Guest blog: Adele Buettner, Farm Animal Council Saskatchewan
Most reasonable North Americans have always opposed animal cruelty. But if you had said “welfare” to ranchers and farmers 30 years ago most would have thought you meant a government cheque. If you had spoken about farm animal care to most retailers, you would have been met with a blank stare.
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Posted by FFC on January 23rd, 2012 :: Filed under
Activism,
Vegan,
VegetarianTags ::
activists,
agriculture,
animal rights
By Leslie Ballentine, Farm and food commentator
As anyone who knows a teenager is probably aware this year’s hot ticket items for Christmas receiving (or any other occasion) included real UGG boots (not the synthetic copies) and Canada Goose jackets. The price of these natural fibre clothing items put them in the “not happening” category in my household and that of many of my friends. But both items are hot sellers among the under-30 crowd. So it should come as no surprise that they are also receiving negative attention by the “don’t use animals” crowd.
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Posted by FFC on January 16th, 2012 :: Filed under
Activism,
animal by-products,
Animal cruelty,
Innovation and technology,
PETA,
Wildlife
By: Leslie Ballentine, Farming and Food Commentator
There’s lots of talk on the need for science-based policy decisions by politicians at all levels of government. No more so than at the municipal level. The City of Toronto is a prime example of local politicians over-riding both science and experience in making decisions about animals.
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Posted by FFC on November 28th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Animal care,
RegulationsTags ::
activists,
animals,
regulation
By: Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
One of the great things about our country is the freedom to express and defend our personal opinions. We have more venues to do so than ever before. Not so long ago I was pulled into an on-line discussion on food animal production. The discussion was prompted by a CBC radio commentary on egg production but quickly moved into animal farming and food practices in general and the need to eat animal products in the first place. Illustrating how agriculture crosses into so many issues.
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Posted by FFC on October 24th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Housing,
Misconceptions,
Speaking out,
VegetarianTags ::
activists,
animal rights,
free range,
Vegetarian
The following is reprinted with permission from the Animal Agriculture Alliance in the United States (www.animalalliance.org). For its full collection of Meatless Monday resources, visit http://animalagalliance.org/current/home.cfm?Section=Meatless_Monday&Category=Current_Issues.
The Myth of Meatless Mondays – Alleviating the Consumer’s Conscience Without Affecting Climate Change
Judith L. Capper, PhD, Washington State University
In July, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a report claiming that everybody should eat less meatand dairy products in order to mitigate climate change. It was an interesting report, not least because it recommended that if consumers were going to eat meat, they should choose “meat, eggs and dairy products that are certified organic, humane and/or grass-fed as they are generally the least environmentally damaging”. Working within the sustainability arena, I firmly believe that any production system has a role within agriculture provided that it is environmentally conscientious, economically viable and socially acceptable. However, the EWG’s promotion of organic or grass-fed systems as having a low environmental impact is ironic given that such systems actually have a greater carbon footprint per unit of meat or milk produced compared to their conventional counterparts.
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Posted by FFC on October 6th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Beef cattle,
Feeding the world,
Global Warming,
Meatless Monday,
Misconceptions,
Organics,
Sheep,
VegetarianTags ::
activists,
beef,
Consumers,
environment,
meatless Monday,
misconceptions,
organic,
Research,
sheep,
Vegetarian
Dan Murphy
(Dan Murphy is a veteran food-industry journalist and commentator in the United States)
Updated: July 11, 2011 - Both sides are carefully calling the agreement between the nation’s egg producers and HSUS leadership a “victory.” For industry, that means that two ballot measures set for November that would have asked Oregon and Washington voters to ban the use of cages in egg production will now be withdrawn.
Why? Mostly because the odds of victory were looking less certain for HSUS.
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Posted by FFC on July 13th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Animal care,
Chickens,
eggs,
HSUS,
Regulations,
UncategorizedTags ::
activists,
animal care,
animal rights,
animal welfare,
eggs,
HSUS,
misconceptions
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
Post Traumatic Syndrome and grieving isn’t something we usually associate with farm animal tragedies. But for those who have been through a tragic loss of livestock or poultry, it is something very real. I know from personal experience- having run a farmer helpline in the early 1980’s, that emotional support is an important part of the rebuilding process.
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Posted by FFC on July 11th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Barn fires,
Farm life,
MediaTags ::
agriculture,
animal rights,
farm,
Farmers
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and Food Commentator
What do these three things have in common? They get people’s attention. And thanks in part to new technologies and eroding respect for privacy rights, “Little Brother” is everywhere. 
Distrust of others and a sense of entitlement to know everyone’s business means less and less remains private anymore. The tabloid talk show, paparazzi, leakipedia and the move toward corporate transparency are all examples of that. Welcome too to the era of the “undercover investigation” which is just a nice name for spying.
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Posted by FFC on April 28th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Animal cruelty,
MediaTags ::
activists,
agriculture,
animals,
Farmers
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
I am not committed to any particular political party and, like many Canadians, tend to cast my ballot based on election platforms. Not that I necessarily expect them to be honoured, but sometimes party platforms devolve into nonsense.
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Posted by FFC on April 14th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Innovation and technology,
Organics,
RegulationsTags ::
activists,
agriculture,
Canada,
regulation
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
With a federal election just around the corner, politicians are being inundated with voter requests for new legislation in the next Parliamentary session. One that comes up with regular frequency is legislation dealing with animal welfare. A researcher with the University of Manitoba suggests the legislative approach to addressing public concerns related to the welfare of animals raised for food does not necessarily ensure the welfare of those animals. A viewpoint shared by others.
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Posted by FFC on April 7th, 2011 :: Filed under
Activism,
Animal care,
RegulationsTags ::
activists,
animal welfare,
regulation
