Success: Better Protections Granted for Organic Livestock

Target: Barack Obama, former president of the United States

Goal: Thank President Obama for taking action to improve the lives of organic farm animals.

Just days before leaving office, President Obama passed a new rule stating that organic farmers can no longer cut the tails off of livestock (a cruel practice known as tail docking), or clip the beaks of chickens. The rule also guarantees more outdoor space for poultry, and stipulates that livestock must have room to move about freely. Although certainly not the end of the battle for ethical treatment of farm animals, this policy does represent a victory for animal advocates and followers of the organic movement.

This decision is coming after years of debate and pressure, on both sides, from the public. Those arguing in favor of better conditions and protections for livestock have included groups like the Humane Society, PETA, the Cornucopia Institute, and ForceChange – over the years we have hosted many petitions on these topics, like the ones found here, here, and here.

The rule has already been met with criticism. Some animal welfare groups are dismissing it as too little too late, while the National Pork Producers Council has called it an “unnecessary, unscientific midnight regulation,” and believe it sets a “bad precedent.” This writer certainly believes it is never too late to start improving the lives of animals in our country. Stepping-stone victories like this one are necessary to fortify us in the continued fight against animal cruelty. Sign this petition to thank President Obama for looking out for livestock.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. President,

Although it may have flown somewhat under the radar in the wake of the inauguration and other recent policy measures, I want you to know how happy I was to see that, in your last days in office, you passed a new rule ensuring better conditions for organic livestock. It isn’t as strong as some animal welfare advocates were hoping for, but it is a victory nonetheless, and I applaud your efforts.

With this new measure, organic livestock will no longer be subjected to the cruel practice of tail docking, nor will chickens have to suffer from having their beaks clipped. Additionally, your rule guarantees more space for organic farm animals to roam – a point that has long been hotly contested.

Thank you for your work on behalf of the organic movement. I hope this new rule can be a starting point as we continue pushing for the ethical treatment of all animals in our country.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: Micolo J


15 Comments

  1. Jenna Miles says:

    Consumers should not be misled into thinking these animals were happy or wanted to die: http://www.peta.org/blog/new-usda-organic-rule/

    • PLEASE don’t TRUST PETA!!!

      Their one and only ‘animal shelter” in Virginia, had a 99% kill rate, NO efforts made to adopt out the animals….just a killing machine, worse than almost any other in the U.S.

      WHO is so stupid they would think any animal “wants to die”….but that includes dogs and cats as well as farm animals and wildlife.

      Some quotes from PETA leadership on cats and dogs:
      “SEE: “…Eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship, enjoyment at a distance.”
      Ingrid Newkirk – Founder, PETA

      ALSO:

      Quote from Ingrid Newberg, founder of PETA: “”One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild … they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.”
      (NO, they would die of starvation, or be shot or poisoned….)

      Another quote: “The cat, like the dog, must disappear… We should cut the domestic cat free from our dominance by neutering, neutering, and more neutering, until our pathetic version of the cat ceases to exist.” John Bryant, PETA
      (ODD: Scientists feel that the cats of today are nearly identical to the cats first domesticated by the Eqyptians to control rodents)

      You can google the pathetic Virginia PETA-owned “animal shelter”…..

    • Part II on PETA:

      http://www.theatlantic.Com/health/archive/2012/03/petas-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-history-of-killing-animals/254130/

      AND< re: PETA's one and only animal shelter, which the state of Virginia closed down:
      "

      Show original message
      On Friday, June 3, 2016 12:31 PM, Alan Leveton wrote:

      Please don’t give people the idea that PETA is an authority on dogs & cats! They are not! They are working on their OWN agenda which includes phasing out ALL pet “ownership”. (This is in reference to today’s article on “outside dog given a voice” which quotes PETA in a positive way…….

      SEE: “…Eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship, enjoyment at a distance.”
      Ingrid Newkirk – Founder, PETA

      ALSO:

      Quote from Ingrid Newberg, founder of PETA: “”One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild … they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.”

      Another quote: “The cat, like the dog, must disappear… We should cut the domestic cat free from our dominance by neutering, neutering, and more neutering, until our pathetic version of the cat ceases to exist.” John Bryant, PETA

      “We are not especially ‘interested in’ animals. Neither of us had ever been inordinately fond of dogs, cats, or horses in the way that many people are. We didn’t ‘love’ animals.” Peter Singer, the ‘father’ of ‘animal rights’ activism.

      AND see these articles:

      https://www.petakillsanimals.Com/

      http://www.huffingtonpost.Com/nathan-j-winograd/peta-kills-puppies-kittens_b_2979220.html

      http://www.petakillsanimals.Com/proof-peta-kills/

      http://nypost.Com/2012/03/05/first-lets-kill-all-the-animals/

      http://www.theatlantic.
      CPETA’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad History of Killing Animals

      image

      PETA’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad History of …
      The organization, which claims to be dedicated to the cause of animal rights, can’t explain why its adoption rate is only 2.5 percent for dogs.
      View on http://www.theatlantic.com
      Preview by Yahoo

      FINALLY: are you aware of what happened with PETA’s one and only animal shelter they owned and ran?

      From Huff Green, an offshoot of Huffington Post:
      “PETA Euthanized A Lot Of Animals At Its Shelter In 2014, And No-Kill Advocates Are Not Happy About It”


      The group euthanized 2,454 of its 3,369 cats, dogs and other animals, the vast majority of which were “owner surrenders,” meaning that they’d been relinquished to the group voluntarily. Just 23 dogs and 16 cats were adopted.”

      AND from same article, a quote from Nathan Winograd:
      “Here’s how long-time PETA critic Nathan Winograd, a well-known shelter reform advocate, recently put it on his Facebook page:
      How much money did PETA take in last year from unsuspecting donors who helped pay for this mass carnage? $51,933,001: $50,449,023 in contributions, $627,336 in merchandise sales, and $856,642 in interest and dividends. They finished the year with $4,551,786 more in the bank than they started, after expenses. They did not see fit to use some of that to comprehensively promote animals for adoption or to provide veterinary care for the animals who needed it.
      By contrast, the Lynchburg Humane Society, also in Virginia, took in about the same number of animals as PETA but saved 94% and without PETA’s millions. Seagoville Animal Services in Texas took in 1/3 of the numbers (about 700 animals) but only 1/20th of 1% of the amount of money that PETA did, saving 99% of them on a paltry $29,700 budget. In fact, hundreds of cities and towns across America are saving over 90% of the animals and doing so on a fraction of PETA’s wealth.”

  2. Lindsay Savitzky says:

    GOOD. It’s about time!

  3. Kathryn Irby says:

    Thank you, President Obama!! Yet another of your numerous accomplishments.

  4. Brenda Denno says:

    As people learn to treat animals better, hopefully they will eventually learn to not eat them. They are our friends, and we shouldn’t eat our friends. Animals make better friends than many people!

  5. Far too late. Why not for all animals? As long as Kartels only think of their profits over the lives of these poor creatures and everyone in higher positions is either brought off, or is scared to say no, no way is anything going to change. Absolutly discusting what is allowed to go on.

  6. Cynthia Mattera says:

    Just because these animals are raised for food, it should not mean that we can torture, abuse, and perform all kinds of cruel de-beaking, tail docking, & testicular removal.
    Please keep in place the new protections for organic as well as non organic farm animals. They are voiceless and need your help!

  7. michelle mitchell says:

    Eat vegetables and not animals.Become civilised.

  8. President Obama will be remembered for trying to do good for animals and nature. What will Trump be remembered for?

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