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Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT)
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Summer 2011 Newsletter
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Greetings!
Welcome to our first ever electronic edition of FACT ACTS!
For more than 30 years the FDA has known that feeding antibiotics to healthy farm animals threatens public health, and yet the agency has done virtually nothing about it. That is why last month, FACT, along with several allied organizations, filed a lawsuit against the FDA to preserve antibiotics for sick people and animals. The FDA must act NOW!
Don't forget to become a member of FACT's Facebook page and invite others to join too. Please visit our website for more information. On our secure Donate page you can make a one-time gift, help animals through a monthly donation, or give in honor of a loved one. Together we can make a difference in the lives of farm animals.
Sincerely,
Richard Wood
Executive Director
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Superbug Suit
FACT to FDA: Enough is Enough
Last month FACT and our allies filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking an end to the use of antibiotics in animal feed. This practice contributes to the rise of drug-resistant superbugs and endangers the health of our families. Roughly 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to healthy farm animals to promote faster growth and compensate for unsanitary conditions.
In 1977 the FDA concluded that adding low-doses of antibiotics used in human medicine to animal feed raised the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria - and then allowed the practice to continue for decades. In 1999 and 2005, FACT and colleague groups petitioned the FDA seeking a ban on this factory farm drug abuse. Again, the FDA did nothing. The lawsuit states that the FDA has not met its legal responsibility to protect public health. If successful, it would require the agency to ban the routine use of penicillin and tetracyclines with farm animals and to respond to the two petitions.
The lawsuit has been covered in the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, as well as by other major media outlets, and the pork industry. Until our leaders find the courage to stand up for farm animal welfare and public health, life on factory farms will continue as usual. This is not acceptable. That is why we need your help. Take action today!
Sign our on-line petition to ban the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals! If you haven't done so already, don't forget to the send in the postcard to the FDA we sent to you in May!
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 FACT vs. Factory Way FACT believes animals that are humanely raised are generally happier, healthier and experience a better quality of life than farm animals raised by industrial agriculture. FACT's work is guided by a set of humane principles. We contrast FACT's way with how animals are generally treated on factory farms. Read more about all of our humane principles on our website! |
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Keeping Food Safe
In addition to the recent lawsuit, FACT is a leader in bringing together organizations to apply pressure on the FDA. FACT, as part of Keep Antibiotics Working (KAW), advocates for common sense steps to stop the spread of resistant bacteria that are escaping from factory farms.
While we are working hard to change regulatory policy through the FDA lawsuit, FACT is simultaneously taking a legislative approach through Congress. For example, we advocate for federal legislation called the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act. If passed by Congress, this bill would end the routine use of critically important drugs with healthy farm animals.
The recent deadly outbreak of Escherichia coli in Europe is a perfect example of why our work is important. While this outbreak of E. coli was most likely spread from a person to beans sprouts, some of the genes that made it so toxic are normally found in E.coli in cattle.
FACT has a new project that will look at what role farm animals can play in the spread of these new types of E. coli. We also actively work to make sure that animal feed does not contain ingredients dangerous for animals or people who consume meat, milk, and eggs. FACT recently scored a victory when the FDA announced that roxarsone, a form of arsenic, would no longer be sold in the United States or fed to chickens - a step we have previously demanded they take.
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FACT Recognizes Long Time Donors!
FACT would like to recognize the generosity and loyalty of our long time donors. Your sustained support over the years has made it possible for us to continue to fight for healthier and more humane living conditions for farm animals. The following people recently donated to FACT, and have done so since 1983:
Mr. Michael H. Bogal Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Carroll Joan Clark, QC
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas C. Colletti Thomas O. Daly, M.D. Ms. Sheila May Dines
Mrs. Genevieve Dawson-Goss Joseph L. Dombrowski, Esq. Mary A. Gallucci
Sally Haines, DVM Ms. Sheila R. Harper Miss Alice B. Jansen
Ms. Sylvia S. Jaynes Mr. Edward N. Kallas, Jr. Ms. Sylvia Khan
Mr. & Mrs. Clifford A. Kirk Mrs. Donnajean Lanciotti Dr. Jeanne A. LaTorre
Mr. Richard Leff Mr. & Mrs. Marvin D. Leiner Mrs. William P. Lesko
Mrs. Rose Marie Lirot Ms. Cherie Mason Ms. Elizabeth F. Moody
Mrs. Miles F. Mulloy Ms. Lorain Stephens Olsen L. A. Pedersen
Ms. Patricia J. Petro-Mueller Melitta & Maria Pniewski Ms. Lyn Ridgeway
Mrs. Evaline H. Rhodehamel Mr. & Mrs. Gerald J. Rothauser Dr. Heidi S.Rothenberg
Mr. Thomas G. Scully Mrs. Jeanette Shammas Mellonie A. Smicklas
Dr. Ellen-Marie Silverma Mrs. Shirley A. Stitt Janet L. Stone
Mrs. Mimi Taylor Ms. Linda M. Thomas Dr. Toussaint G. Toole
Mrs. Sally H. Ward Ms. Madelin M. Wexler Mr. Burlington Willes Benjamn & Donna S. Wolf Mrs. Constance S. Yonan
As we approach our 30th anniversary year, we recently asked our long time contributors to share their thoughts about FACT.
Maria and Melitta Pniewski, donors since 1983, wrote that they "wanted to support an organization dedicated to helping the forgotten animals who nourish us and suffer insufferable torment." They go on to say that one of their fondest memories of FACT is Nest Eggs. "We were sorry to see them disappear - but they led the way to the great variety of humanely-produced foods available today! Like its name, FACT presents straight facts aboutactory farms and conditions in which farm animals are raised!"
Here is what other long time donors had to say:
"Over 20 years ago Robert Brown and I went to farms in Pennsylvania that were producing NEST Eggs. FACT also has very important programs such as Keep Antibiotics Working (KAW).
- Richard Left, Board Member and donor since 1983
"One of the most important things FACT does is to help get farm animals back on the farm and not in cages or pens. They also work on unnecessary use of antibiotics. Keep up the good work - it's working!"
- Mimi Taylor, donor since 1983
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FACT's Caring Corner
Your contribution enables FACT to improve the lives of farm animals. The majority of FACT's revenue comes from individual donors. This ongoing and generous support is what makes it possible for FACT to accomplish so much.
Legacy Gifts
Please consider naming FACT as a beneficiary in your will. Gifts may be made for a specific dollar amount, a percentage of the total estate, or a portion of the estate remaining after you have provided for your family. We are deeply appreciative of our donors and want to recognize their extraordinary generosity and exceptional commitment. The following individuals have provided bequests between July 2010 and June 2011:
Mary Peirano Aiken H. Helen Helenah H. Allen Richard Blacker
Barbara W. Dean Anabelle Howard Mildred Lillis
Jospeh L. Monarca Ethel J. Rothman Trust Barbara C. Smith
Norine Wedig
Honorary and Memorial Gifts
Our ability to work on behalf of farm animals is made possible by the kindness of people like you. Your honorary or memorial gift to FACT helps us to continue our efforts to make farms humane and healthy places for pigs, cows, and chickens. FACT has received generous donations between February 2011 and June 2011 in memory of:
Mary and John, who grew up on farms
Clyde and Irene West
FACT would like to thank all those donated legacy and memorial gifts. We also would like to thank our donors who responded to our recent survey. Thank you for your generosity and commitment - we couldn't do it without you!
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The VISION of Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) is that one day all farms will be humane and healthy places to raise food animals.
The MISSION of Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) is to improve the welfare of food producing animals. We seek to broaden opportunities for humane farmers, and address the public health problems that come from the production of meat, milk, and eggs.
Privacy Policy
FACT maintains a database with names, addresses and donations from contributors. Names and addresses of contributors are never provided to other organizations on a rental, name trading, or other basis. Personal information on FACT's website is protected by an SSL server; any personal information submitted on-line is protected and safe. We ask that all donations be made online or sent by mail to our new office at 3525 W. Peterson Ave., Suite #213, Chicago, IL 60659.
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Limited Time Offer! The first 40 people who donate at least $25 can chose to receive the book, CAFO: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories.
This 450-page, full color hardcover book retails at $50 and provides an unprecedented view of concentrated animal feeding operations - where increasing amounts of the world's meat, milk, eggs, and seafood are produced. It features essays by today's leading thinkers on food and agriculture including Wendell Berry, and Michael Pollan. Whether it is for your personal use or to share with others, the book's ultimate message is clear: we can and certainly must do better.
This offer is made possible by the generous support of the Deep Ecology Fund of Tides Foundation. |
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