Ruffled Feathers

EBAA Press Release Issued about Little Debbie Campaign:

2010-06-28T05:44:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LITTLE DEBBIE BRAND, NAMESAKE TARGETED IN NATIONAL ANIMAL CRUELTY CAMPAIGN
Group Encourages Snack Food Giant to Reduce Animal Suffering in Supply Chain

(June 28, 2010) – Little Debbie, owned by Collegedale, Tenn.-based McKee Foods, is the new target of a national campaign against animal cruelty by East Bay Animal Advocates, a California-based animal protection charity that works to alleviate farm animal suffering.

Little Debbie products contain eggs from hens confined in tiny metal cages. These barren cages prevent them from engaging in many behaviors important to their well-being, and they are so small, they nearly immobilize hens for their entire lives. The practice of confining hens in cages has been outlawed in California and Michigan and condemned by public figures from Oprah Winfrey to Ellen DeGeneres to Pope Benedict XVI. Little Debbie competitors Sara Lee and Pepperidge Farm have started using cage-free eggs, as have dozens of other major companies (e.g. Burger King, Wendy’s, Denny’s, Cracker Barrel, and Hellmann’s Mayonnaise).

At the center of EBAA’s campaign—launched after McKee Foods ignored several attempts to engage in private communications about the issue—is the website LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com, which is a parody of the Little Debbie website. Viewers of LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com will see a graphic video detailing the cruelty inherent in confining hens in cages and are encouraged to contact both McKee Foods’ president, Mike McKee, as well as Little Debbie’s namesake – Debbie McKee-Fowler, whose grandfather founded the company and who now serves as Executive Vice President of McKee Foods.

EBAA is also sending copies of its new “Little Debbie Tortures Animals” leaflet to activists nationwide, who will distribute them at gas stations and grocery outlets where Little Debbie products are sold.

“Little Debbie could greatly improve the lives of animals in its supply chain simply by switching to cage-free eggs, as many other companies have started doing,” stated Shannon Campbell, president of East Bay Animal Advocates. “There’s no excuse for confining birds in such small cages that they can’t even extend their wings.”

For more information, please visit www.LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com or email shannon@eastbayanimaladvocates.com.

New Little Debbie Tortures Animals Leaflet

2010-06-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

EBAA has begun distributing thousands of our new "Please Don't Buy Little Debbie" leaflets nationwide. Animal activists throughout the country will be distributing them in front of gas stations, grocery stores and other outlets where Little Debbie's (battery cage egg-filled) products are sold.

Download the leaflet here!

Little Debbie Leaflet

(And remember: Please be sure to check your local ordinances about where you can and can't distribute it.)

Little Debbie Tortures Animals!

2010-06-20T09:13:00.001-07:00

Following our success urging Pepperidge Farm to switch to cage-free eggs (see below), East Bay Animal Advocates began contacting other companies asking them to follow Pepperidge Farm's lead. One of those companies was Little Debbie (owned by McKee Foods). After repeated emails to the company president (Mike McKee) and other executives with no replies, we decided to launch a new web site: www.LittleDebbieTorturesAnimals.com. Please go there today and use the contact info to contact Mike McKee and the real Little Debbie (Debbie McKee Fowler), and urge them to switch to cage-free eggs. Thanks!

-Shani (shannon@eastbayanimaladvocates.org)

Good news about Pepperidge Farm!

2010-05-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

We received news that Pepperidge Farm is going to phase more than 2 million cage-free eggs into their supply chain! Thats about 2% of all their eggs! This follows countless emails and phone calls from EBAA members, generated through our website PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com, which we were thrilled to take down! Congrats to Pepperidge Farm and its parent company (Campbell Soup) for making this compassionate decision!

Ask Pepperidge Farms to switch to Cage-Free eggs...

2010-05-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

East Bay Animal Advocates has launched our new campaign website www.PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com. Please take a minute to visit it and ask Pepperidge Farm to switch to cage-free eggs.

Please email: douglas_r_conant@campbellsoup.com

Many major companies have begun to use cage-free eggs, however Pepperidge Farm still exclusively uses eggs from caged hens. These hens live their entire lives crammed into tiny “battery cages” where they are barely able to move an inch. This practice is so cruel it has been criminalized in California, Michigan, and the entire European Union. EBAA has tried reaching out to Pepperidge Farm privately about this issue but instead of converting to cage-free eggs, the company just sent a form reply defending its suppliers' animal cruelty. Please let Pepperidge Farm know that these inhumane practices are unacceptable and ask them to go cage-free! More information is available at www.PepperidgeFactoryFarm.com

Thanks from everyone at East Bay Animal Advocates...

Tell the Cheesecake Factory NO more caged hens!

2009-06-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hello EBAA Supporters & Members!

EBAA has launched a new campaign asking the Cheesecake Factory to stop using eggs from hens confined in barren battery cages! Check out our website at www.CheesecakeFactoryFarm.com to contact the Cheesecake Factory and ask them to stop supporting this cruelty!

Battery cage confinement is one of the worst practices in factory farming, where hens are crammed into cages so small they spend their entire lives barely able to move. Please let the Cheesecake Factory know that you will not support this kind of animal cruelty, and that you request that they stop using eggs from caged hens.

The Cheesecake Factory’s home state of California passed The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act (Prop 2) which outlaws the confinement of hens in battery cages. Contact the Cheesecake Factory today and ask them to follow the lead of California voters by ending the use of eggs from caged hens in their products. More information can be found at: www.CheesecakeFactoryFarm.com.

Thanks so much!

action alert- contact BOCA & help suffering hens in battery cages...

2009-02-18T21:29:00.000-08:00

1) ACTION ALERT: TAKE TWO MINUTES TO HELP MORE EGG-LAYING HENS!

After helping to make Proposition 2 the most popular citizens' initiative in California history, banning inhumane confinement cages on factory farms, APRL, COK and MFA are teaming up to continue to take action against the cruel egg industry.

Many of us know Boca Foods as the company behind delicious vegan Boca Burgers and Spicy "Chicken" Patties. Unfortunately, while many of their competitors like Lightlife and Morningstar Farms have either eliminated or greatly reduced the amount of eggs used in their products, Boca has refused to make any progress on this important animal cruelty issue.

Please take two minutes to contact Boca Foods and ask them to eliminate or greatly reduce their use of egg products by visiting:

http://boca-egg-facts.com/

Gardein's new Veg Meat is a hit in San Francisco...

2009-02-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

Another successful Veg Demo by East Bay Animal Advocates and their amazing volunteers. We ventured into the busy streets of San Francisco and handed out over 250 Gardein samples and 175 Vegan Outreach booklets! To volunteer at our next demo please email: volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org

Also, check out Gardein's veggie chicken strips sold at your local Trader Joe's under their own label.

Listen to Grandma: Try Everything Once...

2009-01-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

Kicking off the New Year with FREE delicious Veg Meat is how East Bay Animal Advocates does it! On Saturday January 24, during a small break from the rain and drizzle, EBAA headed out onto the busy streets of Berkeley California armed with over 200 free samples of Gardein's new vegetarian Chicken and just as many Veg Starter kits.

In less than one hour we handed out those 200 Gardein samples and about 185 Veg Starter Kits. Every single person who took a sample was not only surprised at how delicious the "meat" was, they also questioned if it was really "fake meat".

One guy walked by with a box of real BBQ Chicken and turned down our offer of a tasty alternative- I asked him, "why not just try it? I guarantee you will like it!" He stopped in his tracks and replied, "You are absolutely right! My Grandma always said, try everything once..." Needless to say, he was glad he listened to his Grandma's advice and now knows a more compassionate choice for food!

Check back for information about our next demo and remember, Grandma knows best!

Inaugurating Change: EBAA Welcomes New President

2009-01-20T22:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Animal Lovers:

Today is an important day in history, as we welcome our new US President in to office. For East Bay Animal Advocates, we celebrate today with new leadership as well.

I am very excited to take the lead as president of East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA). Our grassroots organization has accomplished so much for animals since we first began our work over five years ago.

I started as a volunteer over two years ago, leafleting at EBAA public outreach gatherings and helping at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary. I have been on the EBAA Board of Directors since the beginning of 2008. Within that time, we have accomplished so much for farm animals. Join us in celebrating our achievements for 2008:

· Throughout 2008 EBAA worked diligently on Proposition 2, which was a massive victory for farms animals in California.

· In July, EBAA honored our "Five-Years of Advocacy" and raised funds to continue our important work for farm animals.

· On July fourth, properly named Independence Day, EBAA safely transferred 200 "broiler chickens" from Oakland to a sanctuary in the Los Angeles Area.

· EBAA "sponsored" a new chicken barn at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, enabling them to take in more injured and discarded birds.

· We continued our campaign against Lunardi's Supermarket, holding demos at all Bay Area locations, educating the public about the cruelty of battery cages.

For 2009, EBAA has many exciting new efforts in the pipeline. Building on the momentum of Prop 2, we are asking everyone to get active for animals by exploring cruelty-free living, volunteering at an EBAA event, or making a donation (SupportEBAA.org). We have proven with Prop 2 that if people organize themselves with a clear mission, huge accomplishments can be made, saving millions of animals from unnecessary suffering.

So please join us in this new year of change and hope for our future and most importantly, the animals suffering immensely on factory farms. The misery must end now and the people to end it are us.

Thank you everyone for your continued support and advocacy!

Shani L. Campbell

Follow the Leader: Vote Yes on Prop 2

2008-10-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Field Poll report released today says it all: 60 percent of California voters will likely vote YES on the hotly-contested Proposition 2.

In the final stretch to Election Night on November 4, encourage all your friends, family and co-workers to support this important proposition to give farm animals for space to live. Check out the last minute updates at YesOnProp2.com.

A Happy Ending for a Happy Flock

2008-09-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

It's once again National Chicken Month. We are happy to report that all the chickens from the Oakland Flock have found homes. Many of the brave birds found sanctuary at California havens for farm animals. We would like to send a huge THANK YOU to:

Animal Acres

Animal Place

Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary

We encourage everyone to support these sanctuaries by making donations and visiting them.

Following the feathers,
East Bay Animal Advocates

Round two for "The Advocate"

2008-08-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you liked the freshmen edition of EBAA's The Advocate, there is no doubt you will be delighted to read the second issue of the magazine.

It features a one-on-one with the King of Food Politics, Michael Pollan, an inside look at aquaculture, and important updates on PROP TWO.

Download a free copy of The Advocate - Summer 2008 today!

It's Time for Tuesday!

2008-08-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

EBAA is extremely excited to promote Tofurky Tuesdays. Turtle Island Foods, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, wants to help you reduce the amount of meat you eat each week. It’s easy! Just sign–up for Tofurky Tuesdays and you will get the Tofurky Tuesday Care Package. It includes:

* Complimentary magazines from the Vegetarian Resource Group, Vegetarian Times and VegNews.

* Educational materials on vegetarian nutrition and factory farming information.

Take the Tofurky Tuesdays Pledge!

On another inspiring note, don't forget to tune in tomorrow for a good show with a good message about animal advocacy. Shani Campbell, EBAA's Outreach Director, will be featured on the Womens Entertainment Network on Tuesday, August 19 at 10 PM. Check out the newest installment of Secret Lives of Women to see Shani protect animals. It's a must-see!

Right on the Mark

2008-07-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Mark Hawthorne is a fixture in the Bay Area animal protection community, and the author of the invaluable new book, Striking at the Roots. A book that is both inspiring and informative, it should be required reading for budding activists, seasoned advocates, and everyone in between. Guiding us through the myriad ways we can make a difference for animals, from leafleting and corporate outreach to protesting and direct action, Striking at the Roots provides an in-depth yet easy-to-read look into each type of activism. What’s more, this book is chock full of personal anecdotes and advice from activists across the globe that are sure to resonate with anyone working on behalf of the animals.

Mark took some time from his busy schedule to talk with EBAA's Karin Olsson and Eileen Mello about his own experiences as an animal advocate, his views on the shape of activism today, and the ever important topic of vegan beer.

What are your own personal favorite forms of activism?

I love one-on-one activism -- getting into discussions with one or two people, like when you leaflet or table. Or when you bring cookies into work and everyone is amazed you baked them without eggs or butter and people remark that maybe being vegan isn’t hard after all. A lot of my activism is in the written word: letters, magazine articles, op-eds, newsletters and, of course, my book.

In your research, did you find that a particular form of activism made more of an impact than another in attempting to eradicate animal suffering?

All forms are important, because you never know what is going to inspire someone, and it’s usually not just one thing that does it. Having said that, I think it’s hard to beat leafleting at a college. It’s easy to do, the students are ripe for change and it helps disabuse people of the myth that activists are in some way different from the mainstream.

I think what is really important is how we frame our message to the public, whether we’re leafleting to one person or speaking in front of 200. It is critical that people understand why animals are suffering and how their choices do make a difference for beings who are no different than their dogs and cats – except that abused animals are being raised for food or fashion or vivisection or used in circuses or some other torture. All these animals feel pain, and they all deserve a life free of exploitation by humans. People have to make that connection. Activists have to connect the dots for them.

The title of your book refers to a quote from Walden by Henry David Thoreau: "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." What do you believe is the fundamental root cause of non-human animal abuse?

I believe the root cause is the public’s nearly total lack of knowledge about what is happening to animals every moment of every day. This in turn is enabled by animal enterprises like agribusiness and medical researchers, which work to make people feel good about eating animals, using them as test subjects, exploiting them for our amusement and so on. That’s why effective animal activism addresses both the public and the businesses abusing animals. People need to understand animal cruelty is happening all the time, not just when an undercover video is shown on the news, and that our daily choices directly impact how animals are treated. Businesses and policymakers need to know people won’t tolerate animal abuse.

In writing this book, you reached out to activists across the globe. Did you encounter any methods or forms of activism that were new to you, or that you felt American activists would benefit from employing?

I learned a lot about corporate outreach – that is, encouraging companies to adopt animal-friendly policies. In the book, I include restaurant outreach as part of that, since food is such a vital part of veganism and animal rights – food is our common touchstone. Activists in Europe seem to be doing a really fantastic job of reaching out to companies. In fact, Lush, the cosmetics company based in England, even hired an animal-rights activist to help them become 100% vegan.

There’s probably not a company anywhere that at some level doesn’t have influence over how animals are treated. AT&T and Coors Beer both sponsor rodeos, for example, and many pet-food companies, like Iams, kill animals in their testing labs. We can even be doing outreach to our own government, which abuses animals in the military, in research labs, on public land. Heck, the USDA’s Wildlife Services kills animals just for eating flowers or frightening people. And all of this is funded by our tax dollars. So there’s a lot of opportunity for activists to use the outreach model. Writing letters and making phone calls, and getting others to do the same, makes a difference.

How has writing this book influenced both your understanding of activism and the way in which you personally work to aid animals?

Writing Striking at the Roots showed me how large the animal-rights community around the world really is and how even one person can make a difference. Wendy Parsons in Australia, for example, got McDonald’s to stop sponsoring rodeos all by herself.

But more than anything, I learned to go easier on myself. This movement has lost too many good people – people who pushed themselves a little too hard, thinking they were superheroes, and burned out. We have to focus on our victories and not get bogged down in the mire of bad news we hear all the time as activists. Josh Balk at HSUS, uses guilt as a motivator – it keeps him going. Whatever it takes, we need to keep our heads up. If not, the animals lose. So that’s my focus now.

Your book cites methods of activism that range from "small" to "large" acts of support. While doing research, did you ever encounter individuals who believe that activism is only effective or beneficial when performed in a grandiose way? What is your response to that belief?

Actually, I encountered just the opposite. I thought activists would be extolling the importance of large protests, but they were emphasizing the need for smaller, smarter demonstrations, and I agree with them. Patty Mark of Animal Liberation Victoria, for example, told me about a protest they did to raise awareness about whaling. They brought a large, clear box to the ocean, filled it with red water and an activist, and labeled it with their anti-whaling message and Web site address. That image ended up in newspapers around the world. It’s much better to use your resources wisely, like being organized and following up with the media after a protest, than to spend your time trying to get a hundred people to a demonstration.

Of course, as we speak, the world is watching Oprah Winfrey do a three-week vegan detox on television, which may end up doing more for the movement than all the intelligent protests in history put together.

How did you become vegan? At what point did you consider yourself an activist and what actions were you taking? How do you define your own activism today?

After being vegetarian for about 10 years, I read Diet for a New America and began examining my consumer choices. Eggs were the tipping point for me. I really liked eating eggs and baking with them, so I asked Karen Davis at United Poultry Concerns if it was okay to buy free-range eggs. She basically told me, no, if I really cared about chickens, I shouldn’t be eating any eggs. Shortly after that, I went on a tour of Animal Place, a sanctuary for farmed animals here in the Bay Area, and learned more about how hens are exploited in the egg industry. And I got to meet some hens. That was the day I went vegan and started learning how easy it is to bake without eggs.

I had long been a human-rights activist, but after going vegan, I started working to advance the interests of animals. I joined the writers groups for Compassion Over Killing and PETA, and I began volunteering at Animal Place. I also started fostering rescued rabbits. Although I enjoy tabling and speaking to groups, I reach more people with my writing, so that’s probably the model I use the most now. I mean, one article in VegNews magazine might be seen by 150,000 people.

What is your favorite beer?

That may be your toughest question! Unfortunately, a lot of beers aren’t even vegetarian. I used to love Guinness stout, for example, but they use gelatin from the swim bladders of fish to refine the beer. I enjoy having seasonal beers at local breweries, and my favorite bottled beer right now is probably Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Partying n' Poultry

2008-07-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks has delivered some amazing experiences for EBAA--none of which would have been remotely possible without your support and interest. Our Five-Years of Advocacy Celebration was a hit. We raised nearly $1,500. We would like to share a photo series from the party with you:

Our July 4th was a complete success as well. We safely transported 196 chickens to Animal Acres in Southern California. Every bird survived the long journey on Interstate 5. You will love to photos of our road trip:

Hugs & Cheeps,
East Bay Animal Advocates

A Gallon for the Gallos: Donate $5 to EBAA's Chicken Run to L.A. on July 4th!

2008-07-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Last month, we shared news with you about an amazing rescue in
the East Bay. On May 13, 2008, Oakland Animal Services
impounded a "shipment" of 500 day-old broiler chicks bound for
meat production in Washington. Visit the flock online at
www.MySpace.com/OaklandFeathers.

East Bay Animal Advocates has been working with Oakland Animal
Services to ensure these young, bubbling birds are well cared for
and find good homes. Finding broiler chickens suitable homes is a
daunting task because of their lifelong health troubles. Chicken
adoption inquiries had been scarce. The future plans for the
Oakland Flock was unknown.

In an amazing turn of fate this week, EBAA received a phone call
from Animal Acres, a Los Angeles farmed animal sanctuary. Read
an excerpt from the miracle phone call transcript:

Animal Acres: We heard about the Oakland Flock. That's a lot of
birds!

EBAA: Roger that, L.A.

Animal Acres: We have room to take 200 birds.

EBAA: Holy feathers. Let's celebrate the Fourth of July with a
road trip to Animal Acres!

As EBAA prepares for our six-hour trip to Animal Acres next week,
we are calling on you to donate $5 for a gallon of gas. We
expect our transportation costs, including a cargo van rental, to
top at $500. Your support is critical. Donate online
at SupportEBAA.org.

To L.A. or bust!

Party with Pia the Chicken this Sunday in Oakland!

2008-06-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate our five years of animal protection work, enjoy seasonal vegan appetizers, Sugar Beat Sweets, Lagunitas brews, straight-edge mojitos and much more!

You will have an opportunity to meet our guest of honor—Pia. Our friend, Pia is a young chicken recently rescued from certain-death in meat production.

From 3:30 to 5:00 PM, Micio Mambo, the premier vegan boutique, will be open for your shopping pleasure. All attendees are welcome to ten percent off Micio Mambo store times (excluding any sale items, skincare & cosmetics).

At 5:30 PM, join us for a champagne toast to the animals.

Throughout the party, we will host a silent auction. Check out the auction line-up:

· Zuzu Luxe Cosmetic Gift Basket

· Frey Vineyards Vegan Winetasting and Lunch with Wine Teaser

· A 75-minute Swedish and/or Deep tissue massage

· Autographed Book: Why Animals Matter

· Autographed Book: Striking at the Roots

· Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro

· Farm Animal Art

· Pangea Printed sweatshirt and tote bag

· Guitar Lessons: Three Sessions

· Candle Illumination Gift Basket

· Vegan Home-Cooked "Dirty South" Dinner for Six People

$25 Donation Minimum

Can't attend, please consider making a donation online at SupportEBAA.org.

Shopping Right in Oakland: Micio Mambo

2008-06-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Later this month, Micio Mambo will host our five-year birthday bash. EBAA's Emily Ziebell recently chatted with Ursula Calderon, the owner of Oakland’s new vegan boutique:

What made you decide to open a vegan boutique?

I became a vegetarian in 1992 and made the transition to veganism almost four years ago. I had been looking to incorporate non-leather, cruelty-free products in my personal life, but was never very impressed with the way it was pulled together in a store and I was tired of buying online. My sister, Erika, and I were in New York about 3 years ago when I had an "ah-ha" moment. We were on the subway after a day of shopping for fashionable vegan accessories and I said to her, "I could do just as good of a job as the stores we visited today"! She looked at me and said "Why don't you?". I thought why not! I had been in retail for over 12 years and 10 years in design/advertising and knew that would give me a good foundation for success. Two years later, I quit my advertising job as an account executive and opened up Micio Mambo last November.

What kind of items do you carry?

I'm out to prove that you can be stylish and make good choices for the animals and the environment. I have everything from shoes, handbags and jewelry to skincare and cosmetics. I also just started carrying shoes, belts and wallets for guys. Everything is leather-free, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly.

What's behind the name, Micio Mambo?

Micio is pronounced "Mee-cho" and it means kitty in Italian. My sister Erika lived in Milan for awhile and we've been referring to our kitties as "micios" ever since then. When I was thinking about a name for the store I knew I wanted to use micio somehow. Mambo came about as a nod to my latin background (my father is from El Salvador). I thought Micio Mambo was unique and fun to say!

Location and contact information:

Micio Mambo
474 Santa Clara Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 836-4246
MicioMambo.com
Store Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 5 PM; Sunday Noon - 5 PM.

Seal of Approval

2008-06-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

EBAA is proud to be apart of the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence Program, which is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.

What's your vision for California?

2008-05-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Should California be a home to factory farms? Should farm animals in the Golden State have room to move around?

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura wants your thoughts on the future of agriculture. This is a classic opportunity to speak up for millions of farm animals.

Visit www.CaliforniaAnimalAgriculture.com to learn more about some of the cruelties that occur in California everyday. As well, it is a good occasion to plug the Humane California Campaign.

Namely, the CDFA wants your thoughtful answers to the following questions:

* What is your vision for California agriculture by 2030?
* What will be the biggest challenge in achieving that vision?
* In 2030, how has the public perception of agriculture changed?
* What is a "must have" in an Ag Vision for California?

By July 18, 2008, please send your opinions to AgVision@cdfa.ca.gov.

Five-Years of Advocacy Anniversary

2008-05-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a very special event!

"Five-Years of Advocacy Anniversary"

Sunday, June 29, 2008
3:30 - 6:30 PM

Micio Mambo
474 Santa Clara Avenue
Oakland

Enjoy Seasonal Vegan Appetizers, Specialty Beer & Non-Alcoholic
Cider.Admission is $25. Please RSVP at info@eastbayanimaladvocates.org. Can't attend, please consider making a donation online at www.SupportEBAA.org.

Oh, those old hens...

2008-05-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

At two to three years of age, matured hens complete their egg production cycle within the industry. 'Spent hens' are slaughtered without any protections under California's 1990 Methods of Slaughter law. California producers no longer have a facility to bring its 'spent hens' for processing. In May 2006, Valley Fresh Inc., California’s only 'spent hen' slaughterhouse, ended its live poultry processing operations.

Now, the slaughtering of 'spent hens' is carried out by the individual egg companies. Producers have used gassing/composting and woodchippers as methods of euthanizing 'spent hens'.

As The Modesto Bee reports today, a Ceres egg producer was caught red-handed illegally burying its old hens. Read the full news report:

"Dead hens, possibly numbering in the thousands, were illegally buried in a trench by a Ceres-area egg producer, Stanislaus County officials said Thursday.

The carcasses were dumped at Niemeyer Farms on Crows Landing Road before the practice was halted about three weeks ago, said Sonya Harrigfeld, director of environmental resources for the county.

'We issued a cease-and-desist order to them,' she said. 'My staff witnessed dead carcasses on the ground.'

Owner Jack Niemeyer said the burial was part of a legal composting operation for hens past their egg-laying prime.

'We're converting it to fertilizer to market,' he said.

Harrigfeld said composting livestock is illegal without a permit from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Niemeyer Farms is not on the state agency's online list of permitted composting sites.

The case will be referred to the district attorney's office, which can seek fines of up to $5,000 for each day the violations took place, Harrigfeld said. When the burial began is not known, she said.

The county responded to neighbors' complaints about odors and flies.

Niemeyer declined to say how many hens were buried, but Rowe Barney, assistant director of the county department, said it likely was in the thousands.

Barney said about 25,000 dead birds were awaiting disposal when the county ordered that they be taken to the Darling International rendering plant near the town of Crows Landing.

Rendering, which extracts useful products from carcasses, is the preferred method of disposal, Harrigfeld said.

Too degraded for rendering

The buried carcasses are too degraded for rendering, so Niemeyer will have to dig them up and haul them to an approved landfill, she said. They will be reburied with extra precautions to prevent pollution, similar to the handling of the cattle and poultry killed in the extreme heat wave of July 2006, she said.

Harrigfeld said county officials aim to have the cleanup done within two weeks. The county has given Niemeyer until today to estimate the number of buried hens and the extent of the operation.

Burying dead animals can pose an environmental hazard because decomposing biological material could percolate through the soil and into into groundwater in the surrounding areas.

Barney said groundwater in the area is 10 to 20 feet from the surface, and the trench appears to be 4 feet deep, so prompt removal is needed to prevent seepage of contaminants.

Complaints are rare

Niemeyer said he has had the business for more than 30 years but might retire soon. No live hens are there, he said. The farm is relatively small compared with other egg producers in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

Harrigfeld said complaints about illegal carcass burial are rare, happening perhaps once every three to five years.

The egg industry strives to follow the laws on hen disposal wherever it operates, said Stevan Allen, spokesman for the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association in Sacramento.

'The industry guidelines do allow for composting, but the caveat there is that it is done in accordance with state and local ordinances,' Allen said.

Niemeyer said composting hens, a process that takes about nine months, is part of the nutrient cycling that is vital to agriculture.

'If you stopped all of this conversion,' he said, 'the cultivation and the crops and everything would be gone.'"

Before the holiday weekend, e-mail your opinions about this distributing topic to The Modesto Bee.

Troubling ag policy is down and out

2008-05-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

The plight of disabled cattle has once again been spotlighted in the public eye. As The Associated Press reports today:

"Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced Tuesday a total ban on meat plant slaughter of cows too sick or weak to stand. The planned change comes in the wake of the nation's largest beef recall. It would shut down an exception — which critics call a loophole — that allows a small number of so-called "downer" cattle into the food supply if they pass veterinary inspection."

Get the full report online.

EBAA provides emergency relief for impounded broiler chicks

2008-05-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, Oakland Animal Services impounded a "shipment" of 500 day-old broiler chicks bound for Washington State. Thanks to your generous support, EBAA was able to provide emergency supplies to care for the young birds at the shelter. If you are able to provide homes for a group of these birds, please contact us at info@eastbayanimaladvocates.org or (925) 487-4419.

Read an excerpt of a NBC-11 news report about the rescue:

"Oakland Animal Services took into custody 500 day-old chicks at the airport that were being transported by the United States Postal Service from a Santa Cruz hatchery to a destination in Washington State.

The Oakland Airport Postal Service discovered many sick and some dead chicks among the shipment of five boxes.

The workers contacted Oakland Animal Services for assistance who found 47 birds dead.

The chicks were from Cal Cruz Hatchery in Santa Cruz and by the time they reached the Oakland airport they had already been traveling for over 24 hours.

Animal Place, which frequently works with animal control agencies to help find adoptive homes for farmed animals confiscated in cruelty cases, is working to help place the chicks.

The birds were "broilers," or chickens raised for meat that are bred for rapid growth so they can be slaughtered at six weeks of age.

'Shipping chicks through the postal service is common practice,' said Adam Parascandola, Oakland Animal Services director. 'It is a given that many will die in route, but the losses are expected and accepted by industry. These poor chicks were less than a day old before their nightmarish journey began.'

It is legal to ship young birds through the mail, as long as they are under 24 hours old when presented for shipping, and delivered to the receiver within 72 hours.

The practice of sending chicks through the postal service began over 100 years ago, when the first commercial hatchery in America sent 50 chicks from New Jersey to Illinois in 1892."

Egg-actly the right time

2008-05-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. May is National Egg Month. This is the best time to educate the public about egg factory farming in California. Our friends at Compassion Over Killing and Mercy for Animals have great ideas for you to help chickens this month and every month. Please visit www.eggindustry.com and www.mercyforanimals.org for the 4-1-1!

Do you have a sweet tooth?

2008-05-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

If the answer is YES, you won't want to miss our Advocates Forum on Saturday, May 17 at 3 PM at Berkeley's Herbivore--The Earthly Grill. We want to treat you to a vegan dessert in exchange for writing a few good letters to stop animal abuse in agriculture. Enjoy some good company and sweet eats with EBAA. To RSVP, email volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

Blow the whistle...

2008-04-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

…It’s official. The California farm animal ballot initiative qualified this week for the November 2008 mega-election. This Sacramento Bee article will make you smile.

Don’t forget to check out the upcoming campaign meetings in the Bay Area and beyond.

Youth in Action

2008-04-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

Students from Vallejo's St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School showed their support for the chickens yesterday at Lunardi's Supermarket in Danville. We are always looking for advocates--ages 1 to 92--to encourage Lunardi's to ban the sale of battery cage eggs. Email us at volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org!

Corn on the Crisis

2008-04-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

The ever-increasing price of corn for poultry production and other animal farming is a mega-media affair. Producers are modifying their business activities dramatically. By modification, we mean cutting down on production. A recent article entitled The End of Cheap Meat by Solve Climate's Sangamithra Iyer touches on this emerging issue.

This week, we've learned of the closure of a couple of turkey processing plants owned by Cargill. Some of the production activities will be diverted to Californian facilities in the next few months.

As Charlie Brown says, good grief!

Local high students and activists speak out against Lunardi's foul store policy

2008-04-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Danville, Calif.- St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School students will join East Bay Animal Advocates in urging Lunardi's Supermarket to stop selling eggs from chickens raised in overcrowded 'battery cages':

Date: Sunday, April 6, 2008
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Lunardi's Supermarket, 345 Railroad Avenue, Danville

Lunardi's Supermarket is the lead competitor of Andronico's Markets and Whole Foods Market, which both stopped selling eggs from caged chickens. Both Andronico's Market and Whole Foods Market have joined a growing national network of cities, educational institutions, farmers, and retailers that oppose the intensive confinement of laying hens -- a notorious egg industry practice.

Each year over 19 million egg-laying hens in California are raised in concentrated confinement to produce eggs for consumers. According to the California Poultry Workgroup, the vast majority of egg-layers in California are confined to tiny cages. Each bird is limited to less than 67 square inches of space for her entire life.

Online at LunardisAbuse.com.

Game On: Get Active

2008-03-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

As a watchdog group, East Bay Animal Advocates critically analyzes the impact of California agriculture on animals. EBAA encourages consumers to make caring, informed food choices. There are a variety of ways to get involved with EBAA, such as:

- Helping ban the sale of battery-cage eggs at Lunardi's grocery stores in the San Francisco Bay Area by leafleting at one of their stores. It's simple. Join EBAA's consumer campaign by adopting a store near you. Learn more about the campaign at www.LunardisAbuse.com.

- By writing letters-to-the-editor, EBAA's Advocacy Author Group is designed to increase public visibility of humane issues and create opportunities for individuals to develop advocacy skills right from your computer.

- Getting your hands dirty at our monthly Farm Days at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in the San Joaquin Valley.

- By subscribing to EBAA's free email newsletter, you are supplied with a helpful dose of breaking news, campaign reports, upcoming events and action alerts. Join the e-news list.

Please contact Shani Campbell, our new Outreach Director, at Shani@EastBayAnimalAdvocates.org to get active.

A Must Read: "The Truth Behind Humane Slaughter Law"

2008-03-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

The Animal Welfare Institute released an illuminating 150-page report concerning the reality of humane slaughter in United States. Read a sample of the cited inspection notes:

“At approximately 1:00 p.m. [a Holstein cow] had a 1 cm hole in its forehead from a captive bolt stunner. At 1:10 p.m. the cow had not been moved and was breathing regularly. An establishment employee tried to re-stun the animal twice but the hand held captive bolt stunner did not fire.”

“The hog was lying in the cradle and all four feet had been removed. The hog was observed to be kicking and shaking its head. It exhibited skin twitching and irregular but rhythmic breathing with deep abdominal and thoracic movement. It appeared to be gasping for breath.”

Click here to read the full report online.

New PSA: Why Won't Lunardi's Give An Inch?

2008-03-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Another Reason to Contact Mr. Ed at the USDA

2008-03-18T12:26:00.001-07:00

With Easter 2008 upon us, it's the perfect time to examine the hidden truth of rabbit meat production. Today, metropolitan grocery stores and high-end restaurants are the chief retailers of commercial rabbit meat. Rabbit meat is also sold via the Internet. Each year over two million rabbits are raised and slaughtered for their meat across the country. Known primarily as a cottage industry, American rabbit-meat production is largely unregulated by the federal authorities and removed from the public eye. Watch our mini-film about this topic now:

American rabbit meat production is largely unregulated. Federal agencies deny meat rabbits legal protection from even the worst slaughter abuses. Urge the USDA to create a mandatory inspection program of meat rabbit processing facilities:

Secretary Edward Schafer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Room 200-A
Washington, DC 20250

Phone: (202) 720-3631
Fax: (202) 720-2166
Email: Edward.W.Schafer@usda.gov

Protection Denied: Humane Slaughter Not Applicable to Birds

2008-03-07T14:20:00.001-08:00

It's not a surprise. But, it's unfortunate to hear. Judge Marilyn Hall Patel dismissed a joint lawsuit filed in 2005 by EBAA and The HSUS against the USDA - challenging the exclusion of poultry from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958. Read about the dismissal in today's report from World Poultry:

"According to a US judge, chickens are not 'livestock' and are therefore not subject to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. A lawsuit brought by the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) against the Agriculture Department has argued that the USDA had misinterpreted the 50-year-old Act, reports Cattle Network. 'The court finds the legislative history strongly demonstrates unambiguous congressional intent that livestock, as used in the HMSA, does not include poultry,' US District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel reportedly wrote in her opinion. Judge Patel granted summary judgment in USDA's favour and dismissed the lawsuit.

HSUS's argument was based on a 1958 dictionary definition of livestock that said that the word encompassed 'useful' animals on a farm, while USDA said that the term has always internally meant to exclude poultry.

'The plain language of these bills indicates that Congress intended to exclude poultry from the definition of livestock when it enacted H.R. 8308, the bill that eventually became the HMSA,' Patel wrote."

Lucky Number 790,486

2008-03-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

As one of the key grassroots endorsers of the Humane California Campaign, EBAA is pleased to announce the ballot initiative drive reached its six-month signature gathering goal. Not only did the California-based consortium of progressive organizations and concerned individuals meet the monstrous goal, the campaign exceeded it. The total number of signatures captured for the November-bound ballot initiative was 790,486. Approximately 2 percent of Californians signed on to de-intensify animal agriculture.

As campaign officials were busy delivering the signatures to county election offices, ag industry officials pulled out their calculators for a math problem: How much will it cost California egg farmers to go cage-free?

Feedstuffs FoodLink answers: "For California producers to maintain egg production at current levels, they would need to convert all existing cage-production houses to cage free and construct 515 new cage-free houses to accommodate larger space requirements for cage-free production systems at a cost of $500 million, not counting land costs, according to the analysis."

Industry officials are making a good move by calculating costs now. November is right around the corner. Soon, livestock and poultry farmers will need to start writing checks for the costs mentioned above.

Ah, democracy is a sweet thing.

Creative Giving: Adopt-An-Advocate

2008-03-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

A practical approach to sustaining our organization's work is to "Adopt-An-Advocate". With a $400 donation, you can make it possible for EBAA to expand its vegetarian outreach campaigns and California factory farming research through the hiring of our first part-time coordinator. All donations are tax-deductible. Make a donation today.

Read and Respond

2008-02-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press released an informative news bite today, entitled Film Prompted First Humane Slaughter Law. The story is a brief historical piece that chronicles the birth of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act in 1958 and its connection to the recent beef recall.

Read an excerpt from the AP story:

"A film showing slaughterhouse workers abusing animals spurs demands for the federal government to put a stop to the abuse. That happened this year — and also a half-century ago, when a Seattle animal rights activist filmed hogs being mistreated at a Washington state slaughterhouse.

The 1950's film helped trigger a fierce debate on Capitol Hill over whether animals deserved some federal protection in their final moments. Congress ultimately decided that they did, and 50 years ago this summer, lawmakers passed the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which required that meat purchased by the federal government come from processors that humanely kill their livestock.

Now Congress is taking another look at slaughterhouse practices following undercover video filmed by the Humane Society of the United States. The video showed workers at Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino, Calif., shoving and kicking sick, crippled cattle, forcing them to stand using electric prods, forklifts and water hoses. In response, the Agriculture Department shut down the plant, citing 'egregious violations of humane handling regulations.' Two fired workers have been charged with crimes."

Later in the article:

"Fifty years ago, the hog slaughter film by Arthur P. Redman similarly galvanized animal welfare advocates to pursue legislation. The film was shown at a congressional hearing in 1957 and Congress passed the landmark humane slaughter law the following year.

Speaking during debate on the day of the bill's passage, then-Sen. Hubert Humphrey, a Minnesota Democrat and future vice president, said: 'We are morally compelled, here in this hour, to try to imagine — to try to feel in our own nerves — the totality of the suffering of 100 million tortured animals. The issue before us today is pain, agony and cruelty — and what a moral man must do about it in view of his own conscience.'"

The article also highlights a key vehicle for change - citizen action:

"In the late 1950s, Congress was awash in debate on the humane slaughter issue. The New York Times, in a May 4, 1958 story headlined 'Humane Appeals Swamp Congress,' described how constituent letters on the subject dwarfed those on foreign policy, the economy and defense. Four days of Senate hearings, the Times reported, attracted large crowds, mostly of women. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation despite the Agriculture Department's opposition. 'If I depended on my mail,' he said after the hearings, "I would think humane slaughter is the only thing anyone is interested in.'"

Moral of the story: Urge our Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer to ban the entry of sick and injured cattle into the human food supply. Email Secretary Schafer at Edward.W.Schafer@usda.gov.

A Scientific Solution?

2008-02-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

The Daily Democrat reports: "Animal welfare and poultry science experts from UC Davis, Michigan State University and other universities across the country are teaming up to study what are the most humane and commercially viable methods for housing egg-laying chickens. Leading the team of researchers in tackling this controversial issue are internationally recognized animal welfare scientist Joy Mench of UCD, and animal welfare researcher Janice Swanson and philosophy professor Paul Thompson, both of Michigan State University.

The research team has recently received $400,000 from the American Egg Board, an egg-marketing organization, to fund the planning stage of the research program. The issue of whether it is better for egg-laying hens to be housed in cages or to roam freely in large barns is particularly contentious in California, where an effort is under way to place an initiative on the November 2008 ballot that would ban the use of cages in raising laying hens."

It will be interesting to see the results of this well-funded study. With an industry trade group sponsoring this measure, it won't be a surprise if the study will reinforce the status quo: cage egg production.

East Bay Congressman Weighs in on Hallmark Beef Recall

2008-02-21T13:13:00.000-08:00

KCBS News reports: "Congressman George Miller, D-Martinez, Wednesday called for Congressional hearings in the biggest meat recall in U.S. history. He said more than a billion pounds of beef could be tainted and blamed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's inspection process for the problem. Miller claimed USDA has a conflict of interest because they're responsible for promoting food consumption and sales as well as safety. Even worse, Miller accused some slaughter houses of duping USDA inspectors. 'They know when the inspectors are coming to the plant so they can prepare for those inspections and delay the inspectors,' said Miller. That means USDA inspectors might never catch slaughterhouse workers doing something that could put consumers at risk."

Thank Congressman Miller for taking a stand for the animals!

Shooting Against the Mainstream Meat-dia

2008-02-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Whether it’s a chained dog in your neighbor’s back yard, a dairy cow with swollen utters, a protest to stop animal cruelty, or a hen who only wants to spread her wings. Animal rights media is extremely important to the animal rights movement, and far too often over looked by the mainstream media.

Who needs the mainstream meat-dia in the world we live in today! We have every form of getting our voices heard, from web pages to video blogs the information is out there.

Making animal rights media is easy. Making interesting and engaging animals rights media is the tricky part. A good thing to keep in mind is what you want to make of your story. Do you want it to be, censored or uncensored, biased or unbiased. And where oh where should you put it to get it seen by people outside the animal rights community? And the even more gripping question is, how can any compassionate human being desensitize themselves to the violence and torture?

When making a media for animals it’s crucial to be as uncensored as humanly possible. The more we censor the lives of these constantly tortured animals, the more we lean to the direction of: “Happy cows come from California.”, and “Always natural. Always fresh.”, or everyone’s favorite, “Milk, does a body good.”. On television there may be some feathers raised for such uncensored material, and in that case by all means censor, because it’s better to be seen censored than to not be seen at all. But on the Internet all bets are off. Even if the viewer clicks off the minute they see cruelty, the significant point is they see it, and the more it’s out there the more they will have no choice but to look.

Starting a video blog, posting on Indy Media, uploading to You Tube and myspace, are all great ways to impact people that wouldn’t normally be in your community. And love it or hate it, but You Tube and myspace are here to stay and probably the best way to be seen by people outside of any activist world.

As far as desensitizing yourself to the cruelty and torture you will be seeing on a daily basest, well… This is different for different people, some are never able to completely desensitize from these images, and others just pretend to be. Remember being effected by this cruelty is what makes us fight for what’s right, so don’t be afraid to shed a few tears, just remember after you wipe your eyes clear get back up and keep working. The animals will never stop dieing if we stop working to help them.

-Njeri Sims, EBAA Interactive Media Director

Be your own food inspector

2008-02-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post ran a wonderful piece, entitled The New Food Inspector: You, about empowering individuals to unearth the truth about the food they purchase, especially meat, dairy and eggs. The article touches on humane issues. Check out some of the interesting factoids within the news story:

"Traditional retailers are working to earn customer trust. Whole Foods, of course, has made a business of being a trusted proxy. It has developed its own, higher standards for the humane treatment of animals and for "natural" products -- a label that 86 percent of consumers say falls short of expectations, according to a survey by Consumer Reports. Current USDA standards prohibit only artificial colorings and additives in foods labeled "natural"; high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oil still can be used.

When the GfK Roper survey asked consumers who they thought had their best interests in mind when it comes to food choices, advocates and activist groups led the list of responses, at 64 percent. Retail grocers were second, at 62 percent, and food manufacturers were third, at 53 percent. The U.S. government ranked fourth at 47 percent, ahead of fast-food companies at 26 percent."

Read the full story online.

So Fresh, So Easy...

2008-01-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

EBAA's activities revolve around improving the lives of animals in agriculture, which leads us to regularly work with local companies to bolster animal-friendly policies.

We were greeted with wonderful news this week of the expansion of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market s to the Bay Area in 2009. This supermarket chain is a cut above the rest when it comes to poultry egg purchasing. Fresh & Easy has the right idea: “We believe everyone deserves fresh and wholesome food they can afford. Our eggs come from cage-free chickens.”

The celebrated grocery chain is apart of a growing national network of cities, educational institutions, farmers, and retailers that oppose the intensive confinement of laying hens--a notoriously common egg industry practice.

Join EBAA in thanking Fresh & Easy for its Good Egg Policy. Please send the company an email today!

California animal ag hit hard this week

2008-01-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

Two important stories pertaining to farm animals in California have surfaced in the media this week:

Farmer John rethinks pig breeding in California

As you may recall, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and EBAA last year sued a California-based hog producer over the use of the controversial gestation crate. With the exit of Farmer John, it looks like intensive pig breeding may soon be disappearing from the Golden State landscape all together:

"Hormel Foods' Farmer John unit is getting out of the hog breeding business in California, selling about 9,000 sows at its Corcoran, Calif. operation. 'The market has grown increasingly competitive and the rising cost of feed and fuel is making it that much more difficult for livestock operations to compete,' spokesman Steve Duchesne said in a telephone interview. He also said an increasingly difficult regulatory environment in California played into the decision. 'We could not fool ourselves into thinking the regulatory environment would become any more favorable,' he said, citing an upcoming ballot initiative expected in California's November election to ban sow stalls, field crates and battery cages." Read the full story online.

The horror of school lunch meat unmasked

Today, we learned about the use of waterboarding and other cruel acts on "downer cows" at a California slaughterhouse. The video footage captured at Southern California's Westland Meat Company/Hallmark Meat Packing speaks for itself. Westland is a key supplier of the USDA's National School Lunch Program. The federal agency suspended its purchasing relationship with Westland. Read the announcement from the USDA's Ed Schafer.

What is the California egg industry saying about cage-free egg production?

2008-01-28T13:05:00.000-08:00

Gary West, the president of a leading California egg company and chairman of the United Egg Producers, recently voiced his opinions on the California ballot initiative underway to ban caged egg production. Check out the video interview of Mr. West online.

Speaking of battery cages, San Francisco became the fourth California City to oppose caged egg production this week. One more wing up for the birds!

Let's meet up in the City by the Bay!

2008-01-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Do you want to speak up for animals in your area but don't know how to get started?

Join EBAA at Speak Up for Animals in San Francisco. Hosted by PETA, this mini-conference will be the perfect place for you to meet like-minded people in your area and find out how to get involved with the efforts of local animal protection organizations. Learn how to be a more effective advocate for animals and what each of us can do to make the world a kinder place.

When: Saturday, February 2, 12 noon-3 p.m.

Where: The Fort Mason Center, Meeting Room D-100

Registration: $10 in advance, $15 at the door

Registration is easy. If you have any questions, please email SpeakUp@peta.org.

What's an antibiotic? Even USDA isn't sure.

2008-01-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

In recent times, poultry producers, including Foster Farms, have been mulling over the meaning of 'natural' with respect to meat products. A revealing news report was released this week by Meat & Poultry:

The case seems straightforward enough. Tyson Foods petitions USDA to use the words "Raised Without Antibiotics" on the labels of its chicken products, and the department gives a go-ahead. Then some naysayers complain that such a label is misleading, since a category of antibiotics called ionophores are present in the chicken feed Tyson specifies and uses for its so-called antibiotic-free chicken. USDA goes back to Tyson to say it had approved the previous label too quickly. The company and the government negotiate a deal, and new wording is approved: "Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans."

Yet a scent of mystery hovers in the air. The naysayers, gathered and organized as the Truthful Labeling Coalition and claiming a membership of "thousands of grassroots citizens in all 50 states," use a Washington, D.C., address but don’t have a phone number; email sent to the TLC address bounces back. However, the TLC did issue a statement back in December congratulating Perdue Farms on becoming a member. The huge poultry processor joins other "grassroots citizens" in the TLC such as Foster Farms, Gold'n Plump Poultry and Sanderson Farms.

For its part, Tyson Foods feels no need to add to comments already made in a release announcing the new agreement with USDA. Carol Tucker Foreman, the consumer advocate, former assistant secretary of agriculture, and frequent thorn in the side of the mainstream industry, actually endorsed the agreement -- but she’s not returning phone calls either.

And the third leg on this wobbly beast, USDA, evidently isn’t positive what’s an antibiotic and what isn’t.

To a degree, the matter is tangled politically in USDA’s consideration of a comprehensive new definition of the word "natural" for beef. Up to now, "natural" has meant, in USDA labeling regulations, "minimally processed," a definition that bears little, if any, resemblance to the word’s use by consumers and in food-product marketing campaigns. The Department will accept comments until Jan. 28 on its new proposal to allow use of "natural" to describe certain livestock-production protocols.

New report questions the happiness of free-range birds

2007-12-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

As World Poultry reported yesterday, the University of Sydney released the results of a new study about the welfare of egg-laying chickens in free range systems:

"Researchers have discovered that free range hens experience just as much or more stress than hens raised in modern, conventional cages. This is contrary to allegations of animal rights activists saying that hens in modern cages live a horribly stressed life. Dr. Jeff Downing at the University of Sydney, conducted a recent study measuring corticosterone, a hormone produced in response to stress or fear, in eggs from free range and modern caged hens. In both types of eggs, levels of the hormone were similar."

The report is illuminating. But, is it entirely accurate? It's important to examine a full range of statements by poultry scientists and experts to arrive an educated conclusion. Read up on now!

A Year-End Pop Quiz From East Bay Animal Advocates

2007-12-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

An East Bay Animal Advocates annual dispatch would not be complete without a piece of quirky trivia. California has some bizarre laws on the books. We would like to take this opportunity to quiz you on your knowledge of irrelevant legal information:

Question: In the Golden State, it is legal to throw which two items from a moving vehicle?

While you ponder your answer to the question, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation for your support for animal protection. Thanks to your care and concern, EBAA efforts have steadily grown over the past four years to advocate on behalf of millions of animals abused in California agriculture. EBAA is delighted to remember our triumphs for the year. Our 2007 scrapbook includes:

The debut of our vivid magazine The Advocate

Rescues of egg-laying hens from factory egg farms

Prominent media spotlights from news services like CNN Money, Associated Press and East Bay Business Times

Formal recognition from the Internal Revenue Service of our organization's tax-exempt status

The creation of our organization's strategic plan with the guidance from acclaimed Compass Point Nonprofit Services

Corporate partnerships with local retailers like Rainbow Grocery and Farmer Joe's Marketplace

The launch of our Holiday Facts advertising campaign with The San Francisco Chronicle

For the New Year, we are gearing up for the release of new reports on animal food production and kind-hearted campaign antics to persuade Lunardi's Supermarket to end the sale of battery cage eggs. We are also supporting Californians for Humane Farms.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your commitment to protecting those in need. We invite you to explore www.SupportEBAA.org for a variety of ways to contribute to our advocacy work.

Before our year-end departure, we have a retort to the question asked earlier.

Answer: Clear water and feathers from live birds are the only contents that may be legally ejected from vehicles in California.

East Bay Animal Advocates promises to uphold our commitment to protect animals abused in California food production. Our New Year's Resolution is a simple task: Follow the feathers.

Reading is the key to staying warm this winter.

2007-12-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

Californians are known for their sensitivity to colder temperatures (i.e. 65° F or below). With the winter season upon us, what better way to beat the cold than to read a good book by a roaring fire. EBAA has the perfect paperback recommendation for the shivering book-worm: Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism.

Written by the dynamic Mark Hawthorne, the new book, which spotlights our work, "brings together the most effective tactics for speaking out for animals and gives voice to activists from around the globe, who explain why their models of activism have been successful – and how you can get involved. Concise and full of practical examples and resources, this guide dispels the myths surrounding animal activism and will empower you to make the most of your skills."

Read an excerpt from the book and order a copy of it today. Don't forget to stay warm this winter too!

Our last service day of the year is this Saturday!

2007-12-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

Help out at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in Stockton this Saturday, December 8 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Please bring a cardboard box for the bunnies!

Saturday's Farm Agenda:

Dust the chickens
Build play structures for the rabbits
Clean out the goat barn

To participate, please send an email to volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org by Friday, December 7 at 3:00 PM. You will receive driving directions in the email response. Please wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing. We will provide tofu dogs and drinks for everyone.

"The Advocate" is now online: Read it, share it.

2007-11-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Download a free copy of EBAA's Debut Print Magazine: The Advocate. It's chock-full of interesting campaign and investigative projects we are currently working on. For the past four years, our efforts have steadily grown to advocate on behalf of millions of animals abused in California agriculture. Our new magazine is a celebration of our work and your wonderful support!

Thanksgiving roundup

2007-11-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

As Californians gathered around the dinner-table yesterday, EBAA continued its public outreach for poultry. KPFA Radio featured an interview with EBAA on the Evening News concerning the treatment of turkeys at slaughterhouses in the United States. Tune in to the 4-minute poultry segment, which begins at minute 12:20.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

Federal judge gobbles up courtroom contentions for turkeys

2007-11-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

Currently, East Bay Animal Advocates along with The Humane Society of the United States, Mississippi Poultry Workers Equality and Respect, Western North Carolina Workers Center and several poultry consumers are challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s policy of excluding turkeys, chickens, and other birds killed for human consumption from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958.

Marilyn Hall Patel, the federal judge presiding over the case, heard arguments for the lawsuit earlier this week in San Francisco. Read a news report from The Poutlry Site about the case. Plus, check out this informative news report from KTVU-2.

Don’t forget to voice for your concern for poultry. Write a quick letter to the USDA today.

There’s a story behind the photograph featured in today's blog. Earlier this month, a hundred car collusion occurred along Highway 99 near Fresno. As The Associated Press image reveals, a live-haul turkey truck bound for the slaughterhouse was involved in the large-scale crash.

The journey to the slaughterhouse is a nightmare. Please educate yourself about the lives of turkeys in the meat industry.

What's for dinner this holiday season?

2007-11-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

Every year over 15 million turkeys are killed for human consumption in California. Today, turkeys are raised under a set of conditions vastly different from what the poultry industry communicates to the public. Modern turkey production commonly induces prolonged pain and suffering in birds raised for meat. We invite you to learn more about this important topic:

Click here to read about California's turkey production.

Click here to discover the free-range turkey myth.

Click here to learn about animal suffering in the U.S. turkey industry.

Throughout the 2007 holiday season, EBAA will be sponsoring an ad campaign with The San Francisco Chronicle. Our new online ad will be featured on the Chronicle's website to educate millions of California consumers about modern turkey production practices.

State agrees to relocate Martinez beavers

2007-11-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks for writing the City of Martinez. Public pressure did the trick!

The Contra Costa Times reports today:

"The state has agreed to issue a relocation permit for a family of beavers in Martinez, amid an outcry from children and nature lovers over a city conclusion that the creatures should be killed and their dam removed to prevent downtown flooding.

The beavers will be trapped by the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, which will evaluate their health, and they will be released later in an area approved by the state, said Martinez Mayor Rob Schroder and California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Steve Martarano.

'After a quick survey, I've gotten 150 e-mails, 100 percent of them say don't kill the beavers,' said Schroder, who approached the state Monday through labor leader Jim Kellogg, who is a member of the Fish and Game Commission."

We are busy bees this week!

2007-11-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

November is a hectic time for us. But, staying busy keeps us out of trouble, of course!

If you have some free time this week, why don’t you join us for some outreach?

Tonight will be gathering signatures and preparing a magazine mailing at Pizza Plaza at 7pm. From 5 PM to 11 PM, Pizza Plaza will donate ten-percent of your bill to EBAA.
Saturday is our monthly Work Day at Harvest Home. Then, we are rolling out to Richmond’s Point Isabel for more signatures for the Humane California Campaign.
We will be back at Point Isabel on Sunday for ballot initiative signings.
On Monday, EBAA will present at Menlo College and Menlo School in Atherton on the topics of animal welfare and egg production.

Shoot us an email to participate: volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org

Leave it to the beavers.

2007-11-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Although EBAA’s efforts are focused namely on the humane treatment of animals in agriculture, a very important wildlife matter is pending locally that we wanted to share with you. The City of Martinez is reviewing a proposal to euthanize an active family of beavers that have assembled a dam along Alhambra Creek. Read up on this issue online now.

Please join EBAA in voicing opposition to this unnecessary plan. There are a variety of humane options city officials must consider. Please contact the Martinez City Council today. If you live in Martinez, attend the Martinez City Council meeting on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 PM at City Hall (525 Henrietta Street in Downtown Martinez).

How can you say NO?

2007-10-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Shaken or stirred, the initial phase of the Humane California Campaign is a numbers game. In less than five months, 650,000 signatures need to be gathered in California to qualify the farm animal reform initiative for the November 2008 ballot.

Reaching the signature goal by the end of February may seem like an act of God. In reality, it’s the action of a solid network of committed volunteers that will move this campaign forward.

Please join us for weekly signature gathering sessions in the East Bay. Click here for the upcoming dates, times and locations. To sweeten the deal, EBAA will buy you a free t-shirt for volunteering.

How can you say NO to this proposition?

One-hour of your time will go a long-way to making this campaign a true mark of success.

Speaking of mark, check out this campaign article written by Mark Hawthorne, author of the soon-to-be-released Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism.

Does California really need another slaughterhouse?

2007-10-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

The City of Tulare has its sights on the development of a new slaughterhouse. To the detriment of animals, water/air quality and public lands, the proposed plant would allow for the slaughter of 1,600 cattle daily. Visit the Grace Factory Farm Project to learn about the impact of intensive beef production. This website is a wonderful resource for fact-hungry consumers and advocates. Also, take a peak at EBAA’s report on dairy cow production in the Golden State.

Public comments are welcome regarding Tulare's slaughterhouse proposal. Share your concerns with the Tulare Planning Department by November 15, 2007:

Mark Kielty, ACIP
City of Tulare Planning Dept.
411 East Kern Ave.
Tulare, CA 93274
Tel: (559) 684-4217

Consumers express views on farm animal welfare

2007-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

The American Farm Bureau Federation funded a new survey to examine the public's concern over farm animal welfare. Read this excerpt from Feedstuffs:

"Perhaps the most contentious and emotional issue in livestock agriculture is that of farm animal welfare. Modern animal production practices are regularly criticized by animal rights groups, defended by livestock industries and studied by scientists.

The animal welfare debate is far more than a war of words. It has led to legislative action and is influencing consumer demand in a way that could profoundly affect agricultural markets.

Victories by animal rights groups are occurring at a rapid pace. For example, citizens in Arizona and Florida recently voted to ban the use of gestation crates, and similar referenda are being planned for other states."

Learn more about the survey results online.

New website campaign takes aim at popular dairy companies

2007-10-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

The confinement of thousands of newborn female calves in small crates is a growing feature of California dairy production. Over the last few years, EBAA has documented the lives of these young animals. In fact, EBAA visited Mendes Calf Ranch in Tipton, California last year to capture documentation. Using our video documentation, the Animal Legal Defense Fund subsequently filed a lawsuit against Mendes, challenging the ranch's animal confinement practices. Land O'Lakes and Challenge Dairy are two of the dairy producers that use milk from calves confined at Mendes. A new website (FreeBabyMendes.com) was launched this week to educate the public on this important issue. It's time to let dairy producers know that this practice is unnecessary — and unacceptable.

Democracy never tasted so sweet in the Golden State

2007-10-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Last night, the Ballot Initiative Campaign Rally kicked off in San Francisco with a strong show of support from Bay Area residents. Over 140 local animal advocates packed the halls of the SF/SPCA to learn more about the benchmark drive to protect millions of animals in California agriculture.

EBAA is committed to providing a strong base of support throughout the 13-month campaign to enact the California Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act into law. In fact, EBAA volunteers have signed on to collect at least 6,000 signatures before February 28, 2008. Our signature gathering efforts will be folded together with our public outreach for the Lunardi's Abuse Campaign. All signature gathering volunteers must be registered voters. To register, please click here.

The Associated Press and Capital Press ran news stories this week about the new campaign to ban battery cages, veal crates and gestation stalls in the Golden State. Read an excerpt from the news story from The Associated Press:

"Nineteen million chickens in California produce about five billion eggs a year — making them the nation's fifth-largest supplier of omelets and scrambled eggs. Now, animal welfare groups hope to change the way the hens live and lay. The groups are collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to give the hens more room to roam. The measure would force farmers to change current practices that keep most egg-laying hens, veal calves and pregnant pigs in small cages or boxes for most of their lives. It would require that enclosures be big enough for the animals to fully extend their wings or legs, lie down, stand up and turn around."

Over the last several years, EBAA has examined the actual living conditions of animals in agriculture, especially egg-laying chickens, in the California's Central Valley. Watch our mini-documentary about California egg production.

To learn more about animal cruelty in California agriculture, visit our online hub.

9/28 Dessert Soiree with Dan Piraro: A Benefit for EBAA

2007-09-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

Dan Piraro--the famous cartoonist behind Bizarro and tireless animal rights activist--will highlight the upcoming house party fundraiser for East Bay Animal Advocates:

Date: Friday, September 28th

Time: 7 PM - 9:30 PM

Location: 345 Haddon Road, Oakland

Don't miss this special event:

Celebrate the debut of our vivid magazine, The Advocate

Help raise funds for EBAA's provocative ad campaigns

Munch on vegan desserts

Down some good ol' wine

Piraro, a vegan, presents animal rights issues in a humorous wayin his comic strips. "Bizarro" is distributed internationally byKing Features Syndicate to more than 250 daily and Sunday newspapers. Piraro also reaches out to loyal readers and createsnew ones by bringing his own live comedy show, "The Bizarro Bologna Show."

Please RSVP to info@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

Help Prevent Farm Animal Cruelty in California

2007-09-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

CAMPAIGN KICK OFF & SIGNATURE GATHERING RALLY

We need your immediate help to put a measure on the 2008 ballot that would outlaw the cruel confinement of veal calves, egg-laying hens, and breeding pigs. This important measure will phase out the use of the gestation crate for pigs, the battery cage for egg-laying hens and prevent the use of the “veal crate” for male calves. We need your help to collect 650,000 signatures in five short months to qualify this initiative for the November 2008 ballot. Become a crucial member of the team of volunteers that will put this precedent-setting measure on the ballot! Come hear about the campaign and how YOU can get involved in this amazing effort for farm animals!

Special Guests:

Wayne Pacelle, CEO/President, The Humane Society of the U.S.
Gene Baur, Founder/President, Farm Sanctuary

Please Attend a Kick-off Rally Near You:

SACRAMENTO

Monday, October 1st
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Sacramento SPCA
6201 Florin Perkins Rd
Sacramento, CA 95828

SAN FRANCISCO

Tuesday, October 2nd
7:00pm – 10:00pm
San Francisco SPCA
2500 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94103

SANTA BARBARA/MONTECITO

Wednesday, October 3rd
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Montecito Fire District Conference Room
Upper Montecito Village
595 San Ysidro Road
Montecito, CA 93108

LOS ANGELES

Thursday, October 4th
7:00pm – 10:00pm
LA Animal Services – East Valley Shelter
14409 Vanowen Street
Van Nuys, CA 91405

SAN DIEGO

Friday, October 5th
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Health Services Complex - Rosencrans
3851 Rosecrans Street
San Diego, CA 92110

Join EBAA for an Exclusive Book Release Party

2007-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Please join East Bay Animal Advocates and Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary for a very special event: a book release party for an important new book on animal protection!

Longtime Bay Area animal advocates Erin Williams and Margo DeMello will discuss and sign copies of their new book, Why Animals Matter: The Case for Animal Protection. The book examines how people abuse animals, gives suggestions on how to take action--and connects animal protection, environmental and social justice issues. Free vegan food will be available, and you'll be able to meet the animals of Harvest Home.

What: Why Animals Matter book release party
Where: Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, 14741 Wing Levee Road, Stockton
When: Sunday, October 7, 1:00-4:00

What people are saying about the new book?

"A tough but fair-minded revelation of how mass production of animals for food and other purposes results in cruelty that usually remains hidden from sight." - Publishers Weekly

"A compelling resource that is certain to widen our circle of compassion." - VegNews

To RSVP, email info@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

EBAA takes a trip to Marin Sun Farms

2007-09-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, a member of East Bay Animal Advocates visited Marin Sun Farms, a small-scale poultry egg/meat and beef producer in Northern California. With National Chicken Month in full-swing, EBAA would like to share with you a slideshow from the visit to the farm.

The San Francisco Chronicle published a feature this week about "raising poultry the new-old way", which features Marin Sun Farms and other small poultry farmers. Read an excerpt:

"As Karen Black, executive director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association and an Oregon chicken rancher, put it: 'There's a reason Foster Farms isn't raising their poultry on pasture.' The new demand for pastured poultry is a reaction against the extremes of commercial chicken production - cages, crowding, breeding chicks for breasts so broad they can't walk and die of a heart attack."

Lunardi's Closure Upsets San Jose Neighborhood (Not the Chickens)

2007-09-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

In a blink of an eye, Lunardi's Supermarket chain has reduced in size. But, egg-laying chickens are not squawking over this recent development. Read the news report from NBC-11:

"SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Dozens of people lent their signatures Tuesday to an effort to save a popular San Jose grocery store, NBC11's Daniel Garza reported. Shoppers said they began to hear by word of mouth about the closure just days before Lunardi's in the Evergreen Village Square would shut its doors at the end of the Tuesday business day."

View the video news report.

EBAA's Eight-Day Shopping Spree at Lunardi's: Let's pluck 'em dry!

2007-08-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Tony Lucia, the General Manager of Lunardi's Supermarket, proclaims: "Lunardi's considers the proper treatment of animals to be of critical concern…we share the same concern and compassion for proper animal treatment as most Americans." So, why won't Lunardi's give an inch on its company egg policy?

Unlike its main competitors, Andronico's Market and Whole Foods Market, Lunardi's thinks cramming chickens in cages for their entire lives is "proper animal treatment". Sadly, Lunardi's is out of step with reality and the concerns of its own shoppers.

Bay Area consumers and store employees agree that Lunardi's must ban the sale of battery-cage eggs (online http://www.cal-eggs.com/).

Join East Bay Animal Advocates for an eight-day advocacy campaign at the beginning of September's National Chicken Month. From September 4 to September 11, make an important phone call or fax a letter to a selected Lunardi's store location:

September 4: Danville Store
Telephone: 925-855-8920
Fax: 925-855-8928

September 5: Walnut Creek Store
Telephone: 925-939-6477
Fax: 925-939-7361

September 6: San Bruno Store
Telephone: 650-952-2851
Fax: 650-952-2105

September 7: Los Gatos Store
Telephone: 408-358-1731
Fax: 408-358-6232

September 8: Belmont Store
Telephone: 650-591-5768
Fax: 650-591-1868

September 10: San Jose Store
Telephone: 408-265-9101
Fax: 408-265-9115

September 11: Burlingame Store
Telephone: 650-697-5306
Fax: 650-697-8743

Don't forget to join us for a letter-writing party on Tuesday, September 4 at 7 PM at Pizza Plaza (6211 Shattuck Avenue in Oakland). Plus, we will be holding a special public demonstration at Lunardi's Burlingame store (1825 El Camino Real) on Sunday, September 9 at 12:30 PM. To participate, email volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

Online at LunardisAbuse.com.

Your customers have a simple request, Mr. Lunardi.

2007-08-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

During EBAA's public outreach at Lunardi's Supermarket yesterday, shoppers, store employees and Walnut Creek-ers alike were overwhelmingly supportive of the simple request to Lunardi's.

With September's National Chicken Month right around the corner, EBAA's efforts to persuade the Bay Area grocery chain to ban the sale of battery-cage eggs will continue to grow. On Thursday at 9 AM, logon to our MySpace page for important information on our Eight-Day Shopping Spree at Lunardi's (September 4 – September 11).

If you have free time today, give Lunardi’s General Manager, Tony Lucia, a friendly, persuasive phone call for the chickens at (650) 588-7507.

What do Michael Vick & Lunardi's Supermarket have in common?

2007-08-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

Both Michael Vick & Lunardi's Supermarket think cruelty to animals is a money-making enterprise.

Join East Bay Animal Advocates this Sunday, August 26 at 4 PM to speak out against Lunardi's continued support of chicken cruelty. At the grocery chain's Walnut Creek store, EBAA will urge Lunardi's Supermarket to ban the sale of eggs from chickens confined to cages for their entire lives. The store address is 1600 Palos Verdes Mall in Walnut Creek. To participate, email volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

Online at LunardisAbuse.com

Cruel agribusiness practices must be halted

2007-08-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

Today, Fedele Bauccio, the CEO of Palo Alto's Bon Appetit Management Company, wrote an interesting opinion piece for The San Jose Mercury News about intensive animal agriculture. Read an excerpt:

"According to a recent survey, animal welfare is one of the top three issues of concern to restaurant-goers, which may be a little unexpected for those of us who think of bacon as the fifth food group. Yet in a nation where two-thirds of the population has pets, it should be no surprise that Americans have a special place in their hearts for animals. With all of the recent media attention surrounding cage-free eggs and crate-free pork, it's clear that our consideration for animal welfare is expanding to those animals used on farms - a trend that should cause those of us in the food industry to take notice."

You can read the full article online by clicking here. Don't forget to express your opinions on this topic by writing a letter to the editor to letters@mercurynews.com.

Chickens fall to deaths from truck on Bay Area highway

2007-08-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

Accidents involving the live-haul of poultry to slaughterhouses is an all-too-common occurrence in Northern California. The San Francisco Chronicle reported this morning:

"VALLEJO -- Several chickens fell off a truck today and on to Highway 37, leaving a mess of feathers for the California Highway Patrol officers who had to clean up the dead birds. The chickens fell off the truck around 8 a.m. somewhere between Sears Point and Mare Island, according to the CHP. Responding officers did not recover any live birds or the crate in which the birds were reportedly traveling. The truck apparently did not stop, and it's not clear whether the driver even knew he lost the chickens, a CHP officer said."

Click here to submit comments.

To write a letter to the editor, email: letters@sfchronicle.com.

EBAA joins fight in Oregon against Foster Farms

2007-08-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Foster Farms, the infamous poultry company, is looking to build a 1.5 million chicken industrial operation in a farming community in rural Canby, OR. Industrial factory farms are takingadvantage of the privileges afforded to family farmers. One rural community has been turned on its head as the family farmers and rural residents who live there have learned that an out-of-state corporation has all the rights and they have none. There are over200 property owners that will impacted by the proposed operation. Voice your concerns for chickens and the community of Canby. Stop Foster Farms on Oak Grove Road in Canby.

California Ballot Campaign Takes Flight to De-intensify Animal Ag

2007-08-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

East Bay Animal Advocates, along with a dynamic coalition of animal protection groups, seeks enthusiastic, committed volunteers to join an extremely exciting campaign to protect animals abused in California agriculture. Click here to read a CNN Money news story about the upcoming campaign. Starting in October, volunteers are needed to gather signatures for this important ballot initiative. To participate, send a quick email to volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

When Will Lunardi's Go Wireless? Upcoming actions + easy activism tips

2007-08-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

1. The Contra Costa Times covered Saturday's human battery cage demonstration at the Lunardi's Supermarket in Danville. Click here to view the article. This is the perfect time for letters to the editor about battery cage cruelty. Email the Contra Costa Times at letters@cctimes.com.

2. Mark your datebook: There will be a "Eight-Day Lunardi's Shopping Spree" in early Septembers in honor of National Chicken Month.

3. Easy activism tip: Add Lunardi's headquarter office phone number to your cell phone [650-588-7507]. Call, call and call again!

Online at www.LunardisAbuse.com.

Don't miss the EBAA Funding & Letter Writing Evening at Pizza Plaza

2007-08-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Enjoy delicious vegan pizza and support local animal protection efforts the first Tuesday of every month at Pizza Plaza, the BayArea's only meat-free pizzeria. From 5 PM to 11 PM, Pizza Plazawill donate ten-percent of your bill to EBAA. For dine-in or take-out orders, visit Pizza Plaza at 6211 Shattuck Avenue in Oakland. For delivery orders, call (510) 420-1433. From 7 - 8 PM, join us in encouraging Longs Drugs, Nation's, and Lunardi's Supermarket to adopt animal-friendly corporate policies while sending supportletters to political prisoners.

EBAA calls on Longs Drug Stores to ban battery-cage eggs

2007-07-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today, EBAA called on Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Longs Drug Stores, a Fortune 500 drugstore chain on the West Coast, to stop selling eggs from chickens raised in cages. Recently, EBAA obtained footage of a battery-cage egg supplier to Longs Drug Stores. The California-based egg purveyor, which markets its eggs under the notorious "Foster Farms" label, houses chickens in intensive confinement. Read an excerpt from EBAA's letter to Longs CEO Warren F. Bryant:

"EBAA would be delighted to work on the implementation of an exclusive cage-free egg policy with Longs Drug Stores. By adopting a cage-free egg policy, your company would join a national network of cities, educational institutions, farmers, and retailers that have committed to higher poultry welfare standards for egg-laying hens."

Ask Longs Drug Stores to stop selling battery-cage eggs.
Learn more about the California egg industry.

Get exclusive text messages from East Bay Animal Advocates!

2007-07-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

What's the 4-1-1 on protecting farm animals in California?

Join EBAA on Mozes!

By subscribing, you will receive text messages about upcoming events and action alerts from East Bay Animal Advocates. EBAA ensures the information you share is safe and private. You won't be spammed or tricked. Only standard text message rates apply.

Click here to learn more.

Bay to Barkers Outreach Review

2007-07-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

On July 15th, East Bay Animal Advocates exhibited at the 2007 Bay to Barkers Dog Walk, Run and Festival at Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina. Volunteers educated dog-lovers about the reality of modern animal agriculture and the benefits of vegetarianism. In honor National Veggie Hot Dog Day, EBAA distributed free vegetarian recipes and coupons.

Join EBAA at an upcoming event to protect animals!

EBAA showers Lunardi's Headquarters with flowers

2007-07-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

As the Lunardi’s Abuse Campaign moves forward, EBAA representatives visited the grocery company’s headquarter offices in South San Francisco today to personally deliver an open letter to CEO Paul Lunardi and General Manager Tony Lucia. EBAA did not miss the opportunity to share its summertime cheer with a special delivery of flowers for the Lunardi’s main offices.

Read EBAA's letter to Lunardi’s Supermarket:

Paul Lunardi and Tony Lucia
Lunardi's Supermarket, Inc.
432 North Canal Street, Suite 22
South San Francisco, Calif. 94080-4666

Dear Mr. Lunardi and Mr. Lucia:

On behalf of East Bay Animal Advocates, it is our pleasure to provide you with floral decorations for your lovely office.

As you know, concerned individuals across the USA have contacted Lunardi’s since October 2006, requesting that your company adopt an exclusively cage-free egg policy.

New information related to one of Lunardi’s cage egg-layer suppliers has surfaced. We would like to meet with you to discuss this important information and develop a timeline for the implementation of a new egg policy at your Bay Area stores.

We greatly look forward to opening a positive conversation with you both. Please feel free to contact us via email [Info@EastBayAnimalAdvocates.org] or at (925) 487-4419.

Best Regards,

Christine Morrissey & Eileen Mello

6/24: The Human Battery Cage Visits Lunardi's San Jose Store

2007-06-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, June 24, join East Bay Animal Advocates again for fun advocacy to encourage Lunardi's Supermarket (online at http://www.lunardisabuse.com/) to stop selling eggs from caged hens. A life-size battery cage--confining humans instead of chickens--will be on display at Lunardi's San Jose store this time. Free vegan cupcakes for all who participate!

DATE: Sunday, June 24

TIME: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

LOCATION: Lunardi's Supermarket, 4650 Meridian Ave, San Jose

Sunday's Belmont demonstration was a total hit. The San Mateo County Times and KPFA Radio Evening News covered the event. Check the Indy Bayweb feature: http://www.indybay.org/animalliberation.

See you on June 24!

EBAA to introduce the 'Human Battery Cage' to Lunardi's Supermarket on June 10

2007-05-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Date: Sunday, June 10th, 2007

Time: Noon - 1:30 pm

Location: Lunardi's, 1085 Alameda de las Pulgas, Belmont (Inside the Carlmont Village Shopping Center)

Join East Bay Animal Advocates for fun advocacy to encourage Lunardi's Supermarket to stop selling eggs from caged hens. A life-size battery cage-confining humans instead of chickens-will be on display at Lunardi's Belmont store!

Online at www.LunardisAbuse.com.

New: Monthly Benefit for East Bay Animal Advocates at Pizza Plaza

2007-05-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Monthly Funding Evenings at Pizza Plaza to Benefit EBAA

Enjoy delicious vegan pizza & support local animal protection efforts! Join East Bay Animal Advocates the first Tuesday of every month at Pizza Plaza, the Bay Area's only meat-free pizzeria. From 5 PM to closing, Pizza Plaza (online at www.veganplaza.com) will donate ten-percent of your bill to EBAA.

For dine-in or take-out orders:

Visit Pizza Plaza at 6211 Shattuck Avenue in Oakland

For delivery orders:

Call (510) 420-1433

Online at www.SupportEBAA.org.

May 14th: Lunardi's Call-In Day

2007-05-10T10:38:00.001-07:00

In honor of National Egg Month, East Bay Animal Advocates is calling on members of the public to contact Lunardi's Supermarket at (650) 588-7507 to urge the company to stop selling eggs from caged birds. Please call between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM PST this Monday.

Visit LunardisAbuse.com!

May 19th: Day of Action Against Lunardi's

2007-05-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, May 19th, join East Bay Animal Advocates in urging Lunardi's Supermarket to stop selling eggs from caged chickens.

EBAA will host three activities:

Customer Outreach at Danville Store

Date: Saturday, May 19th

Time: 11:00 - Noon

Place: Lunardi's Supermarket, 345 Railroad Avenue, Danville

Customer Outreach at Walnut Creek Store

Date: Saturday, May 19th

Time: 12:30 - 1:30

Place: Lunardi's Supermarket, 1600 Palos Verdes Mall (Geary & Pleasant Hill Road), Walnut Creek

Letters to Lunardi's (Plus Free Pizza)

Date: Saturday, May 19th

Time: 4:00 - 5:00

Location: Pizza Plaza, 6211 Shattuck Ave, Oakland

To RSVP, email volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org.

Upcoming EBAA Service Days at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary!

2007-04-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Join East Bay Animal Advocates on the second Saturday of every month (10am- 2pm) for service days at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in Stockton.

To participate, please send an email to volunteer@eastbayanimaladvocates.org. Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary was formed to aid homeless and abuseddomestic and farmed animals in the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Joaquin valley. Learn more at www.HarvestHomeAnimal.org.

*Upcoming Service Dates*

Saturday, May 12, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007

Please wear comfortable clothes and plan on getting dirty. Snacks willbe provided for good workers!

See you at the farm :)

Foster Fluff!!!!

2007-04-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Foster Farms, with a solid record of animal neglect complaints, now "wants to be America's most trusted food company"! Read the full story: http://www.fosterfarms.com/docs/249979.pdf

Click here to ask Foster Farms to improve conditions for birds and stop misleading consumers.

Interesting Editorial about Olivera's Egg Farm Proposal

2007-04-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

This plan lays a big egg
April 04, 2007

We're less concerned about protecting chickens than questioning the scale of a proposed egg-producing operation near the 11,000-home River Islands development in Lathrop.

A 900,000-hen farm simply doesn't seem appropriate in a rapidly growing suburban area.
Agriculture remains San Joaquin County's No. 1 industry, and much of it needs to be protected from encroaching development.

However, a new operation of such magnitude should be located a lot farther from residential neighborhoods.

The Olivera Family Limited Partnership, which already owns a similar operation in nearby French Camp, has made significant adjustments since first proposing the egg ranch a year ago. Initial plans were larger and even closer to River Islands.

The 242,000-square-foot operation is still too big and too close.

The plan again has drawn strong and justifiable opposition from residents, developers and city officials in Lathrop.

Animal-rights activists also have protested. Their opposition is naive, predictable and overheated.

When county planners review this latest proposal, they must consider:

» Environmental impacts, including potential air-quality decline and the dangers should a flood occur.

» Foul odors from chicken waste.

» The agriculture-urban interface. Is this a compatible land use so close to Lathrop?

» The San Jose-based Olivera company's spotty record with codes and regulations in both San Joaquin and Santa Clara counties.

This isn't exactly a "Which came first? The chicken or the egg" proposition. It is, however, a reflection of San Joaquin County in transition.

Agriculture is healthy, but contracting. New housing is healthier, and expanding.

Online at http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070404/A_OPINION01/704040318/-1/A_OPINION06

Write a letter: Letters must be 250 words or less. Include your full name, address and phone number. Email your letter to editor@recordnet.com.

Welcome to EBAA's Blog

2007-04-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

For news, campaign reports, upcoming events and action alerts from East Bay Animal Advocates, this is the place to get the information. Check this new story about the Olivera Egg campaign and Lunardi's campaign:

Tri-Valley Herald: "Critics hope egg ranch does not hatch"

By Cheryl Winkelman, Staff Writer
04/02/2007

Though it hasn't yet been given the final go-ahead, a proposed egg ranchnear Lathrop already has ruffled quite a few feathers. Neighbors and animal rights groups have flooded San Joaquin County's Community Development Department with letters of vociferous opposition.

Michael and Roberta Larkin wrote, "Our property lies parallel on theeast side of the proposed site of the egg facility. Therefore, thesmell will be intolerable." The 240,000-square-foot egg ranch is planned for 4000 W. Undine Rd.,which is west of Lathrop and the San Joaquin River. If built, it willbe near Lathrop's River Islands, an 11,000-unit housing development that is under construction. Up to 1 million chickens could inhabit the premises.

Another potential neighbor, William H. Reynolds, worried about themanure disposal. He mentioned four children who are home-schooled nearthe proposed site. "The potential health issues for these youngsters is obvious," he wrote.So far, the project has cleared one environmental hurdle.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District determined last week thecancer risk produced by the farm would be less than significant,according to county documents. Other county departments still need to analyze the egg farm, including the Public Health Department for vector control and Asian flu concerns,before it again reaches the county's Planning Commission for a vote, said County Planner Ray Hoo.

Meanwhile, animal rights activists are working with Lunardi's grocerystores, a family-owned chain with stores in Danville and Walnut Creek, to get the company to stop selling eggs from Olivera Family Limited Partnership, the company behind the egg ranch. They run a smaller eggranch in French Camp and previously operated an egg ranch in Gilroy. Company officials did not return telephone calls.

Fifteen animal advocacy groups also have banded together and created http://www.nomoreolivera.com. Christine Morrissey, a spokeswoman for East Bay Animal Advocates said, "our organization visited one of the previously owned facilities.... The conditions were completely unacceptable. The animals were living in filth."

Morrissey said the hens were confined to small wire enclosures. Often, their beaks are removed so they didn't peck each other to death. At the French Camp site, 250 to 300 birds die daily, she said. Though 90percent of egg-laying hens are raised in cages, Olivera Farms' sanitation practices are below par, Morrissey said. The operational practices of the Gilroy facility were deemed a publicnuisance by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2002. Weekly inspections from the county's Department of Environmental Health tomonitor flies and manure clean-ups followed, according to county documents.

In late 2005, the poultry operation was shut down. Complaints have also been filed with San Joaquin County's Department ofEnvironmental Health about Olivera Farms' French Camp egg ranch about the bad smell.

Online at http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_5575063

Write a letter to editor:http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/writealetter