Amy Meyer was arrested and charged with violating Utah’s new “Ag Gag” bill that makes it illegal for citizens to record the abuse of animals in order to hide the truth about these atrocities from the American people. You can learn more about “Ag Gag” bills by listening to my recent interview with Paul Shapiro, the HSUS Vice-President of Farm Animal Protection.
Here is the shocking story of what happened outside of Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing Company in Amy Meyer’s own words:
“I visited the Smith Meatpacking Slaughterhouse in Draper, Utah because I have heard numerous reports that any bystander standing on the public thoroughfare could witness the horror of cows struggling for their lives as they were led to their violent deaths. What I saw was upsetting, to say the least. Cows being led inside the building struggled to turn around once they smelled and heard the misery that awaited them inside. I saw piles of horns scattered around the property and flesh being spewed from a chute on the side of the building. I also witnessed what I believe to be a clear act of cruelty to animals – a live cow who appeared to be sick or injured being carried away from the building in a tractor, as though she were nothing more than rubble.
At all times while I documented this cruelty, I remained on public property. I never once crossed the barbed wire fence that exists to demarcate private and public property. I told this to the police who were on the scene.
I am shocked and disappointed that I am being prosecuted by Draper City simply for standing on public property and documenting horrific animal abuse while those who perpetrated these acts are free to continue maiming and killing animals.
It is my understanding that the Mayor of Draper co-owns this slaughterhouse.”
-Amy Meyer
Every movement throughout history reaches a tipping point when events so significantly outrage the citizenry that they are compelled to act. That time is now. American citizen Amy Meyer goes to court in Utah on May 23. Her crime was compassion. If convicted of filming the abuse of cows on a factory farm with her phone while standing on public property under the state’s new Ag Gag law, Amy faces up to six months in jail. The charge alone should concern every American citizen who believes in the U.S. Constitution and American jurisprudence. On behalf of every animal who desperately needs our help and heroes like Amy Meyer who want the public to know the truth, please do not allow this abuse of animals, our legal system, and the people’s right to know.
Please call Utah Governor Herbert and express your support for Amy Meyer and animal slaughterhouse transparency.
Phone: (800) 705-2464
Draper, Utah Mayor Darrell Smith
Phone: (801) 576-6513
Draper, Utah City Prosecutor Ben Rasmussen
Phone: (801) 576-6545
Members of the Utah legislature
http://le.utah.gov/Documents/find.htm
Please call the Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing Company and express your disapproval of their mistreatment of animals and their decision to press charges.
Phone: (801) 571-3611
mail@smithmeats.com
*Click here to listen to my radio interview with Amy Meyer.
4/30/13 Update
The Draper prosecutor dropped all charges against Amy Meyer today. Thank you for sharing Amy’s story and for the massive and prompt response to this case. Please continue to call Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing Company to determine what action they plan on taking against the employee(s) who perpetrated the alleged act of cruelty against animals that Amy recorded and the Draper City Prosecutor Ben Rasmussen to ask him to bring the employee(s) up on charges for abusing animals.
Kirschner's Korner 
Remember this is only a state law, she can appeal to the Supreme Court, that upholds the First Amendment of freedom of speech.
Has anyone started an online legal defense fund for Amy? Here is the link to sign a petition re: the Ag-gag law https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/criminalize-ag-gag-laws/KQWSvsKr
It isn’t freedom of speech that is at issue – it is a free press.
Yeah, right, going to SCOTUS is an economical way to maintain your rights as a citizen. I really don’t understand what she did wrong.
She didn’t do Anything wrong. The law is bull and they Mayor is exceptionally biased.
IT IS NOT A CRIME TO EXPOSE THE HOLOCAUST OF INNOCENT ANIMALS – IT IS A CRIME TO ARREST AND TRY STOP THE BRAVE PEOPLE EXPOSING THE HOLOCAUST AND SPEAKING THE TRUTH. HALE THE BRAVE AR HEROES AND HEROINES – AND PUT THE ANIMALS ABUSERS IN PRISON!!!!
Mitzi you are a nut! did you see that scientests finally recorded a scream from a broccolli plant as it was cut from its stalk???
Nut? REALLY? Focus!
The most stupid thing I’ve ever read. Thanks for that Tim.
Your a phycopath in the making.
And you are an insensitive idiot…learn how to spell!
I’m sorry Tim, but that is officially retarded. Plants by identity are heliotrophs, and do not have brainstems or nervous systems, and cannot feel pain. I cannot believe how many of these things I have come across on the internet. I guess it really is true, you can find concentrated collections of bullshit.
The animal abusers are every meat-eating, leather, wool, and fur-wearing, pill-popping, and milk-guzzling human on earth. Demand will be met. Your call for imprisonment is ineffective.
We must defend her at all costs. We cannot allow Utah to set a national precedent. ! Call email fax and write the politicians in the article! The animals and the constitution are depending on us!!!!
What a brave woman and one that we will all applaud for all time. You are right to document the cruelties to the cows. Here is an email that we just finished writing to President Obama about horse slaughter and maybe Americans should write to the President about how outrageous it is to have a gag law to silence innocent bystanders?
———————————
Dear President Obama,
We are writing to support and applaud your initiative as reported by the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/11/business/obama-moves-to-block-slaughter-of-horses-for-meat.html?_r=3&😉 to block funds for the i…nspections for horse slaughter.
Here in Canada nearly 90,000 horses are cruelly and inhumanely slaughtered every year. There is no thought to our allies either who purchase the horse meat that is contaminated with drugs that are dangerous (and prohibited in Canada) for human consumption. The Europeans are being, one could say, poisoned by all the drugs, steroids, medications and prohibited substances in North American horse meat.
Many horses – particularly race horses – lead tragic and short lives as is. Then to put them to death when they cannot earn money for their owners at the race tracks is simply horrific in the slaughter houses where horses are routinely vivisected alive.
We are writing to thank you and we truly believe that you will succeed and put our Priminister to shame.
Thank you, The Standardbred Horse Fan Club, http://www.StandardbredFanClub.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Thank You!
Thank you for contacting the White House.
President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible Administration in history. That begins with taking comments and questions from you, the American people, through our website.
Our office receives thousands of messages from Americans each day. We do our best to reply to as many as we can, but please be aware that you may find more information and answers to your questions online. To follow news and learn more about President Obama’s plan for an America built to last, you can sign up for updates from the White House, read the White House Blog, or visit WhiteHouse.gov/Engage.
For an easy-to-navigate source of information on Federal government services, please visit: http://www.USA.gov.
Thank you again for your message.
The Office of Presidential Correspondence
You really think Obama is going to do anything about this? Constitution breaker that he is…ignores THOUSANDS of petitions to keep poison out of our food…He’s on the side of Big Ag. But…good luck anyway.
President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible Administration in history? Honestly, where have you been for the past 4 1/2 yrs?
In case you have not noticed Obummer really likes his cheese burgers.
While I don’t believe the woman in the article should be punished for her actions, you fail to show us any wrong doings of the slaughter house. It’s not uncommon for animals not to want to be led into a building, so that’s a pretty crappy argument.
The Ag-Gag is unconstitutional ~~~~ What part of Freedom of speech and of the press don’t they get? The Ag-Gag is unconstitutional
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? This can go to the Supreme Court, and we should make a case of it now.. Let’s get behind Amy. Make the calls, and send the emails, and let’s help her build a defense fund, if that is what is called for.
We don’t know if that’s what she wants. There’s a huge cost to this (and not in dollars), and she may not be in a place in her life where she wants to pay that price. It would not surprise me if she has not yet decided how far she wants to take this.
it a shame that we live in a free country Praise God and yet we have to be afraid to tell the truth when seen heard felt or documented.. i love the United States of America..however the things that are happening to the voiceless/children /elderly is shame ful.. shame on us.. i thank this woman who had the courage to explode this inhumane behavior on the part of the dairy company.. then they want to actually sell this comtamined food to be eatten,….shame on them… this lady should not be going to prison or fined as long as she followed the guide lines which seems she did.. she should be commended for her brave act of love and those who should actually be prison is the hater of animals…. the word humane means just that with compasssion.. to skin an animal alive is no compassion.. to throw out the baby calfs in the garbage alive is no compassion…. to torture an animal to safe money yet they make a bunde by selling the meat is no compassion.. one thing i love about the American Indian is that they didnt waste any part of the buffalo or torture and never took more than they could consume in that year.. yet we the civilize ones have tortured animals for sport hate and money… please Mr. Obama find it in your heart to put a stop to this and let this young lady go on May 23rd….. ty u
Reblogged this on pythagoreanium and commented:
Imagine you want to expose animal cruelty and YOU get arrested for only recording it! brave new world
Morality MUST remain in alignment with U.S. law or America will lose our already tenuous place as a beacon of rational civilization. Amy Meyer did nothing immoral. In fact, hers was an act of compassion. If she is in any way convicted, or meted any sentence, the names of the prosecutors, governor and state legislature of Utah swiftly and infamously be on the minds of Americans everywhere. Please proceed rationally. This is a nice young woman with a camera. Not a bank robber, or a dope dealer or a thug with a handgun. She’s just an American exercising her constitutional rights in the face of an unprecedented, unconstitutional “law.” A “law” which makes it a crime to report a crime. Utah, America is watching. Please, please do the right thing. -Al Jackson, Palm Springs, CA
Thank you for your efforts.
This is the beginning of the end – Big Brother is definitely breathing deep down in the United States – thousands of FEMA camps have been built. It is only a question of time when the Gun Laws will be revoked. Any Citizen standing up against the Corporations and making a stand for the ecology and wellbeing of the people’s and planet, will be put away. America is a false flag country prepared to kill & lock up its own people to protect its interests at home and abroad. Watch out for the Zionist control of your country folks…From rainwater harvesting , to growing your own, will all be a mere memory of a once great country….
@Mia
Oh damn, the idiots have landed.
She did nothing wrong..what happens to the real abusers??? we live in a totally F****ED up world!!
COUNTRY IMO … just saying
Documentation? Police report?
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56235040-78/meyer-gollan-utah-gag.html.csp
This article has the police report: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56235040-78/meyer-gollan-utah-gag.html.csp
This is such a huge injustice! It’s unconstitutional! Infringes on freedom of speech and freedom of press!!! This makes me so angry!!!!
Taking photographs of things that are plainly visible from public spaces is a constitutional right – and that includes federal buildings, transportation facilities, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties. Unfortunately, there is a widespread, continuing pattern of law enforcement officers ordering people to stop taking photographs from public places, and harassing, detaining and arresting those who fail to comply. When in public spaces where you are lawfully present you have the right to photograph anything that is in plain view. That includes pictures of federal buildings, transportation facilities, and police. Such photography is a form of public oversight over the government and is important in a free society.!!!! http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers
I’ve known of cases were a homeowner who is on their own private property was told to put the camera down and go into their house or face arrest for interfering with a public official doing their duty. In this case she was filming an arrest of her next door neighbor, The neighbor had done nothing wrong, he only carried a hunting weapon (single shot shotgun) into his house from his car, one of the other neighbors had called and said he was outside his house brandishing a weapon.
Eight police officers surrounded his home and him when he came out peacefully to see what was going on. If the next door neighbor had not been taking pictures during that time frame from her property they probably would have shot a unarmed man,. He came out in a pare of sweet pants with nothing else on, not even a shirt or shoes. He had no criminal record of any kind, not even a speeding ticket. Welcome to the new world of Homeland Security, police can do just about anything they want now, including come into your home without a warrant.
Social justice shouldn’t be left in the hands of the states. Rally against Ag Gag laws on the federal level at http://wh.gov/M6yq
Also join our flash blog against Ag Gag at http://tinyurl.com/boko8rd
These laws will all be eventually struck down. The damage they will do until then will not be forgotten.
this is outrageous!USA is supproting animal abuse it’s official!we won’t them get away with that!!!!this woman is a hero of the truth!!!she has all our support the world medias will k now about that!!!
Do you realize the “ag-gag” law states that you have to report the abuse to officials within 24-48hrs of you filming it? Maybe you should do some more reading before you make accusations like this…
God damn you’re an idiot. The reason why they demand that the abuse footage be handed to officials is because officials work for those who passed the AG-GAG. Dumb ass.
Alright well that comment was really helpful…
If somebody thinks so strongly about the abuse happening that they feel like they should film it, what is the point in holding onto it anyway? What good does that do? If there is actually an issue with animal abuse it should dealt with as soon as possible.
The footage is to be handed over to law enforcement officials, sure they’re employed by the government, but who do you think charges people for animal abuse in the first place? Officers in Utah even have the authority to take away animals they feel are being treated unfairly.
I agree, where is Amy’s film? Confiscated by police? If any bystander was able to witness what she did, I wonder if she tried to get some media interested in filming. Slaughterhouse will now likely put up obstructions to prevent viewing & nothing is gained?
This seems to be about A. Meyers now and back to business as usual brutalizing cows.
Que verguenza Merece multa y carcel
Yes it is a shame, she should not have been charged with anything if she was not on their property.
Sí, es una pena, que no debería haber sido acusado de nada si no era de su propiedad.
And we all think America is a Free country… I moved away a couple of years ago and watch the system get worse by the day.
I live in Utah, and pretty close to Draper, actually. SHAME ON UTAH FOR THIS STUPID LAW. This woman deserves a metal! I should visit her in jail – I know exactly where she is being held. She has my support.
I don’t think she should be going to jail, but there is a terrible miss understanding of agriculture and everything that goes in to it. it is not cruelty to animals its feeding America, get over it!
Oh, Tim! Where’s your head? Animals like cows, pigs and chickens aren’t here for us to exploit or kill and we don’t need to eat them in order to survive. Factory farming is an industry that is responsible for the mass slaughtering of billions of animals every single year in this country. They also contribute to environmental damage and major health problems in the U.S. and other countries. The meat industry remains for one purpose only-profit!
Check out this video to see for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8xkSYvwJs&feature=youtu.be
You should also know that it takes up to 10 pounds of grain to produce just one pound of flesh. Worldwatch Institute states, “[M]eat consumption is an inefficient use of grain—the grain is used more efficiently when consumed directly by humans. Continued growth in meat output is dependent on feeding grain to animals, creating competition for grain between affluent meat-eaters and the world’s poor.”
Thanks!
AMEN Sally
Support small farmers that pasture feed their animals!
I am against cruelty to animals also, and find the fact that the lady was arrested for taking those pictures untenable, however; there was nothing in that article about any actual, observed cruelty. Unless a law (and although I am a vegetarian, I say God forbid) is passed that makes it illegal to eat meat, animals are going to be slaughtered for food, and it isn’t a pretty sight. Yes, I’m sure there are ways that are more humane than other ways to accomplish it, and this particular company, may or may not practice animal cruelty out the publics’ eye, but unless there is more going on than forcibly leading a cow into a slaughter house, or carrying away a live cow in the bucket of a tractor, there isn’t any evidence of animal cruelty going on. I would love to see everyone become a vegetarian, so that the mass slaughter of animals for food would end, but I don’t see that happening any time soon. One might better focus on educating others about the benefits of being a vegetarian, than trying to force the issue… I’m sure most are familiar with the term that you can attract more bees with honey, than with vinegar…
Tim, in all seriousness, if these places weren’t hiding something, there would not have been any Ag gag bills. This is just one case but they’re messing with your food source. Who knows what actually goes on in places like that. Are you willing to support a law that could be the reason for deaths of people?
That’s not the point!!!! It’s about free speech!!! You can street corner and take pictures all you want!!! It doesn’t matter if some guys in a suit approves or disapproves, it happens every day it’s called the news. Artists, journalists, photographs and yes even animal rights activists use this right every single day! And while were on topic…maybe they will decide filming local elections should also go undocumented, I suppose that this could also apply to photos of dead birds that just happened to be carrying H7N9. If you can censor cruelty to animals for what ever reason they can come up with then cover-ups become that much more easy. Don’t believe me? China reported H7N9 not transmissible to humans that is exact opposite of the truth!
You’re absolutely right James.
Shocking story, about Amy’s prosecution and what we do to our animal fellows.
I’m going to play devils advocate here… cows have feelings. cows have a sense of self preservation. OF COURSE they are going to be terrified! They can smell the death, they can smell the fear. So. If you’re the owner/operator of this facility, what are you supposed to do? Should he free every poor scared cow?
Cows are huge. If a cow goes down, you’ve got over a thousand pounds of flesh to move. If it is sick enough that it cannot get up on it’s own you’ve got a decision to make…what’s it going to be? It seems to me that a tractor works great. Your choices are limited when the animal is that large.
Ok – done with seeing it from the other side.
Animal slaughter houses are ugly. They are horrific and ungodly. BUT. We live in a society where majority of the citizens DON’T CARE ABOUT ANIMALS. It’s the sad truth! They eat animal flesh with NO thought to the creature that gave it’s life and this is the root of the problem. Would it be a much better world if we loved our animals, thanked them for their sacrifice, cried when they were killed and were grateful for the life saving gift they gave? YES. (if your a meat eater I guess)
The Draper facility is probably up to code and treating the animals the best they can. There really is no other way to provide the massive amount of meat that our society demands. The price of beef would be out of control if each animal was taken calmly into a room and quietly had it’s throat slit while a group of people joined hands around it and sang. (not that I think this is a bad idea)
Those of us that eat meat in moderation can make the decision NOT TO BUY MEAT THAT WAS SLAUGHTERED IN A SLAUGHTER HOUSE. I found a local rancher that provides beef that has never been to a feedlot and never been to a slaughter house. We can all make those type of choices. Besides that, there are a lot of plant sources of the nutrition we need without killing animals.
Voicing her opinion, though one-sided and immature, is not against the law. Sounds like we need to support her and get the law thrown out.
Why do you have to play the Devils Advocate here? Can’t you find somewhere else to make us all think that what is WRONG is well-eh, Right? Honestly, this young woman documented some cruelties to cows, why don’t you support that initiative when so many close their eyes? You don’t think that any life forms other than humans deserve quality lives – ok, we get that. You don’t think that an injured cow should receive medical attention and that a tractor will do – ok, we get that too. You don’t think that cows suffer from smelling and seeing others of their own kind dying, ok we get that too. Why don’t you pass your views on to your kids and don’t come crying to the internet when MAD COW DISEASE affects your family, ok? Do you get that too? Bacteria and viruses thrive in the filth, stench of slaughter houses and multiply faster than lightning. OK? The H9N2 avian influenza viruses is no joke. And on, And on. Start to open your eyes before you advocate the word of the devils. Maybe put the quality of animals lives on the same level as that of your own and that of future generations? We will all be healthier for it.
Honestly, this young woman documented some cruelties to cows, why don’t you support that initiative when so many close their eyes? Answer: “Voicing her opinion, though one-sided and immature, is not against the law. Sounds like we need to support her and get the law thrown out.”
Why don’t you pass your views on to your kids and don’t come crying to the internet when MAD COW DISEASE affects your family, ok? Answer: “I found a local rancher that provides beef that has never been to a feedlot and never been to a slaughter house.”
Start to open your eyes before you advocate the word of the devils. Answer: Maybe you should re-read her post…and then get over yourself.
It would be good to read the whole post and stop the subjective editing of writing that isn’t even yours. Shame on you!
I just spoke with Randy Conklin at the slaughterhouse to express my support of Amy Meyer. He was nice and polite during our conversation. I said since Amy was on public land when she filmed the video, I did not feel she should be prosecuted. He claimed she was not on public land and would e-mail me the company’s statement. When I asked why I should believe their statement rather than Amy’s, he told me that the company is an open book. I asked if they were willing to let someone into the slaughterhouse, with advance notice and under supervision, to take video, he said no. I then stated that they are not, in fact, an open book. He asked if I was willing to have him come to my house and videotape and I answered ,by all means. He said I was the first person to say yes. I told him I doubted his statement and suggested a poll be conducted. He replied,”Its all opinions anyway” and said he had to hang up because he had another call waiting. We need to make this a huge public issue. PLEASE call the numbers, send the e-mails, and SHARE!
She should contact Avery Friedman. He is a civil rights attorney and a vegetarian. I bet he would take them on. He has a program on CNN on Saturdays and is a good friend with Casey Casem who is a animal rights activist. He is a great guy.
How can we get this info to Amy?
Someone must tell Amy that she needs to demand a trial by jury which is her right. She has NOT COMMITTED A CRIME she has broken a ‘rule of society’. The case wil be thrown out of a proper court de jour. Please let her know this!!!
AMEN!!!! Standing up to the injustices is the only thing that will get change! Look voter id laws that were put down. These rights represent centuries of struggle and conflict!
This is not right. Ag Gag? Sounds like Gag Constitutional to me. I will continue to eat meat and will remain not so concerned about how it gets to me, and I’m not in anyway liberal, but any imposition of the constitution is and bad for us all. Freedom baby, that’s what my service was for, and I’m all about it.
I honestly don’t think that I could have said it better my self!!!
America, both notes and is grateful for your hard service!!!
Congrats on having your charges dropped! It’s a small victory in the bigger battle to protect free speech!
I find this kind of sad and funny at the same time. People (city people) without a rural upbringing go to the super stores and buy meat in plastic wrap to eat, you ask them where the meat came from the majority would say save a lot, Kroger or Wal-Mart the’re is the disconnect, they have no idea where meat really even comes from anymore, let alone how it is raised or slaughtered.
The next thought these animals are raised and domesticated to be food stuff (meat) that is their only purpose to exist, if that purpose is taken away then the animal will not exist, Very few people would keep a beef animal for a pet, very expensive for animals that large both in acreage, water, and extra feed hay. They also can be raised on grass and hay, they just grow slower. I do agree that they should be raised and slaughtered in a humane way. They have the same problem with the pet horse industry by the way, thousands of animals left to starve after the slaughter of them was curtailed. In one case I know of a so called rescue farm had over seven hundred (700) starving at one time in one place. That is one of the reasons they have begun to bring back horse slaughter, surplus pets that no one wants.
Also many people live in parts of the world were grain, vegetables, fruit can not be raised or will not produce enough quality or quantities of food stuff. In many areas of Africa for example cattle, goats, sheep and other animals are almost their whole source of food for survival, Many places are so arid that only goats, sheep or camels can exist any length of time. Many of these lands have become impoverished because the common peoples live stock has been stripped away from them by competing armies of chiefs or dictators. The only hope they have to survive now is internment camps or refugee camps, but many millions are starving there to. Human aid organizations ship millions of pounds of grain in for them to eat, it rots on the dock or is stolen by others.
Many posting on here have never experienced rural living or ranching, farming. I grew up in the 50s, 60s and 70s in my family we had to eat what we raised for ourselves, Chickens, pork, beef and what we raised in an canned out of large gardens is what we survived on and the way things are getting people may have to go back to that way of living. Do some research online about the great depression, many people starved during those hard times, even the pet dogs, cats and other wild animals mostly disappeared during that time, people are not picky in what they eat when they are starving. God gave us meat to eat after the flood of Noah’s day, if he don’t have a problem with it I don’t. Genesis 9:1-9 (English-NIV)
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you
Goes to show that even God can make mistakes, I doubt he anticpated 7 billion (expected to double in a decade) images of himself when he told Noah to “be fruitful & fill the earth” or that he even realized earth had finite space & resources.
Something you don’t understand, the land masses on the earth is a very big place. The feeding and housing is more a matter of human greed, error and management. According to some models if we would build a city with the population density of New York, we would have one city the size of Texas that would hold the whole worlds population.
http://persquaremile.com/2012/08/08/if-the-worlds-population-lived-like/
I’ve read somewhere that if the worlds wealth as it is now were shared equally each person would have a personal worth of about ten million dollars ($10,000,000).
So it seems to be a matter of mankind’s own making.
Sounds like a plan. Concentrate human overpopulation in one area, size of Texas & let rest of raped planet recuperate & survive.
The government also says Americans wast enough food to feed the world, Up to 2/3 rds of the food in this country is wasted, not eaten and thrown away. I have myself seen a average of five semi truckloads hauled off to the dump every night in the food manufacturing plant I used to work in. I have no idea how many plants in the United States are involved in food manufacture but the wast must be astounding.
No food is wasted if you think of the different kinds of freelife (wildlife) that likely consume food from dumps now that their natural habitat food supply has been turned into human habitat.
Probably not M. Leybra, they have laws laws that the food is covered up in the dumps it is considered a bio-hazard and the government don’t want anyone or anything eating it. At least that is the way it is here in Kentucky.
Am I the only person conceded with free speech here?!
Nope. Next thing someone will be arrested á la ag-gag law for telling what occured. If a law can stop people from knowing and talking about how their food (meat) is ‘processed’, there is another law culminating from that which will silence naysayers.
Andrea was close to the mark. It is not realistic to expect everyone to stop eating meat. It is not realistic to never raise an animal for food-and it is a growing trend that there are many sources of local beef sustainably and safely raised and humanely harvested. We need to educate the public what the choices are and support the small farmers who are doing it right. Eventually with market pressure the mainstream “normal” way – over populated, drugged, sickly, harshly handled animals will fall out of favor and a healthy nation of employed folks (lots of small farmers) will result. If you have not read up on Joe Salatin and his operations- it will encourage you. Meanwhile tell your friends and share the info.
Good for you guys. You need to contact your senators to get the bill removed. If the Ag didn’t have anything to hide, they’re would have been no need for the bill. Getting sneaky with our food is not acceptable, as a matter of fact, it’s dangerous.
I have looked up this slaughter shop, it says online they have only 3 to 5 employees working for them in most data bases, sounds like a small family business. Why are some of you talking about factory farms, factory slaughter houses and such? This seems to be a local slaughterhouse or abattoir. They say on their website they buy small farmers beef cattle and out source some from other suppliers. Sounds like some awful small potatoes to me? This sounds nothing like a large commercial establishment, with that man power they would only be able at most to slaughter ten (10) cattle a day.
Thanks for looking up, however a slaughterhouse is a slaughterhouse & the issue is cruelty, not size of operation.
So far I have seen nothing that indicates cruelty, they slaughter animals for people to eat, the removal of a animal because of something being wrong with it health wise is required by federal law. The removal of a animal by tractor, fork lift, or end loader is logical, no one can pick up a animal that weighs a thousand pounds or more by human power alone.
They also do basically the same thing with over weight humans who have health problems who are 400 pounds or more. I remember them taking a window out of a home one time an removed a man with a forklift, and a wooden pallet seems like he weighed in over 700 pounds they moved him with a forklift and flatbed truck to get him to the hospital.
Thank you @ranleewright for adding logic into this discussion (seriously though, I’m not being sarcastic!)
I recommend the writings of Dr. Temple Grandin, Ph.D, she has some very insightful information on the proper handling of animals and humane slaughter. Here is her website: http://www.grandin.com/
Yes, I’ve read her, a marvelously intuitive person. If all slaughterhouses were required to treat animals with consideration of the animal’s awareness, it would eliminate most of the unnecessary cruelty.
“the removal of a animal because of something being wrong with it health wise is required by federal law. ” Which law is that? Usually animals that are sick or injured require veterinary treatment by law or humane euthanasia.
The fellow who couldn’t move himself from his home because of weight issues shouldn’t be held up on a forum to make a moot point. His, and others in the same predicament, is a tragic situation.
USDA regulations and rules which have the same affect as laws. If USDA inspectors are on site they will enforce those regulations and rules or the slaughter house business will be shut down until they comply. It is called Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and Standard operating procedures (SOP) these are enforced by the state and federal governments. They must be put in place, understood before any slaughter plant or food handling factory goes into operation. It is usually very detailed in what happens step by step. It would also say what should happen to an animal that is sick or injured.
Food Safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are written practices and procedures that are critical to the production of safe food. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
outlines the control points required for the processing of the food and production processes. Neither SOPS or HACCP address “the removal of a animal because of something being wrong with it health wise is required by federal law. ” A better resource would be animal welfare laws which would require veterinary assessment/treatment or humane euthanasia: Amy did not see either procedure followed with the cow that was lying on the ground according to the information and we can presume that something was wrong with the animal since cows are herd animals that prefer to be in the company of each other therefore to lie on the ground, our guess would be that either the cow was critically injured (probably during transportation), was exhausted/dehydrated (no food or water for days), or other complication … assuming that the animal was not already dead at some point during transport or on arrival.
To Standardbredhorsefanclub
HACCP and ISO22000 – Application to Foods of Animal Origin
The above addresses the disposal of dead animals. You will find it under 4.2.5 slaughterhouse hygienic requirements Regulation (EC) NO. 853/2004. also (EC) 854/2004 prevention of contamination of food by waste and spread of contagious disease. even makes provision for a veterinarian to look at animals after death to see the cause of death in some cases, mad cow disease tracking and other diseases i would suppose. The layout of pen must facilitate ante-mortem inspections before slaughter. Also it requires sick animals to be separated into their own pens or areas. Also the regulations deal with disposal. Dead animals in my experience go to a Animal Disposal and Rendering. Here in Kentucky that falls under the state laws: http://www.kyagr.com/statevet/animal-disposal-and-rendering.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=U9KuJt7NNuYC&pg=PA184&lpg=PA184&dq=haccp+and+dead+animals&source=bl&ots=Hn-JE_clbz&sig=NHqoFeEp2M09QuK-6o-Uc8IZnA4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TWCBUaS5A5ScrQGvioE4&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=haccp%20and%20dead%20animals&f=false
We were responding (as we stated) to the comment you made that “the removal of a animal because of something being wrong with it health wise is required by federal law. ” The first link that you refer to in your latest reply is about the disposal of dead animals. The second the same thing. If you meant “the removal of an animal because OF ITS DEATH” that’s entirely different (then you are talking about the REMOVAL OF CORPSES) and since this relates to Amy Meyer’s observation, “I also witnessed what I believe to be a clear act of cruelty to animals – a live cow who appeared to be sick or injured being carried away from the building in a tractor, as though she were nothing more than rubble.” then nothing you have come up with so far justifies the slaughter’s houses actions.
Thank you. Logically, by the time a “busy” slaughterhouse gets around to calling & PAYING a vet to humanely euthanize an animal in such distress that has to be carted out of the way via tractor, it will likely lay whereever it’s dumped until it IS a corspe. Hence predominant laws & links are for removal of corpses. Dies either way, but at least escaped death in terror.
How anyone thinks 3 weekly portions of card deck sized portions of corpse keeps them healthy, is beyond me.
Removal of corpses/carcasses have stringent laws and procedures as do the disposal of same (that is, animals that are dead). The same procedures do not apply for animals that are alive.
you must not have read the regulations, it speaks of segregation of sick or injured animals very clearly. Even the special arrangements involved in the construction of the pens and so on.
Simple question, who do you think determines the health of the animal – is the animal sick, injured, diseased, etc? That is not something that slaughter house staff are supposed to decide and procedure requires that a qualified veterinarian make that assessment/determination including whether the animal is in such a deprived state that humane euthanasia would be preferable prior to removal/disposal. You are now well-informed and we wont debate and repeat this over and over. If you have questions, please contact us.
‘humane slaughter’? Hypocrites! They are being murdered to satisfy sick society’s bloodlust! Become vegetatian it’s not rocket sience for god’s sake
Murder has nothing to do with it? To satisfy a peoples nutritional needs is hardly blood lust. Anyway the majority of the American people know nothing about animal slaughter, they buy their meat in a plastic package and have no idea where it comes from, so blood lust or the desire to see blood would not be possible. I lived for a year as a vegan, I can see the merit in both, I really see no need for the name calling.
If one considers other species desire for life as obvious as human species, murder fits. And if a human desires the taste of blood, bloodlust fits. Eating flesh is not a “nutritional” need & in fact has been shown as a big contributer to most degenerative diseases.
We are designed to be omnivores that eats meat and plants it is in the design of our very bodies. It has been that way for thousands of years some who believe in evolution say millions of years. They body needs proper nutrition to be at it’s best. I said in one of the posts that I had become a vegan for at least one year, during that time I lost allot of weight, became sickly, weak and started having medical problems at a young age.
I went to the doctor and he said that you can not have a proper nutritional diet eating a vegan diet. He recommended at least eating a portion of meat the size of a deck of playing cards three times a week to get the nutrition that I had need of. After I followed those guidelines I became healthy again in a short time of a few months. I put humans first, some seem to think human beings should lay down their lives or starve before they would eat meat. I wonder how many of you would hold on to your high ideals if you ended up on the street and starving?
Vegetarians live longer than meat eaters and are healthier too. We speculate that it is because the meat that is consumed nowadays is loaded with drugs and the practices are deplorable (for example, feeding cows cows when cows are vegan – feeding cattle remains to chickens and the poultry litter (floor wastes that include the feces and spilled feed) is fed back to cows. Calves, instead of drinking their mothers’ milk, are fed formula made from cows’ blood. Sickening isn’t it?). Meat used to be high in protein however factory farming has not only diminished livestock’s quality of life (we say entirely) but also affects the quality of human health: Meat eating simply isn’t so nutritious anymore neither is eating ocean fish (talk about pollutants and chemicals … sigh). When humans crumple they might change but with ag-gag laws, they will never know anyway.
I find that hard to believe most of the vegans I know are anorexic looking in fact many are suffering from Anorexia nervosa a eating disorder characterized by immoderate food restriction and irrational fear of gaining weight, as well as a distorted body self-perception. It typically involves excessive weight loss and is usually found more in females than in males and even have weird diet extremes off and on in some vegan individuals. Maybe that is only in my area, but it was what I experienced at that time in my life.
I have heard the I’m stronger, I can work longer, I’m more healthy than you before. I have worked vegans into the ground and left them literally panting for breath, they could not keep up with me or my work load at that time and they were much younger than me. I went for a long hike of about 30 miles one day and thought I would have to carry them. They were my friends and still are, we just agree to disagree on diet. The vegan and vegetarian diet is just not that healthy for the majority of people, 20 percent may be mostly fine with it, but the other 80 percent may have health problems. It can be very damaging for children and young people because their bodies are still growing and need allot of nutrition that can not be provided by a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Also tofu and some soya bean products can be toxic in the large amounts some people eat. This kind of diet can affect the heart and other muscles, can encourage cancer in certain body organs. It can also increase the female hormones in men, causing some unusual problems. The studies that have been done are conflicting some say soya will help decrease breast cancer, other studies say the very opposite. I would look at my diet closely, Anything done to extremes can have a bad affect on the human body, even eating to much of anything, including meat like many American families do today can have a negative affect on health. A variation in diet seems to be the best not to much of any one thing from day to day.
I dont know what exactly you ate as a “vegan” (an annoying label) but if your doctor who obviously is a meateater & you, yourself are convinced you need to eat animals to feel healthy, by all means stay well. (Perhaps just a passing thought to it’s slaughter.)
Even a basically vegetariarn black bear eats a slug once in awhile & since myself & millions of other healthy persons on this planet dont eat animals for one reason or another, I do resent you speaking in terms of “we.”
PS, I dont know how old you are ranleewright, but once you reach adulthood & older you get, your diet needs less & less protein. The lighter you eat, the healthier you’ll age.
M. Leybra says:
May 1, 2013 at 10:57 pm
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PS, I dont know how old you are ranleewright, but once you reach adulthood & older you get, your diet needs less & less protein. The lighter you eat, the healthier you’ll age.
Yes that is true, but you don’t enjoy life as much, 🙂 I tend not to eat as much meat as most people, I’m 55 years old and have seen allot and experienced many things and people. I have nothing against vegans, vegetarians or fruitarianism for that matter, I had a very good older lady as a friend at work for allot of years who followed fruitarianism. My only problem is this incessant almost religious zeal some have against the proper use of animals for food.
Also on the side: someone mentioned black bears.
American Black Bears, It would be good to read up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bear#Dietary_habits
As far as feeding livestock it is illegal now to feed animal byproducts to other animals, they did that because of the mad cow scare. They don’t as far as I know feed animal by products to anything except to dogs or cats in this country. Blood should not be eaten by humans or used for any other purpose, i believe in the Bible and those kinds of things are forbidden, it says the blood should be poured out / buried in the ground.
What if I viewed the atrocities from sattelite?
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=12450+south+pony+express+rd+draper,+ut+84020&hl=en&ll=40.523791,-111.893095&spn=0.00094,0.001525&gl=us&hnear=12450+S+Pony+Express+Rd,+Draper,+Salt+Lake,+Utah+84020&t=w&z=20
Geeze… I guess we’d see wall-to-wall humanity w/ their concrete, asphalt & vehicles totally surronding their boxed-in live meat supply living on a little patch of dirt.
Like most other countries on this planet.
My Mail to mr. Smith:
Mr.Smith
I am from India- I saw the article on Face Book on how your factory is slaughtering cows, shivering in horror.
Please stop this “”industry “immediately for Humanity’s sake. This is inhuman.
I know I cannot do anything sitting here-since I’m not an American nor do I live in America. But some truths are universally horrific.
This is one of those.
Try imagining that slaughtered cow which has the same eyes,nostrils,face and feelings which we humans have. In fact more than us. Have you seen how it loves it’s off springs? Can any human do that?
The only difference between us and them is a modest difference in minds and thoughts .All else is same. Is it reason enough to hang them from hooks and butcher them?
It’s like slaughtering a handicapped human child which cannot speak or think.
Rest depends upon you. No need to reply to this mail- since I won’t be bothering you again.
Mr. Smith cannot stop this industry but he can apply Temple Grandin’s techniques to minimize the terror & suffering if he find a speck of compassion for these animals because we are truly all one on this earth. You spoke truth Sunjay, thank you.
I have respect for Ms. Temple Garadin, she has actually gotten down with the beasts so to speak, going through the same equipment that she has designed to see things from the animals prospective. Being herded, crowded, shocked with prods and so one. She wanted to feel what the animals she was dealing with were feeling.
I have herded and slaughtered animals on my fathers small farm when I was a youth. I did not enjoy it, but seen it as something necessary to help feed our family. My father always taught me to take care of the animals first, to feed, clean, and make sure of their comfort before my own.
At the time of slaughter they were taken to a place away from others of there kind and given something to eat, while eating they were carefully shot so that they would die instantly. This sounds shocking to some I know, but that is one of the only ways to properly slaughter a animal. I know this sounds silly to some but we thanked God and the animal for the provision of the food that would help us live another year, it was not taken lightly. We always gave them the best we could and would not let anyone abuse, hit, or amuse themselves by hurting the animals, they deserve that much respect.
I guess if you think about it another animal carnivores all need to die, they kill and eat meat all the time out of necessity like we do it is part of our makeup as a omnivore and part of what we are.
Here is a website with some very good reasoning on the matter:
Why We Need Meat
written by Mark Sisson
http://fitnessblackbook.com/diet-tips/why-we-need-meat/
“My father always taught me to take care of the animals first, to feed, clean, and make sure of their comfort before my own.
At the time of slaughter they were taken to a place away from others of there kind and given something to eat, while eating they were carefully shot so that they would die instantly.”
Your father taught you the old school values which included respect for the animal and a quality life for the animal (and ultimately, for your family). There is no comparison with factory farming and your father’s values: The meat he fed his family was high in protein and nutrients, the meat from Factory farms is … read more by the union of concerned scientists http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/industrial-agriculture/they-eat-what-the-reality-of.html
You commented that at the time of slaughter, the animal was given something to eat and then shot dead. While death seems a whole lot more quick and “humane”, why do today’s slaughterhouses use a captive bolt to stun which may or may not work to keep the animal unconscious. Is it for efficiency?
I would think cost, to shoot one would cost a few cents to a dollar or more according to caliber. A captive bolt could repeat without reloading and run off air or electric would be cheaper in the long run I would imagine. Also there would be a safety factor a captive bolt will not normally ricochet a bullet can. I don’t like the captive bolt way of killing either, someone with great skill would have to be using it to get consistent results. I don’t believe in stunning something, I believe in clean kills before slaughter, that way the’re no suffering.
Dr. Temple Grandin addresses this in her writings and research, she does not believe animals should suffer and has dedicated her life work toward that end.
Animals are stunned to allow the animal to bleed out while it is still alive. An animal that is dead before it has bled out will be unsuitable for marketing.”
Great work!
Reblogged this on Girl for Animal Liberation.
CFIA Wolves at Shepherds door— Government killed farmers healthy rare heritage sheep— http://GoFundMe.com/FarmedAndDangerous
I am the shepherd- Would you help spread word of this injustice?
Canada is also looking at AgGag orders and we must prevent that!
I find this hard to believe based on what I have read.