An eye-opening new report from the John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future reveals that while meat may be cheaper and more accessible in the U.S. than ever before, the hidden costs are shortchanging the animals and the American public.
Billions of animals are now raised in as small a space as possible, which promotes the spread of disease and places the country’s meat supply at greater risk for contamination. Farmed animals are also given antibiotics whether they’re sick or not. This encourages the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans. In addition, the overcrowded conditions raise serious animal welfare concerns and make farm workers more susceptible to injury.
The CLF specifically examined the landmark report from the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, which was released five years ago. Sadly, it seems that things have gone from bad to worse since then:
Contrary to expectations, the Obama administration has not engaged on the recommendations outlined in the report in a meaningful way; in fact, regulatory agencies in the administration have acted regressively in their decision-making and policy-setting procedures. In addition, the House of Representatives has stepped up the intensity of its attacks on avenues for reform and stricter enforcement of existing regulations, paving the way for industry avoidance of scrutiny and even deregulation, masked as protection of the inappropriately termed “family farmer.”
See for yourself the horrors that farmed animals endure on today’s factory farms:
With multibillion-dollar corporations now pushing for ag-gag laws and the USDA implementing faster kill speeds at slaughterhouses, there’s never been a better time to step up your activism. Click here to get information on volunteering with Mercy For Animals.
And remember, the best thing we can do to prevent animal suffering on modern farms is to transition to a humane vegan diet. Learn more at ChooseVeg.com.
