Reform Crop and Animal Subsidies

CAFO's basically have their own coupons written out to them from good old Uncle Sam. The grains used to feed the animals in the farms is reduced in price due to subsidies. Tax payer dollars make corn less valuable than the cost of production. States how we should stop subsidizing commodity crops and promote organic grown animals. Require a pasture for organic certified animals, reduce or phase out corn oil subsidies which is the leading cause of distiller grains being in animals diets due to remarkably low prices.

EQIP: meant to be given to farms that par take conservation practices. During1996 the cap per year was $10,000 and it could not be spent on building animal waste storage facilities. IN 2002 the limit was removed and it was made easier for factory farms to receive money. It was very possible for a CAFO to receive $450,000 in one year from EQIP also now they could spend the money on building waste storage facilities.

Instead of giving money to help the already huge CAFOs grow it should be used to promote conservation in an attempt to protect our slowly deteriorating environment. Put EQIP ccaps back into place and restrict who receives the money. Use livestock size, type, manure amount, and funding size as regulations to reduce any subsidies that the CAFOs may receive.

See Krystalee's blog for more information

Species specific welfare provisions within the EU

In Europe, factory faming is now being brought into the public eye. There are reforms concerning the well being of the animals that are improving the quality of life for pigs, poultry, cows, calfs and piglets. The immense number of animals produced by factory farms is being limited in the EU because it makes giving the animals proper treatment significantly easier.  For piglets they are increasing the age at which they are weaned, and making tail trimming and castration less painful. Veal crates are all together being banned. The animals are being given the few simple needs they are deprived of in the U.S. i.e. space to move around, stand up, and spread their limbs instead of just sitting or standing in the same spot all day long. Besides better farming practices the EU also has better methods of slaughter. It requires the animals to have sufficient physical comfort, a smaller threat to spread disease, proper amounts of feed and water and last but not least the person who slaughters the animals must have a certificate of competency. Meaning it must be a person who can slaughter animals properly, while in the U.S. we hire illegal immigrants to either make a cut overr and over or load the killing machine.  

See Lilly's and Dionne's blog for more info