The Humanity! The Humanity!

Recently, Sierra Club California elected to support The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, a measure for the November ballot. This Humane Society-backed initiative would set minimum standards for the way California treats its farm-raised animals.

Essentially, farm animals would be able to stand up, turn around and fully extend their limbs. This will most benefit California’s approximately 19 million egg-laying chickens (statistics from CDFA).

As you can read in more detail in the Humane Society’s blog, the way some factory farms keep their animals has definite quality-of-life implications. I don’t think anyone would confuse putting chickens in cramped “battery cages” that don’t let them spread their wings, with sustainable farming.

Factory farms also directly impact California’s watersheds. When housed in the tight quarters of “animal feeding operations,” or factory farms, chickens produce more waste than they would if raised more sustainably. Lower-impact farming practices, on the other hand, produce lower concentrations of nitrates, ammonias and other compounds that pollute our groundwater and soil.

It might cost a little more “chicken feed” to provide California’s farm animals with basic improvements, but Sierra Club California is certain it will lead to less pollution and more sustainable farming.

See for yourself: This graphic Youtube video shows what life is like for chickens at a California egg farm (CAUTION: images of cruelty best viewed by mature audiences).

Read what Sierra Club has to say about humane husbandry

Your donation helps us fight for the ballot measures that protect California’s wildlife and wild places.