Fostering Liberation: The Intersection of Eco, Worker, and Animal Struggles in the Fight Against Foster Farms

[Guest guest]

Modesto Anarcho Journal

Published October 2006

 

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FOSTERING LIBERATION:

The Intersection of Eco, Worker, and Animal Struggles in the Fight Against

Foster Farms in the Valley

 

East Bay Animal Advocates, (EBAA), is one of the leading lights of the new breed

of animal liberation organizations struggling in the field currently. Along with

groups like Compassion Over Killing, (COK), and Mercy for Animals, (MFA), EBAA

works to educate consumers, (through outreach, vegan feed-ins, etc), about the

affects of the industrial factory farming industry, and also take action against

it, (investigations, animal rescue, etc). Since it’s start, the group has

managed to perform various investigations into multiple large farms in the

central valley and bay area, and has recently set it’s sights on Foster Farms.

Last fall, workers at the plant formed their own union, (after breaking with an

AFL-CIO based union), and started doing strikes. Although the strikes as of yet

have not won the workers demands, (centered around health care, pay increases,

anti-discrimination, etc), the workers remain committed, and more struggle could

erupt at any time. At the same time as this strike was going on, EBAA was also

knee deep in a fight against animal cruelty at Foster Farms. What follows is an

interview with someone involved in the East Bay Animal Advocates campaign

against Foster Farms, about how the struggle for animal liberation locally

affects more than just the animals. (Questions in bold).

 

How big of a corporation is Foster Farms? Do they have a large impact and/or

sway in the valley?

 

Foster Farms is the largest poultry producer in the Western United States. The

poultry company is the 9th largest in the United States, generating $1.5 billion

in annual revenues. Each year, Foster Farms spends approximately $11 million on

company marketing, while poultry welfare is compromised. Foster Farms also is

the largest private dairy producer in California.

 

How did you become aware of what was going on at Foster Farms?

 

In 2005, East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) requested a tour of Foster Farm's live

broiler (chicken meat) operations. Foster Farms denied the tour request. Vickie

Medeiros, a Foster Farms Consumer Affairs Representative, informed EBAA that the

company does not " offer public tours. " In addition, we requested the following

information from Foster Farms:

• A copy of the company's most recent Animal Welfare Audit report

• A copy of the company's animal welfare protocols

• A copy of the company's employee training procedures regarding animal handling

at hatcheries, grow-out ranches and processing plants

• A summary of the credentials and qualifications of the company's Animal

Welfare Officer

To-date, Foster Farms has not provided the requested materials. EBAA conducted

an investigation of Foster Farms' broiler operations in Merced County,

California's top broiler producing county and home of the company's

headquarters.

 

Explain some of the work that EBAA has be doing in relation to documenting

abuses. What have you uncovered?

 

Our investigative documentation reveals that chickens are repeatedly denied

proper veterinary care and attention at Foster Farms. Poultry abuse issues

revealed at Foster Farms include:

Stunted growth (i.e. Broiler Runting Syndrome);

Severe ammonia burns on breast, legs, feet;

Heart attacks (i.e. Sudden Death Syndrome);

Leg abnormalities (i.e. Splay-Leg Disorder & Lameness);

High newborn chicken mortality;

Fatal respiratory infections;

Substantial feather-loss; AND

Bloody stools

 

Can you describe what an " open rescue " is? Has EBAA helped former Foster animals

find new, liberated lives?

 

" Open rescue " work is a technique used by animal advocates around the globe.

Individuals who engage in open rescues document conditions of animals suffering

in factory farms, research facilities and beyond. Due to the exigent

circumstances, individuals provide relief to animals languishing in these

abusive environments. Rescuers openly identify themselves as they document

conditions and rescue animals.

 

Open rescue work is an extremely effective way of directly protecting animals

and educating the public about the systematic abuse of animals. Over the course

of our investigation of Foster Farms, 39 sick and injured chickens were rescued

and relocated to new homes - free of abuse and suffering.

 

What is environmental impact of Foster Farms on the valley?

 

In addition to inhumane practices, Foster Farms has an undeniably negative

impact on the Central Valley environment. Regularly, the company pollutes

waterways & groundwater and diminishes air quality through the region. Plus,

Foster Farms feeds its chickens arsenic, which contaminates the Central Valley

soil. In the United States District Court, in fact, Foster Farms pleaded guilty

to violating the federal Clean Water Act. The company discarded 11 million

gallons of chicken-manure-polluted water into the San Luis National Wildlife

Refuge.

 

How does the ongoing labor struggle of the Foster Farms workers play into the

work that you are doing? The fast pace of industrial production seems to play

into the oppression of both the animals and the workers, what do you think this

says about industrial factory farming in general?

 

 

Foster Farms employees are displeased by low wages, racial discrimination,

favoritism by supervisors, occupational hazards, short notice of overtime

shifts, pressure to increase production, an anti-union atmosphere and

unreasonable health insurance costs at the Foster Farms chicken slaughterhouse

in Livingston, California. As the world's largest slaughterhouse, the Livingston

plant processes nearly 600,000 chickens a day. Merced County is plagued by high

unemployment rates. Unfortunately, working at Foster Farms is one of the only

options available to residents.

Bottom-line: Providing the hard-working employees of Foster Farms with

much-deserved benefits will have a positive impact on animals. Believe it or

not, live hangers at Foster Farms are expected to hang 23 chickens per minute on

the line for slaughter. So, slowing down the production line means improved

conditions for birds and employees. Unifying labor and humane concerns is key to

enacting change at Foster Farms and elsewhere.

The fast-paced nature of large-scale food production is predicated on animal

abuse and labor violations. Poultry companies like Foster Farms, Tyson Foods,

and Gold Kist are extremely successful in the U.S economy because they generate

huge revenues at the expense of human and animal health. It is critical to

educate consumers about the actual practices of companies like Foster Farms.

Consumers are not provided with an accurate set of information about how animals

are actually raised for human consumption. We have to change that.

 

Can you talk about the success of pressuring Costco and other stores in regards

to the campaign?

 

Since our advocacy activities revolve around improving the lives of animals, we

regularly work with companies to bolster animal-friendly policies. The retailers

of Foster Farms products play an important role in influencing business

practices of their poultry purveyor. Through grassroots educational outreach, we

are now working with Costco Wholesale, Safeway and Berkeley Bowl Marketplace to

improve conditions for animals at Foster Farms.

 

What's next for the Foster Farms campaign?

 

We look forward to working with other vendors of Foster Farms in a positive

fashion. In addition, we will be focusing our energies on countering Foster

Farms' misleading advertising. Our photographic and video evidence reveals a

level of actual care and treatment that is inconsistent with the information

Foster Farms communicates to its consumers about the treatment and care of its

birds. On June 1, 2006, the National Advertising Division of the Council of

Better Business Bureaus announced its referral of EBAA's false advertising case

(originally filed in December 2005) to the Federal Trade Commission for possible

law enforcement action against Foster Farms.

 

How can people support EBAA work?

 

We always welcome volunteers, whether folks are new to animal advocacy or

seasoned campaigners. Ongoing grassroots efforts are the backbone of our work

for animal protection. Check us out on the web at:

www.EastBayAnimalAdvocates.org

 

Online at

http://daaa.proboards59.com/index.cgi?board=journal & action=display & thread=116138\

3519.