Farm Sanctuary

right|thumb|300px|Farm Sanctuary's shelter in upstate New York.
Farm Sanctuary is an American animal protection organization, founded in 1986 as an advocate for farm animals. It promotes laws and policies that support animal welfare, animal protection, and vegetarianism/veganism through rescue, education, and advocacy. Farm Sanctuary houses over 800 cows, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and goats at a animal sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York. They also house over 400 farm animals at a sanctuary in Orland, California which, unlike the New York shelter, also houses burros. Farm Sanctuary acquired a third shelter, Animal Acres, near Los Angeles, California in 2011.Sweet, Joni. Farm Sanctuary Grows VegNews, September 2011
The original version of the documentary film Peaceable Kingdom featured Farm Sanctuary and people that work or visit there. The most recent version of the film no longer includes Farm Sanctuary footage.
==History==
Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 by Gene Baur and Lorri Houston (then known as Gene and Lorri Bauston). It was originally funded by sales of vegetarian hot dogs at Grateful Dead concerts.McNeil, Jr., Donald. Where the Cows Come Home; Sanctuary Farm Applauds Ban on Butchering of Sick Animals The New York Times, January 2, 2004 The first animal rescued was a sheep named Hilda, who was rescued from a pile of dead animals behind a stockyard.
Farm Sanctuary's budget exceeds the five million dollar mark, with funding coming from, among other sources, a donor club named after Hilda.Severson, Kim. Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate, The New York Times, July 25, 2007
In March 2008, Baur released the book Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food, documenting the history of the organization.Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food Simon & Schuster The book reached the Los Angeles Times and Boston Globe bestseller lists.Voerding, Brian. Farm Sanctuary founder in town to talk vegan, MinnPost.com, June 6, 2008
==Legislation and advocacy==
===Confinement systems===
Farm Sanctuary has successfully banned various confinement systems of farm animals by supporting voter referendums. In 2002, Farm Sanctuary was part of a coalition of groups that comprised Floridians for Humane Farms, which sponsored the initiative that amended the Florida Constitution to limit the "cruel and inhumane confinement of pigs during pregnancy." The measure, which passed with 55 percent approval, outlaws caging pigs in gestation stalls, which are metal enclosures that measure two feet across and prevent sows from turning around freely.Lynne, Diana. Pigs win constitutional protection, WorldNetDaily.com, November 6, 2002
In 2006, Arizona residents voted on Proposition 204, which requires that pregnant pigs and calves raised for veal be kept in enclosures large enough that they can turn around and fully extend their limbs by December 31, 2012.Crawford, Amanda. Hog industry realities color Prop. 204 debate, The Arizona Republic, October 28, 2006 A majority of voters, 62 percent, approved the measure, known as the Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act, which received funding from Farm Sanctuary.Lovley, Erika. Pigs Win Bigger Pens in Arizona Ballot Fight, The Wall Street Journal, November 10, 2006
In 2008, Californians voted on Proposition 2, which requires California farmers to provide egg-laying hens, veal calves, and pregnant pigs with housing that gives them enough room to move around beginning January 1, 2015. The law would mostly impact the state's 18 million egg-laying hens.Rojas, Aurelio. "2008 Ballot Watch: Proposition 2: Standards for confining farm animals", The Sacramento Bee, September 27, 2008 The current industry standards call for caged hens to get at least 67 square inches of space each, a little less than a regular-size sheet of paper, (a sheet of paper is 93.5 square inches) and hens are typically caged in groups of two to eight. Proposition 2 grew into the most expensive animal welfare ballot measure ever, with both sides raising nearly $8 million each.Schmit, Julie. Agribusiness fights California proposal that expands animal rights, USA Today, November 3, 2008 The measure passed with 63.2 percent of the vote.California – Election Results 2008, The New York Times
===Foie gras===
Farm Sanctuary achieved a legislative victory in California when in September 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill 1520, sponsored in part by Farm Sanctuary, which bans the force-feeding of ducks and geese in the production of foie gras and the sale of the product when made from force-fed birds. Both provisions took effect in 2012.Milionis, Allison. "Protests target Wolfgang Puck's Spago in effort to reform farm animal conditions", LA City Beat, January 20, 2005
Farm Sanctuary was a vocal supporter of a 2006 Chicago ordinance banning the sale of foie gras.Paulson, Amanda. A ban on foie gras? Could this really be Chicago? The Christian Science Monitor, December 13, 2005 Some establishments found loopholes around the ban, with enforcement proving to be a challenge, as city officials issued warnings to some restaurants and stores, but not fines.Chicago servers and stores ignore foie gras ban CBC News, January 10, 2007 A repeal ordinance was later introduced and referred to the Rules Committee — bypassing a Health Committee that had approved the foie gras ban — and was moved to the Council floor without a hearing. The ban was repealed in 2008.Spielman, Fran. "City repeals foie gras ban", Chicago Sun-Times, May 15, 2008
In 2007, Farm Sanctuary launched its "NYC No Foie Gras" campaign, opened a Manhattan office, and hired a full-time development coordinator.Cohen, Aleriella. Fowl play: Fairway ducks foie gras flap The Brooklyn Paper, February 17, 2007 "New York's a big foodie town, and the restaurant people are pretty well entrenched there, so there's a fair amount of energy that's going to be required in New York", said Farm Sanctuary president Gene Baur.Mooney, Jake. Praise for Foie Gras Fortifies Its Critics The New York Times, March 4, 2007 In 2008, Farm Sanctuary said in an official release that three Westside Markets in New York City signed pledges to not sell foie gras, joining more than 50 New York City establishments, 1000 restaurants nationwide, and grocery chains Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's, all of which have pledged not to sell foie gras.Westside Market Takes Stand Against Animal Cruelty, Signs Farm Sanctuary's "No Foie Gras" Pledge Stephen Starr, owner of 11 restaurants in Philadelphia, removed foie gras from his menus in that city due to what he has called "incredible amount of protest."Shruti, Dave. "Craving foie gras? Look beyond Stephen Starr", The Daily Pennsylvanian, January 12, 2007
===Cloning===
Farm Sanctuary has been active in the opposition against the United States Food and Drug Administration approval of cloned animals for food. Their opposition is based on health problems in the cloned animals and problems that the maternal carrier has while pregnant with the cloned animal. Farm Sanctuary claims increased rates of hydrops fetalis, Large Offspring Syndrome, and other systemic abnormalities.
==Litigation==
Farm Sanctuary member Michael Baur, a professor at the Fordham University School of Law, filed an unsuccessful petition in 1998 with the USDA claiming the consumption of downed animals created a serious risk of transmission of some progressive neurological diseases, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease. The subsequent lawsuit, Baur v. Veneman, claimed then-current USDA regulations on downed livestock violated the Federal Meat Inspection Act. Southern District of New York Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald dismissed the case for lack of standing in 2002, but the 2nd Circuit reversed Buchwald's decision on December 16, 2003.Hamblett, Mark. Challenge to U.S. Meat Inspections Moves Forward, New York Law Journal, December 30, 2003 The 2nd Circuit found it significant that "the USDA itself as well as other government agencies have recognized that downed cattle are especially susceptible to BSE infection."United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Baur v. Veneman, AltLaw, December 16, 2003 On December 30, 2003, six days after the USDA announced the first case of mad cow disease in the United States, the agency announced an interim policy against downed cattle entering the food supply (made permanent in 2007), and with the interim policy in place, the case was soon settled.Baur, Gene. Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food, pages 50–51 In March 2009, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a final rule to amend federal meat inspection regulations, requiring a complete ban on the slaughter of cattle that become "non-ambulatory disabled" at any point.Yoder, Michael. It started at the stockyards: Banning downed cattle, Intelligencer Journal, March 19, 2009
Farm Sanctuary was part of a coalition of groups that challenged the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's standards governing the raising, keeping, and marketing of domestic livestock. The case went to the New Jersey Supreme Court, which in its July 30, 2008 ruling unanimously said the Department of Agriculture failed, in part, to carry out its mandate in setting humane standards. The Court further rejected agency regulations that certain mutilations of farmed animals such as castration, debeaking, and toe-trimming are "humane" as long as they are carried out by a "knowledgeable individual" "in a way to minimize pain."New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, et al. v. New Jersey Department of Agriculture, et al. (A-27-07) Rutgers School of Law, Camden, Law Library
==Influence on business==
Farm Sanctuary prompted Burger King franchise owner David Kessler to bring a veggie burger to customers in western New York in 1993. Mr. Kessler said that getting corporate approval for his request to test market the Griller "was like turning the around in a bathtub", but that he was able to prove that the veggie burger was very popular.Burger King Says No to Soy Patties in Berkeley, The New York Times, May 15, 1994 In March 2002, Burger King announced it was adding a veggie burger nationwide to its permanent menu, with Morningstar Farms as its sole supplier.Zunitch, Victoria. Burger King serves up veggie burger, CNN/Money, March 14, 2002
In March 2007, Wolfgang Puck Companies announced that, with "advice from Farm Sanctuary" they were rolling out a nine-point program aimed at "stopping the worst practices associated with factory farming" at all their ventures, including 14 full-service restaurants and 80 fast casual units. This included only using eggs from cage-free hens not confined to battery cages, and serving all-natural or organic crate-free pork and veal.Krummert, Bob. Going All-Natural One Better, Restaurant Hospitality, March 30, 2007
In 2007, Farm Sanctuary partnered with Turtle Mountain, a dairy-free ice cream company, and vegan cartoon artist Dan Piraro to promote So Delicious Dairy Free Kidz and the Farm Sanctuary Kidz Club.A Not So Bizarro Trio Announces Partnership: Turtle Mountain, Farm Sanctuary & Syndicated Cartoonist Dan Piraro
==Rescue, rehabilitation and shelter==
Farm Sanctuary was one of four animal welfare groups that responded to the Iowa Department of Agriculture's call to help pigs after severe flooding hit the state in the summer of 2008. Iowa is the leading pork-producing state in the U.S. More than 60 pigs ended up at Farm Sanctuary's Watkins Glen, New York shelter.Short, Alice. Pigging out at Farm Sanctuary, The Los Angeles Times, September 9, 2008 Farm Sanctuary documented the relief efforts in a blog, "2008 Midwest Flood Pig Rescue."2008 Midwest Flood Pig Rescue
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Farm Sanctuary rescued more than 700 chickens from a broiler factory in Mississippi that had been hit by a tornado. "The animals at these facilities are raised in warehouses and many farms have over 500,000 birds at one time", said Susie Coston, shelter director in Watkins Glen, New York. "When they were hit by storms, the majority of the birds were bulldozed, some alive, into mass graves." In addition to factory farms, the Watkins Glen sanctuary receives animals from neglect cases, starvation cases, and New York City markets."Coston '87 Enjoys Labor of Love on the Farm", West Virginia Wesleyan College Campus News, August 2, 2007 The facility holds tours May through October, and there are three vegan bed-and-breakfast cabins for overnight visitors.Sachs, Andrea. I Love Moo: Tales From A N.Y. Animal Sanctuary, The Washington Post, June 15, 2008
Since 1993, Farm Sanctuary has maintained a shelter in Orland, California, where it houses farm animals and provides tours. It also has an "Adopt-a-Farm Animal" program where sponsors can pay for the food and care of an animal without taking it home.Longley, Rick. "Farm Sanctuary Provides Haven", Orland Press-Register, February 15, 2008 Farm Sanctuary also adopts out turkeys into private homes.Severson, Kim. In Some Households, Every Day Is Turkey Day, The New York Times, November 22, 2007
0n September 14, 2011, Farm Sanctuary took over administration of the Animal Acres farm animal shelter in Acton, California. Animal Acres, which had been founded by Farm Sanctuary co-founder Lorri Houston, had come under financial pressures caused by the soft economy and consequent reduced donations. Farm Sanctuary had been providing volunteers to assist at Animal Acres since April 2011.http://www.animalacres.org/library/enewsletters/2011/FS_AA
On January 26, 2009, Farm Sanctuary launched "Sanctuary Tails", a blog authored by national shelter director Susie Coston and California shelter director Leanne Cronquist, about the organization's efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide daily care for farm animals.Sanctuary Tails
==Controversy==
In 1993, Farm Sanctuary was listed as an organization that has "claimed to have perpetrated acts of extremism in the United States" in the Report to Congress on the Extent and Effects of Domestic and International Terrorism on Animal Enterprises.United States Department of Justice, Report to Congress on the Extent and Effects of Domestic and International Terrorism on Animal Enterprises, Appendix 1 The Department of Justice later retracted the inclusion of Farm Sanctuary in this list. Future editions of the report were printed with a cover letter identifying this mistake, and a letter of apology was sent to Farm Sanctuary.DOJ Letter
In March 2003, a Farm Sanctuary employee was charged with animal theft for stealing an injured lamb from a farm and taking it to a veterinarian.AR.net >> Discussion Forum >> Farm Sanctuary Shelter Manager Sentenced for Lamb Theft<! Farm Sanctuary founder Gene Baur stated in an interview: "We have taken animals out of bad situations — living animals off of dead piles or trash cans — and we have been willing to face 'theft' charges if needed in doing so." Interview with Gene Baur
In 2005, when Farm Sanctuary advocated a foie gras ban in Chicago, they asked Charlie Trotter, who had said he would no longer be serving the product in his restaurants, to join them. Trotter had previously stated "I just said, 'Enough is enough here. I can't really justify this. What I have seen, it's just inappropriate. There are too many great things to eat out there that I don't believe that any animal would have to go through that for our benefit." However, when Farm Sanctuary asked Trotter to sign a pledge stating he would never serve foie gras, he replied saying "These people are idiots. Understand my position: I have nothing to do with a group like that. I think they're pathetic."Chicago Tribune, "Liver and Let Live". 29 March 2005
==See also==
*Becky Sanstedt
==References==
==External links==
*Farm Sanctuary official site
*Farm Sanctuary Kidz Club website
*Gene Baur talks about his book "Farm Sanctuary" in mp3 recorded July 25, 2008 in Sacramento, Ca
Category:Advocacy groups
Category:Animal rights movement
Category:Animal welfare organizations in the United States
Category:Organizations established in 1986
Category:Advocacy groups
Category:Animal rights movement
Category:Animal welfare organizations in the United States
Category:Organizations established in 1986