies continue testing products on other species as legal security in the event of a lawsuit. For instance, if someone is hurt or killed from a product, the company can point to these tests as proof of manufacturer responsibility. Over 50% of over-the-counter medicines are recalled yearly due to symptoms not revealed by non-human animal tests. (For example: A rabbit has no way to tell that they are experiencing dizziness, headaches, numbness of limbs, loss of memory, etc.).

 

Today, hundreds of cosmetics and household-product companies have stopped all animal testing and begun taking advantage of the more accurate non-violent test methods available today, which range from cell and tissue cultures to computerized “structure-activity relationship” models.

 

Caring consumers who boycott animal-tested products play a vital role in pushing companies and government agencies to adopt more relevant and humane non-animal test methods. Spurred by public outrage, the European Union has voted to outlaw cosmetics testing on animals and the sale of animal-tested cosmetics by 2013.

http://www.dailygroceries.org/documents/Radish/AprMay2008.pdf

 

 

DOES YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL GET AN A+ IN LUNCH?

 

... Many schools are scrambling to meet the growing demand for vegetarian fare. Three schools in Broward County, Florida, began serving Gardenburgers, vegan chili and other healthful choices after a vegetarian student circulated a petition among her classmates. Officials at James Logan High School in Union City, California, incorporated vegan foods into the regular lunch menu when they saw how many kids frequented a student-run vegetarian "Smart Cart."...

 

Plant-based foods are rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals—all the nutrients kids need to grow up healthy. A steady diet of meat and dairy products, on the other hand, contributes to the soaring rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other ailments that are afflicting our children...

 

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences has urged school lunch programs to offer fewer animal fats for yet another reason: so that children won´t be exposed to so many dioxins—cancer-causing toxins found in meat and milk. By serving vegetarian meals instead of animal products, schools can help set children up for a lifetime of good health.

 

As the late Dr. Benjamin Spock said, "Children who grow up getting their nutrition from plant foods rather than meats have a tremendous health advantage. They are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer."

 

Other leading pediatricians endorse vegan diets for children, as does the American Dietetic Association. It will be a gold-star day when parents can count on schools to promote nutritious vegetarian meals too. After all, schools should help foster our children´s health, not harm it.

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/74506

 

 

POLITICS OF THE PLATE: “NATURAL” LIES

 

... How does the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) define the word “natural” for food products? Actually, that was a trick question. The agency can’t be bothered to define the term at all.

 

But that hasn’t stopped manufacturers, eager to bask in the “natural” marketing glow, from shamelessly slapping the word on everything from salad dressing to potato chips. Unlike “organic,” which is legally regulated, “natural,” when seen in the aisles of your local supermarket, can mean pretty much anything the processors like...

http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/08/politics-of-the-plate-natural-labeling

 

 

PROFILES IN COURAGE

 

Analyzing pollution from hog farms in Iowa and Missouri, James Zahn discovered a strain of airborne, antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" that posed a threat to human health. In 2002, when Zahn sought to formally present his findings, his superiors at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) blocked him. Zahn later found out that the National Pork Producers Council had lobbied to keep him silent... Zahn left the USDA in 2002 for the private sector.

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200809/profiles/

 

 

A FARM BOY REFLECTS

 

In a world in which animal rights are gaining ground, barbecue season should make me feel guilty. My hunch is that in a century or two, our descendants will look back on our factory farms with uncomprehending revulsion... the tide of history is moving toward the protection of animal rights, and the brutal conditions in which they are sometimes now raised will eventually be banned. Someday, vegetarianism may even be the norm...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/opinion/31kristof.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

 

 

VIDEO: WOMAN GOES RAW, LOSES MORE THAN HALF HERSELF

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/09/26/weightloss.angela.stokes/#cnnSTCVideo

 

 

VIDEO: GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

 

3 ounces fresh organic baby spinach

2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple cubes

3 kiwis

1/2 avocado

1 banana

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy.

 

To learn more about Dr. Fuhrman's techniques to prevent disease, check out Dr. Fuhrman's website. Also check out his excellent book Eat to Live, and his DVD, Dr. Fuhrman's Secrets to Healthy Cooking, for more recipes like this one. 

http://www.chooseveg.com/green-smoothie.asp

JC Note: To maximize nutrient content and drink ability consider adding some of these elements: filtered water, red cabbage, walnuts, dark leafy greens, broccoli & other sprouts, wild edibles (purslane, lambsquarters, plantain, dandelion, sorrel, mint, grape leaves, etc), herbs, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, melon, oranges (or frozen juice), cocoa, fresh ginger, cloves and cinnamon. The addition of a handful of seeds or nuts to a smoothie increase absorption of nutrients by as much as 10 times!

 

 

THE COST OF STEAK

 

If you are searching for signs that today's high food prices won't last, the latest report on the meat industry isn't promising. In May, a distinguished panel of scientists and meat industry officials concluded that the current "factory farm" method for mass-producing meat poses so many threats to public health -- from contaminated water supplies to deadly epidemics of E. coli E. coli -- that the whole system needs to go. The good news: Even meat companies agree that change is unavoidable. The bad news: Replacing factory farms with something "sustainable" likely means an end to 50 years of falling meat prices...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-roberts23-2008aug23,0,1032529.story

 

 

DO HAMBURGERS CAUSE CRIME?

 

Most of us who eat meat regularly would still rather not kill an animal with our own hands. So we have, for generations, delegated that work to others... Writing for the American Sociological Association, Amy Fitzgerald finds a spill-over effect from the violent work of the slaughterhouse into the surrounding community. According to her research, U.S. counties that have slaughterhouses consistently have higher rates of violent crime than demographically similar counties that don’t.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/do-hamburgers-cause-crime/

 

 

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR CHURCHES AND GOVERNMENT PROMOTED VEGANISM?

 

Factory farming would disappear and the economy would keep going!

We would have more food for the poor.

We would have cleaner water.

We would be healthier.

We would have a more balanced eco-system.

We would allow 3rd world countries to keep their habitat.

We would be teaching peaceful living to our kids.

We would be better stewards of God's animals used in research, and in the clothing and food industry.

We would have a closer relationship with God.

We would reflect more of God's image - compassionate, kind, peaceful and loving.

We would be letting everything that has breath praise the Lord. (Psalm 150:6)

We would be merciful, and would obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

Billions of animals suffer needlessly for us every day. Let's stop the suffering, one choice at a time - and allow everything that has breath to praise the Lord!

http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/articles-whatwould.html

 

 

WORLD VEGETARIAN AWARENESS MONTH!

 

Every year on October 1st, World Vegetarian Day kicks off a month of parties, potluck, presentations, food tasting displays...and lots of friendly discussions. For those new to vegetarianism, it serves as an enticement to give meatless fare a try (even for a day) and learn about its many benefits. And, of course, it's the perfect occasion for vegetarians and those already moving towards plant-based diets to celebrate their healthy, compassionate food choices...

http://www.worldvegetarianday.org/

 

Health News:

"Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food."   Hippocrates, the father of medicine.

 

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES CUTS RISK OF DISEASE, STUDY FINDS

 

Antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables such as oranges, carrots and broccoli can reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer of the larynx, esophagus, cervix and lungs... The study by Edith Cowan University nutritionists found that people who ate two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day could cut their risk of developing a range of cancers, heart and blood vessel disease, metabolic syndrome, and bone disease.

 

The researchers said while some of the protection against common diseases came from the weight loss associated with diets high in fruit and vegetables, there was now good evidence that phytochemicals and vitamins such as A, C and E in fresh produce had their own powerful antioxidant effects...

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=2&ContentID=94126

 

 

STUDY FINDS FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, VEGAN DIET AND EXERCISE

 

U.S. researchers have put out a new study in the journal Lancet Oncology, which gives details into the fountain of youth.  The fountain of youth apparently lies in following a lifestyle that includes exercise, and a vegan diet... Researchers were led by Prof. Dean Ornish of the Preventive Medicine Institute in California...

 

Their lifestyle they had to follow included 30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week for starters, as well as an hour of meditation or relaxing every day.

 

In regards to their diet, they could only get 10% of their calories from fat, had to take vitamin supplements and consume a diet that was made up of whole foods, fruit, and vegetables.

 

They found that this was able to increase an enzyme known as telomerase, which protects cells from the effects of aging. A reduction in telomerase has been linked to an increased risk of disease, and premature death. By following this lifestyle, those in the study increased their telomerase levels by 29%.

 

This is the first big step to finding out how to truly slow the aging process.

http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/09/16/study-finds-fountain-of-youth-vegan-diet-and-exercise/

 

 

EXERCISE TRUMPS OBESITY GENE, U.S. STUDY FINDS

 

Vigorous physical activity can help even people genetically prone to obesity keep the weight off, U.S. researchers said... People in the most physically active group expended about 900 more calories per day than the low-activity group. That would equal three to four hours of moderately intense physical activity such as brisk walking, house cleaning or gardening... make more opportunities for what he called "free" exercise, making it easier to walk or bike to work, or to use public transportation that requires some walking.

 

The World Health Organization estimates 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight and at least 400 million adults are obese. That includes a third of all U.S. adults

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness/WireStory?id=5754952&page=2

 

 

TOP 10 VEGAN HEALTH TIPS

 

While the typical vegan diet is much healthier than a typical diet that includes animal products, most vegetarians and vegans could improve their health even more by following the tips below.

1. Include a source of B12 in your diet...

2. Consume More Omega 3's, Less Omega 6's...

3. Eat your greens!...

4. Calcium...

5. Vitamin D...

6. Pay Attention to Iodine...

7. Include beans or lentils in your diet...

8. Choose whole foods over processed foods...

9. Exercise!...

10. Be a Happy Vegan!...

http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-health-tips.asp

 

 

BECOMING A VEGETARIAN - MAKING A CASE FOR THE VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE

 

Let's talk about becoming a vegetarian. First of all, let me tell you that I am a vegan so this is a subject that I'm passionate about. I know that being vegan seems extreme to many people so we can talk about becoming vegetarian but trust me the more you clean out your diet the better you will feel and vegan is an extremely clean way of eating...

 

I wouldn't eat animal products no matter what but it turns out that my ethical choice has also led me to feeling better physically than I ever have in my life. No one will ever be able to tell me that being a vegetarian or vegan is not the healthiest way to eat. I live it and I feel it! I have a family plagued with cardiac problems so my heredity is not good. Well, let me tell you, I am now the only one in my family who has not had an episode of some sort and not only that but also my cholesterol and blood pressure are extremely low.

 

Since becoming vegan, my energy level is so high and contrary to popular belief you do not need animal protein to build muscle. My workouts and results have not been the least bit compromised because of the change in my diet. Far from it, my muscular endurance is the highest it's ever been and since becoming vegan I have much more stamina to during my workouts...

 

Barry Lovelace is an internationally recognized personal trainer and fitness professional specializing in the training of athletes...

http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/1554.html

 

 

RED MEAT CONSUMPTION LINKED YET AGAIN TO INCREASED CANCER RISK

 

... Researchers found that people who consumed the most red meat had a 25 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer in the study period compared with those who ate the least, and a 20 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of esophageal and liver cancer was increased by between 20 and 60 percent.

 

Those who ate the most processed meat had a 20 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer and a 16 percent higher risk of lung cancer. Increased intake of red and processed meat was also correlated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in men.

 

According to the researchers, one in 10 cases of lung or colorectal cancer could be averted by limiting red meat intake...

http://www.naturalnews.com/023556.html

 

 

DOCUMENTARY: CRAZY SEXY CANCER (2007)

 

Just weeks after being diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer, 31-year-old actress Kris Carr turned the camera on herself as she embarked on the fight of her life. The result is this moving and funny inspirational documentary. In need of experimental treatment, Carr travels the country seeking experts on alternative medicine and, along the way, meets other cancer-stricken women driven to survive.

JC Note: If you know someone with cancer share this film with them. Lots of good vegan-raw advice! Available in rental outlets and through Netflix.

 

 

MILK, "IT DOES THE BODY BAD"

 

If milk is so bad, so wrong, then why does everybody thinks it's so good for you?" Robert Cohen, author of "Milk - The Deadly Poision" tells us why.

http://www.vegfamily.com/vegtube/index.htm

 

 

TRANS FATS LINKED TO PRE-CANCEROUS COLON GROWTHS

 

... Trans fats are formed by processing vegetable oils to increase their shelf-life, and are found in many baked goods, crackers, snacks and other packaged foods. Eating them increases levels of "bad" LDL-cholesterol, and hence heart disease risk. US food producers are now required to list the amount of trans fat contained in their products, and health authorities recommend people avoid eating trans fats entirely...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080829/hl_nm/trans_growths_dc_1

 

 

 

 

Environmental News:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."  Albert Einstein

 

GO VEGAN! REDUCE EMISSION OF GREENHOUSES

 

... adopting a vegan diet could be one of the best ways to respond to what one writer refers to as arguably two of the world’s most urgent social issues: climate change and the food crisis. If people eat less meat, there will not only be more food to go around the world but also the cutting down of emissions that are a direct product of meat production...

 

The UN’s top climate scientist says changing the old human habit of eating meat can be a way of combating global warming. Shockingly, UN figures suggest that meat production puts more greenhouses gases into the atmosphere than transport...

 

Statistics show that producing to feed farmed animals requires vast amounts of water – it takes about 300 gallons of water per day to produce food for a vegan, and more than 4,000 gallons of water to produce food for a meat eater... “If we’re honest, less meat is also good for the health, and would also at the same time reduce emission of greenhouses,” said Pachauri.

http://ecoworldly.com/2008/09/09/eat-vegan-reduce-emission-of-greenhouses/

 

 

EATING GREENS 'MAKES YOU GREENER'

 

VEGETARIANS save 20 per cent at the checkout and have sixfold lower greenhouse gas emissions than carnivores, a new study shows. Research comparing diets heavy, light and free of meat has found that vegetarianism is cheaper, healthier and easier on the environment.

 

The findings show it costs $508 a week to feed four adults on a traditional meat diet. A reduced meat diet costs $418 a week, while a vegetarian diet costs $394.

 

"A massive 20 per cent reduction in costs can be achieved by maintaining the vegetarian diet," the company said in a statement.

 

The analysis also showed the plant-based diet used 50 per cent less water, led to 12 times less land being cleared and had six times lower greenhouse gas emissions than a meat rich diet... It also contained almost 50 per cent lower saturated fat and 25 per cent more fibre and folate...

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24384992-12377,00.html

 

 

THE U.N.'S MEATLESS DRIVE

 

... The U.N. also is calling for governments to launch campaigns to reduce meat eating. If they do, such efforts will probably start in Europe, then sweep through every city, town, village and hamlet in Asia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica before the U.S. Department of Agriculture stops propagandizing on behalf of meat without any regard for human or environmental health...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-meatless9-2008sep09,0,4449766.story

 

 

EARTH'S EDIBLE FISH FACE EXTINCTION

 

A U.S. scientist predicts continued overfishing will lead to the extinction of the Earth's edible species of fish and affect other levels of the food chain... Jackson says certain steps, if taken immediately, might reverse the demise of the Earth's ocean species. Those measures include establishing marine reserves, eliminating subsidies for fertilizer use and limiting fossil fuel consumption.

 

In addition to the extinction of edible fish species, he said without the immediate implementation of ocean-protection measures, larger dead zones and toxic algal blooms may form along the coastal zones of all of the world's continents, increasing disease outbreaks and inhibiting vertical mixing of ocean waters.

 

"Some may say that it is irresponsible to make such predictions pending further detailed study to be sure of every point," said Jackson. "However, we will never be certain about every detail, and it would be irresponsible to remain silent in the face of what we already know."

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/08/14/Study_Earths_edible_fish_face_extinction/UPI-40301218740509/

 

 

BRAZIL ADMITS AMAZON DEFORESTATION ON THE RISE

 

69 percent increase in 1 year reported; 20 percent of forest now cleared... the first such increase in three years — as rising demand for soy and cattle pushes farmers and ranchers to raze trees...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26472726/

 

 

EATING LESS MEAT AND JUNK FOOD COULD CUT FOSSIL ENERGY FUEL USE ALMOST IN HALF

 

... As individuals embrace a ‘greener’ lifestyle, an awareness of the influence their food choices have on energy resources might be added encouragement for them to buy good, local produce and avoid highly processed, heavily packaged and nutritionally inferior food.  As well as leading to a cleaner environment, this would also lead to better health.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723094838.htm

 

 

Animal News:

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men."   Alice Walker, author and activist.

 

VIDEO: CHRISTIAN THE LION

Animals have a deep capacity for love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

 

 

FACTORY FARMS ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS

 

Scratch the surface of a food offender whether they abuse the environment, workers, animals, the public trust or public funds and you usually find they are repeat offenders.

 

Nebraska Beef, the Omaha, NE-based supplier Whole Foods says it didn’t know its supplier Coleman Natural Foods was using (right) recalled more than five million pounds of beef to other customers in seven states weeks before the Whole Foods recall of 1.2 million pounds that sickened seven.

 

In 2002 and 2003, the USDA shut Nebraska Beef down three times for feces on carcasses, water dripping off pipes onto meat, paint peeling onto equipment and other non-hygienic embellishments. And in 2004 and 2005, Nebraska Beef was cited five times for failing to remove potentially mad cow-infected spinal cords and heads from its products...

 

Then there’s the pride of Arkansas, Tyson Foods, where the chicken is cheap and the fish are dead. Tyson was barely off probation for 20 federal violations of the Clean Water Act in 2003 when it was called back to a Tulsa, OK courtroom for polluting the Illinois River watershed this spring.

 

In the last year Tyson was also fined $339,500 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety and health violations at its Noel, MO plant, charged by shareholders and Amalgamated Bank with spring-loading $4.5 million in options and forbidden by the Department of Agriculture from terming its ionophores-grown chickens “raised without antibiotics.” No wonder Tyson is gravitating toward China which won’t notice a little chicken effluvium in its water.

 

Then there’s the former DeCoster Egg Farms, now Maine Contract Farming LLC, where nose plugs and flyswatters have been the de facto new neighbor kit for thirty years. In August, OSHA cited Maine Contract Farming in Turner, ME with sending workers into a partially collapsed building at the same site where workers were found living in rat and sewage infested company housing in 1996.

 

Last year, five years after owner Austin “Jack” DeCoster pled guilty to “the continued employment of illegal immigrants,” federal immigration agents arrested 51 workers at the DeCoster egg processing plant near Clarion, IA the site where an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit says Mexican women workers were raped at knifepoint in 2001.

 

... Of course repeat food offenders couldn’t abuse the environment, workers, animals and the public without a steady stream of undocumented workers.

 

Undocumented workers–and their children as seen in May at the kosher meat packer Agriprocessors in Postville, IA–are afraid to quit, complain or whistle blow. Big meat is predicated on undocumented workers and without them the US couldn’t afford its own cheap meat habit.

 

No wonder Agriprocessors–half of whose work force was found to be undocumented and unceremoniously frog marched off to jail–is now canvassing homeless shelters and bus stations for able bodied workers.

 

Unfortunately, Agriprocessors will discover what Smithfield Foods learned when it tried to hire prisoners from the local jail to work in its hog plants in 2000, they quit. Some things are worse than jail.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/08/factory-farms-are-repeat-offenders/

 

 

DON'T BUY THE MYTH!

 

Humane Myth HumaneMyth.org offers provocative new testimony from former farmers, investigators, and animal rescuers who expose fallacies associated with animal product labels such as cage-free, sustainable, organic and certified humane. With growing media attention on the devastating impact large-scale industrialized farming is having on animals and the environment, concerned citizens are seeking alternatives. Labels such as "Certified Humane," "Cage-free," "Free-range," and "Organic" make it seem that those who are willing to pay a higher price can enjoy meat, dairy products, and eggs from small-scale farms that treat animals with respect.

 

HumaneMyth.org is an initiative being carried out by an international coalition of individuals and grassroots organizations, including, among others, Tribe of Heart and all seven subjects of Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home. Join the effort to get the message out. Download the press release and print it out to distribute or send the link to others.

 

The site offers many tools for online and community-based outreach, including slide shows, informational brochures, thought provoking analysis of media stories, web banners, flyers and other ways to counter the myth within your community. Help spread the word to bloggers, newspapers, magazines, our fellow activists, educators, politicians, scientists, and environmental advocates. Visit the HumaneMyth.org website.

 

The animal movement is at a critical point, and to insure a good outcome, many more people need to become aware of the problems posed by the myth of "humane" animal products, and actively take part in shaping our movement's future. 

http://www.vegfamily.com/news/dont-buy-the-myth.htm

 

 

MAD COWS (AND LIVID LAMBS)

 

Marauding elephants, aggressive sea lions, snap-happy crocodiles... As animal attacks on humans reach frightening levels, scientists are beginning to understand exactly what the beasts are thinking. And it's not good... After centuries of being eaten, evicted, subjected to vivisection, killed for fun, worn as hats and made to ride bicycles in circuses, something is causing them to turn on us. And it is being taken seriously enough by scientists that it has earned its own acronym: HAC - 'human-animal conflict'...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/08/10/sv_animals.xml

 

 

UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION REVEALS HORMEL SUPPLIER ABUSING MOTHER PIGS AND PIGLETS

 

For more than three months, PETA went undercover at an Iowa pig factory farm, which supplies piglets who are raised and killed for Hormel products. PETA found rampant cruelty to animals - committed by workers and supervisors. The farm changed ownership and management during PETA's investigation, but that made no difference to the animals who were born and confined there: Abuse and neglect were widespread during PETA's entire investigation...

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse

 

 

Take Action:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."   Margaret Mead, anthropologist

 

FDA OKS IRRADIATED LETTUCE AND SPINACH

 

Rather than dealing with the problems inherent in a disease-ridden factory-farmed food system, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in mid-September it will allow the irradiation of lettuce and spinach. Food irradiation is the controversial practice of bombarding food with high levels of x-rays (ionizing radiation) in order to destroy disease causing pathogens. Unfortunately, in the process of irradiation, other hazards arise, like the creation of toxic free radicals, vitamin and nutrient loss, and the formation of carcinogenic chemicals.

 

While irradiated lettuce and spinach must be labeled in supermarkets, there are currently no labeling requirements whatsoever for restaurants, schools, hospitals, or nursing homes serving irradiated produce or other nuked foods such as beef. Over the past decade, OCA and our allies in the organic community have prevented corporate agribusiness and the nuclear industry from contaminating organic standards. Food irradiation is prohibited on any product labeled as "organic." There is currently a 30 day comment period for the FDA's new rule.

 

Tell the FDA to clean-up industrial feedlots instead of irradiating our food.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/irrad/irradiationcomment.htm

 

 

URGE JAPAN TO STOP CRUEL DOLPHIN DRIVE HUNTS

 

Every year between September and April thousands of dolphins are brutally killed off the shores of the Japanese coastal towns of Taiji and Futo.

 

In what are known as "drive" hunts, Japanese fishermen in motorboats encircle pods of dolphins with nets and drive them towards shore. Once the dolphins are trapped in shallow waters, the fishermen kill them using crude, inhumane methods. Sometimes cranes are used to haul animals out of the water by their tails, often while the dolphins are still alive.  They are then transported to a nearby slaughterhouse where they are butchered and processed into meat and fertilizer away from public view.

 

Every aspect of these hunts is extremely cruel and inhumane, from the exhausting drive from the open ocean that can separate family groups, to confinement in a netted cove where the dolphins are trapped and stabbed. Some of the young dolphins are spared this terrible fate, only to be sold into captivity - they spend the rest of their lives in small tanks in aquariums and marine parks where they are used for public display.

 

The majority of people in Japan and around the world have no idea that the slaughter of so many dolphins and whales continues. Government authorities in Japan know that the world will not tolerate the killing of these beautiful animals, and they go to great lengths to hide these hunts from public view. Fishermen even put up tarps behind which the dolphins are slaughtered, and people are barred from filming and photographing the bloody hunts. Please take easy action: http://capwiz.com/wspausa/issues/alert/?alertid=11855146

 

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