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There are two bills going through Congress right now that can help reduce farm animal suffering and promote compassion. 

1) Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act (HR 4733)
Battery cages, gestation crates, and veal crates are considered the most inhumane confinement systems in the agriculture industry. Hens in battery cages have less than the space of one sheet of notebook paper each. They can not even extend their wings.  Pregnant pigs and veal calves that are kept in 2-foot-wide gestation crates can not turn around, lie down comfortably, nor extend their legs. 

Most Americans oppose the use of these cruel confinement systems. A 2003 Gallup poll found that nearly 2/3 of Americans “support passing strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals.” A 2003 Zogby poll found that nearly 70% of Americans find it “unacceptable” that farm animals have no federal protection from abuse while on the farm.

Yet, currently, more than 95% of all eggs produced in the US come from hens kept in battery cages. Roughly 80% of breeding pigs and 66% of veal calves are kept in crates barely larger than their own bodies. And your tax dollars are being used to support these three systems! In fact, the federal government spends more than $1 billion a year on animal products for various federal programs (like the National School Lunch Program).

The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act would prohibit the government from purchasing any animal products from animals raised in battery cages, gestation crates, or veal crates. If passed, this legislation could affect the lives of millions of animals.

2) Healthy School Meals Act (HR 4870)
Students in our public schools eat some of the unhealthiest meals day after day. Fed meals of cheap, processed, preservative and sodium laced foods, America’s children are denied access to the fresh, plant-based foods they need to stay healthy.

*Update* I just read this on Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project:

The USDA guidelines are warped. Even after eating *almost* 100 school lunches, I still have a hard time understanding the strange regulations governing school lunches. For example, fries and tater tots count as vegetables (contrary to what you might have heard in the 1980’s, ketchup does not qualify as a vegetable). I realize that they do come from potatoes, but something seems to be wrong there. Because of rules like this, 46% of kids’ vegetable servings come from fries (Lunch Lessons, p. 74, Ann Cooper).

And what about fruit? The USDA thinks that a frozen juice bar (“icee”), a fruit cup, fruit jello cup, or a fruit juice cup equal a serving of fruit. Sorry to say but none of those options equal a piece of fresh fruit. When the kids see the fruit icees being served, they get excited. And with less than 20 minutes to eat (including lining up, getting your meal, sitting down and unwrapping packaging), kids have enough time to eat an “icee” and drink their milk. It’s no wonder that an hour after lunch the kids’ attention spans decline and they glaze over.

Additionally, the USDA requires more than five grains per week to be offered to students. That means that every week an extra package of pretzels, a cookie, or even an extra slice of bread is sitting on a lunch tray looking out of place. Because of this rule I eat odd combinations like yesterday’s rice with bread or a package of pretzels with a cheese sandwich. It doesn’t make sense.

The Healty School Meals Act would provide financial incentives to school districts that provide healthful plant-based foods and non-dairy beverages to students. If passed, this legislation would not only improve the health of school children, but would also affect countless farm animals and help reduce the environmental destruction caused by animal agriculture.

Get Involved!

Call or write your congressmen to let them know that these issues are important to you and urge them to support these two bills.

It’s really very easy! Look up your congressmen by zip code (if two representatives show up, this means your zip code is split between two districts and you’ll need to enter your full address on the right). Use the phone numbers and contact page links to tell your congressmen to support these bills.

Below are the emails I sent to my members of congress. Feel free to use them, but a personalized message will make more of an impact.

– Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act –
Dear Representative Norton, 

Please support HR 4733. This bill would prevent the use of federal funds to purchase animal products from animals suffering from some of the cruelest forms of confinement.

 Egg-laying hens kept in battery cages are confined to a space smaller than a sheet of notebook paper. They are unable to do something as natural as spread their wings. Breeding pigs and veal calves are kept in crates barely larger than the size of their bodies. They literally can not turn around or even roll over.

 The federal government spends roughly $1 billion each year to purchase animal products for various programs (like the National School Lunch Program) without any regard for the animals involved!

 HR 4733 is a modest measure, simply prohibiting the federal government from purchasing products from animals who are unable to turn around, lie down, fully stand up, or fully extend their legs or wings.

 In a 2003 Gallup poll, nearly 2/3 of Americans supported “strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals.” In a 2003 Zogby poll, nearly 70% of Americans found it “unacceptable” that farm animals have no federal protection from abuse on the farm.

 Will you actively support this humane legislation? I look forward to your response.

 Sincerely,
Angie Chappell

– Healthy School Meals Act –
I’d like to ask Senator Hutchison to urge Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller to include the provisions of HR 4870, the Healthy Schools Meals Act, in the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization bill.

This bill would provide our children with the healthy food they need to grow and learn and promote foods that are environmentally sustainable and compassionate.

Thank you,
Angie Chappell

– Phone Call –
“Hello, my name is Angie Chappell and I’m a constituent. I’d like Ms. Norton to urge Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller to include the provisions of HR 4870, the Healthy Schools Meals Act, in the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization bill. This bill would provide our children with the healthy food they need to grow and learn. Thank you.”

Together we can make a difference!  I know, that’s so cheesy, but we really can.

____________________
Breakfast: Soy yogurt and applesauce
Lunch: Spaghetti
Dinner: Black truffle quesadilla and chilaquiles at Oyamel

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• You Are What You Eat
• You Are What THEY Eat