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Stop Paying for Animal Cruelty: Support Sustainable Farms

Target: Secretary of Agriculture, USDA
Sponsored by: Care2.com

If any of us was forced to stand shoulder to shoulder in darkness and our own excrement, it would haunt us for life. The confinement of livestock on factory farms not only abuses the animals, but the surrounding environment and people as well.

* Factory farm waste that leaks into the environment kills wildlife and can lead to ailments in people, ranging from cancer to miscarriage.

* To fight rampant disease, farmers tend to give whole pens antibiotics, sometimes leading antibiotic-resistant bacteria to enter the bodies of human consumers.

What's worse is taxpayers pay for this mess through subsidies for these CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations). Government support should instead go to sustainable, humane farms that can produce food at a cost similar to that of factory farms!

Let the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) know that supporting sustainable farms rather than CAFOs is a win-win decision.

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 5,000
 

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CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) are costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars in unaccounted for costs, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. "CAFOs Uncovered: The Untold Costs of Confined Animal Feeding Operations" examines how misguided government policies force the public to pick up the tab to support these operations. This gives CAFOs an economic edge over small and medium-sized livestock, poultry, egg, and dairy operations that use modern, alternative methods to avoid the health and environmental problems that plague CAFOs.

As the leader of the government agency with the responsibility to regulate and research agricultural methods, we urge you to reject policies that support CAFOs at the expense of more sustainable alternatives, and to embrace policies that support those alternatives, including:
We signed the “Stop Paying for Animal Cruelty: Support Sustainable Farms” petition!
# 911:
10:37 pm PST, Nov 22, Justin Richardson, New Jersey
Veganism is realy the best lifestyle please goto the PETA site Google or even check out the WIKI.
# 910:
5:30 pm PST, Nov 22, Rita Nolan, California
# 909:
2:15 pm PST, Nov 22, Connie Hawkins, Pennsylvania
# 908:
2:02 pm PST, Nov 22, Harry Ford Mauney, North Carolina
# 907:
9:58 am PST, Nov 22, Keth T, Florida
put yourself in the animals place and tell me how you feel. for me its very sad so we need to stop this and let the animals go free
# 906:
1:58 am PST, Nov 22, Cynthia Simonian, California
# 905:
6:10 pm PST, Nov 21, Graciela Siller, Mexico
Cruelty towards animals is represented by our lack of conscious of our true values. No living thing should suffer because of our selfishness and greet.
# 904:
4:51 pm PST, Nov 21, Tremel Elyane, France
# 903:
3:50 pm PST, Nov 21, Rod Ewing, Ohio
factory farming is equivalent to operating concentration camps. it must be stopped.
# 902:
11:15 am PST, Nov 21, Hanna DiVello, Massachusetts
This practice is cruel to animals and detrimental to the environment.
# 901:
2:29 am PST, Nov 21, Ljubisa Milenkovic, Serbia And Montenegro
# 900:
5:03 pm PST, Nov 20, Kelsey Woods, Wisconsin
# 899:
6:52 am PST, Nov 20, Mariska Catsman-Okkersen, Netherlands
# 898:
4:32 am PST, Nov 20, Snezana Milic, Serbia And Montenegro
# 897:
9:27 pm PST, Nov 19, Nina J Hiatt, Colorado
I grew up on a farm in the 1950s where our cattle, hogs and chickens were allowed to roam. There aren't many of these small family farms left these days and what a shame. It's a disgrace how we treat our food sources.
# 896:
8:09 pm PST, Nov 19, Jennifer Patterson, Washington
# 895:
8:22 am PST, Nov 19, Christine Milliken, Ohio
It's bad enough that animals have to be murdered for the food industry...but to MISTREAT, ABUSE and basically TORTURE them before they die is DISGUSTING! Not to mention how the terrible conditions they are in effect their short, sad lives, it also effects the lives of the consumers. Those who do eat the end product of this insanity should be made aware of the techniques being used and need to put a stop to it all! With everything I hear and see and read, all I know is that I'm SO PROUD to be a vegetarian. Don't be surprised to find a whole bunch more people coming over to our side of the fence so they too can help to stop this inhumanity!
# 894:
7:54 am PST, Nov 19, Lea McLaughlin, North Carolina
We should be able to raise our food humanely. Organic, cage free hens who are not debeaked should be the norm. Humanely raised cattle, pigs, etc. should be all we eat.
# 893:
7:34 am PST, Nov 19, B Morello, Tennessee
Animals have feelings. There is no reason for any animal cruelty. Factory farms have been abusing animals for yrs & you have allowed it. Please help stop all farmed animal abuses.
# 892:
7:31 am PST, Nov 19, Phyl Morello, Tennessee
There is NO reason for animals to suffer. We all know they will be killed for food, but while they are alive, they MUST BE TREATED HUMANELY...PLEASE.
# 891:
7:15 am PST, Nov 19, Ben Lyons, Hawaii
# 890:
6:36 am PST, Nov 19, Christina Lander, Connecticut
# 889:
5:18 am PST, Nov 19, Silky Wylder, Wisconsin
# 888:
10:07 pm PST, Nov 18, Name not displayed, Washington
# 887:
4:45 pm PST, Nov 18, Mary Fox, Colorado
# 886:
2:31 pm PST, Nov 18, Nikki Gakin, Oregon
I support Sustainable farming and anti-cruelty practices for all living creatures. I routinely shop for Organic, sustainable, cage-free products to feed my family. I understand that there are many people to feed in this country and around the world, but it can be done without cruelty and we need our leaders to help figure out how it can be done instead of just saying it can't be done or allowing industrial farms to say it can't be done so they continue with unsustainable pracitices.
# 885:
12:56 pm PST, Nov 18, Judith Gallegos, Florida
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS LEGAL!
# 884:
6:08 am PST, Nov 18, Serena Ruffilli, Italy
# 883:
2:56 am PST, Nov 18, Shirley Moore, Italy
It is high time people realized that animals are sentient beings, they need space and a natural life style, as well as natural food. Large animal farms give no consideration to their animals' needs, causing distress and poor health. They are often given drugs to make them grow bigger faster and this is harmful to both them and us. Please stop meat and poultry farming unless it is extremely small and governed by strict rules that defend animal rights. Yours sincerely, Shirley Moore
# 882:
1:35 am PST, Nov 18, Fiorenza Rossetto, Italy
# 881:
12:11 am PST, Nov 18, Katy Newton, California
# 880:
3:54 pm PST, Nov 17, Lisa Racz, Arizona
Its unhealthy for the animal which should be living a free range life, free of disease and being treated as a life that it is. The animal is happier and healthier with out disease and sickness. For those who eat meat, free range animals are healthier to eat. Animals have soles and feelings as we do and should live their last remaining lives on this plannet running free.
# 879:
3:12 pm PST, Nov 17, Nichole Gutierrez, California
I have completely stopped eating meat for just this reason. The abuse and all around neglect of animals is horrific. The torture needs to stop.
# 878:
2:57 pm PST, Nov 17, Name not displayed, Washington
# 877:
6:45 am PST, Nov 17, Roberta Taliaferro, Ohio
Because it is not only bad for the animals, it is bad for us both physically and emotionally.
# 876:
6:33 am PST, Nov 17, Tiffany Meininger, Nebraska
# 875:
6:30 am PST, Nov 17, Takuji Soyama, Japan
# 874:
5:39 am PST, Nov 17, Rudi Kacani, Albania
# 873:
3:04 am PST, Nov 17, Anita Kofta, Wisconsin
# 872:
11:02 pm PST, Nov 16, Carla Pollard, Alaska
I oppose confined animal feeding operations for the following reasons: 1. It's cruel and unusual punishment for any living being to spend it's life confined to a space it cannot move around in. 2. It's not healthy for the animals. That's why they require antibiotics to fight illness and disease. Unhealthy animals equates to unhealthy food for those who consume those animals for nutrition. 3. Growth hormones are used to expedite growth and, therefore, increase cash flow with no regard for the fact that these steroids are passed on to the humans who consume them for food. I will no longer purchase any kind of meat or dairy product that isn't labeled "organic" and doesn't clearly state that animals are free-roaming and that no antibiotics or growth hormones are used. I will pay more for that and and the trend is an increase in people like me. I will go vegetarian if I have to.
# 871:
9:49 pm PST, Nov 16, Ivan Badinski, Bulgaria
# 870:
6:52 pm PST, Nov 16, Sandra Bryan, North Carolina
If your president is such a christian, why are we not "better stewards of the earth"? Are his or your families eating this "food" also?
# 869:
5:45 pm PST, Nov 16, Aline Anderson, Georgia
Modern technology shows we do not need to confine and abuse domestic animals being raised for our consumption. If I do buy beef, I am happy to pay more and buy humanely raised with no drugs or hormones given to the animals. I am not a vegatarian and enjoy steak and hamburger but will continue to pay more for humanly raised beef. We only eat cage free eggs. The more educated the American public become, the more factory farms will go out of business. They never should have been allowed by the US government to create such businesses.
# 868:
3:58 pm PST, Nov 16, Sheila Parks, North Carolina
# 867:
10:34 am PST, Nov 16, Cameron Mclaren, Australia
cruel and barbaric...causes suffering unnecessarily...bad for human health due to increased toxins in the meat
# 866:
9:49 am PST, Nov 16, Steve Olson, California
# 865:
9:48 am PST, Nov 16, Janina Lapp, Canada
# 864:
8:14 am PST, Nov 16, Sarah Langlois, United Kingdom
Just because an animal hasnt got a voice doesnt mean it doesnt feel pain. Energy wise they are more intelegent than any human being. No living thing should have to suffer just to feed meat eater gready faces
# 863:
6:02 am PST, Nov 16, Sharleen Placek, Illinois
I am tired of the way our government lets big businesses continue to torture animals so they can profit more. It is sick and disgusting that the United States allows such inhumane treatment of any kind of animal yet acts like we are a country of morals. Maybe it is time that the politicians that allow these businesses to act like this be treated the same way or maybe they would like to see their children treated with cruelity. Then they might wake up and smell the roses instead of worrying about kickbacks they receive from lobbists (these big business food industries).
# 862:
11:33 pm PST, Nov 15, Name not displayed, Italy
# 861:
10:56 pm PST, Nov 15, Ashley Chenard, California
# 860:
5:26 pm PST, Nov 15, James Stephens, Illinois
# 859:
3:18 pm PST, Nov 15, Kim Powanda, Colorado
It is cruel, harms the environment and humans through the waste that leaks and it is unhealthy.
# 858:
2:10 pm PST, Nov 15, Cheryl Meade, Texas
When did we stop caring about what we put into our bodies and what we are serving to our families? When did we forget to respect all living creatures? God is looking down on us ashamed and saddened by what we are doing and allowing to happen. It's no wonder that so many people are sick with illness such as; Autism, Alzheimer, Cancer, Diabetes, Attention Deficit Disorder and the list of incurable diseases goes on and on. What kind of example are we showing our children? What kind of world are we leaving for our grandchildren and great grandchildren? Its makes me sad to know that the amount of sickness that my future family members will be dealing with if we continue to raise animals in such a disgusting and in humane manner. Shame on you for having the power to make a difference but instead you have chosen to bought by "corporate" America. How do you sleep at night? Have you ever actually visited a factory farm? Maybe you should.
# 857:
12:30 pm PST, Nov 15, Nikki Seibert, South Carolina
So many people say it is "natural" to eat meat, which in nature, it is. But nowhere in nature will you find the conditions and the treatment that so many animals are suffering for the mass produced meat that the world consumes.
# 856:
11:55 am PST, Nov 15, Lorraine Saunders, United Kingdom
No animal deserves to suffer for human greed, whether that is greed for food, or for profit.
# 855:
9:57 am PST, Nov 15, Sonja Eick, Wisconsin
All living creatures need to be able to roam, to stretch their limbs, to feel the warm sun on their body, or to lay under a shade tree. To restrict their mobility to the point that they can hardly stand up or lie down comfortably is cruel. The majority of other industrialized, i.e enlightened nations have either banned battery and confinement cages, or are in the process of doing so for humane reasons. As Bill Mahr says "Why do we have to be the dumb country" and I would add, the cruel and inhumane country when it comes to factory farming? Many people throughout the world look to the U.S. for leadership, but we certainly are not leaders when it comes to our treatment with the respect to factory farm animals. This is certainly not something we as Americans can feel proud of but rather ashamed.
# 854:
9:32 am PST, Nov 15, Christiane Cooper, Florida
# 853:
9:30 am PST, Nov 15, Daniela Indell, Italy
# 852:
8:27 am PST, Nov 15, Sara FORNARELLI, Italy
# 851:
8:24 am PST, Nov 15, Anna FORNARELLI, Italy
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