Kids in New Jersey don't think farm animals should be mistreated on factory farms, and they are writing to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to let their voices be heard. The state of New Jersey is the only state with legislation requiring the humane treatment of farm animals, and it is in a unique position to play a leading role toward changing America's shameful neglect of farm animal welfare.

Sixth and seventh grade students from Temple Shalom in West Essex recently sent expressed their support for the meaningful humane treatment standards which prohibit cruel farming systems in the state. Emily, a twelve year old, wrote "The cruelty to farm animals that is going on is terrible. Even if the animals are going to die it doesn't mean we have to treat them inhumanely." In his cover letter to the Department, Cantor Mark Perman explained, "The children have been discussing how Judaism teaches respect for all life including animal life."

In Jan. 1996, the New Jersey state legislature enacted a law requiring the state Department of Agriculture to, within six months, develop standards for humane treatment of farm animals. Six years later, the standards have not been drafted. Though obviously foot-dragging on the issue, the state still has the remarkable opportunity to improve the lives of millions of animals.

According to Gene Bauston, director of Farm Sanctuary, "Practices employed on factory farms cannot be considered 'humane,' and therefore they must be prohibited pursuant to New Jersey law. On modern factory farms, cows, pigs, chickens and other animals are treated like inanimate commodities rather than living beings. They are packed by the thousands into warehouse-like sheds, in crates or cages where they cannot turn around, stretch their limbs, escape their own waste products or, in some cases, even lie down comfortably."

Such conditions are so cruel they are being outlawed across Europe. But unfortunately, laws protecting farm animals in the U.S. are grossly inadequate. When two live hens were found discarded in a trash can full of dead birds at ISE egg factory in Broadway, New Jersey, ISE was taken to court, but was found "not guilty" of animal cruelty. Shockingly, ISE's lawyer asserted that it is legally acceptable to treat live birds as if they were manure. When the judge asked, "Isn't there a big distinction between manure and live animals?" ISE's lawyer responded, "No, your honor."

Factory farming has not yet infiltrated New Jersey as it has other states, but some factory farms have moved into New Jersey, making it imperative that the state acts to adopt the humane treatment standards. For more information about the effort to ban cruel farming practices in New Jersey, visit www.njfarms.org. For more information about Farm Sanctuary, visit www.farmsanctuary.org.