Poll Finds Widespread Opposition to Cruel Veal Production in NJ
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Farm Sanctuary's Testimony

MAY 13, 2002

On behalf of Farm Sanctuary, I urge members of this committee to support A 1948. This common sense legislation prevents specific inhumane practices, and it requires calves raised for veal to have basic freedom of movement and a diet which meets the animals' basic nutritional needs.

Veal calves are commonly tethered by their necks in crates, unable to walk, turn around, or even lie down comfortably, and this is where they spend their entire lives. The lack of exercise prevents their muscles from developing, and this keeps their meat tender. The calves are fed an all-liquid milk substitute which is deficient in iron and fiber, and purposely designed to produce anemia. These conditions result in the pale-colored meat sold as veal. These conditions also cause calves to experience chronic stress, frustration and social isolation, as well as abnormal gut development, stomach ulceration, lameness, and a greater susceptibility to disease.

Assembly Bill A 1948 seeks to remedy these problems, without imposing unreasonable or cumbersome regulations on producers.

Scientific evidence shows that intensive confinement and deficient diets used in veal production cause animals to suffer both physical and psychological distress. In its Report on the Welfare of Calves, the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee (SVC) condemned the production of crated, anemic veal. The SVC, comprised of animal science, veterinary and other experts, provides scientific analysis of animal welfare issues and is perhaps the world's most credible source of animal welfare research and review. Among its conclusions:

The welfare of calves is very poor when they are kept in small, individual pens with insufficient room for comfortable lying, no direct social contact and no bedding or other material to manipulate.

Tethering always causes problems for calves. Calves housed in groups should not be tethered except for periods of not more than one hour at the time of the feeding of milk or milk substitute. Individually housed calves should not be tethered.

Every calf should be able to groom itself properly, turn around, stand up and lie down normally and lie with its legs outstretched if it wishes to do so.

Every calf should be fed fermentable material, appropriate in quality and sufficient in quantity to maintain the microbial flora of the gut, and sufficient fiber to stimulate the development of villi in the rumen. Roughage, in which half of the fiber should be at least 10mm in length, should be fed to calves. They should receive a minimum of 100g of roughage per day from 2 to 15 weeks of age, increasing to 250 g per day from 15 to 26 weeks of age, but it would be better if these amounts were doubled. The development of the rumen should be checked by investigating villi development in a proportion of calf guts after slaughter.

The vast majority of consumers are opposed to inhumane methods used to produce veal, and the consumption of veal in the U.S. has dropped significantly, from three pounds per person in the 1970's to less than one pound per person today. In April, 2002, Zogby International conducted a poll and found 85 percent of likely voters in New Jersey consider the confinement of veal calves to be unacceptable, while 80 percent consider denying calves adequate nutrition to be unacceptable. Even businesses are speaking out against inhumane veal production practices, and 35 New Jersey restaurants have pledged not to serve veal from calves who are raised in crates and fed a diet that causes anemia. The owner of Giamano's, a restaurant who has pledged not to serve crated, anemic veal, wrote to members of this committee and stated, "As someone who is involved in the restaurant business, I am very concerned about my customers' opinions and interests. My customers oppose the inhumane treatment of animals, and so do I. Therefore, I am writing to encourage you to support passage of A 1948...Veal calves deserve to be treated with a basic degree of respect."

The humane treatment of farm animals is a growing social concern in the United States and around the world, and major businesses such as McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's are now pushing for humane reforms. Major media organizations, including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and National Public Radio are discussing this issue, as are members of the U.S. Congress. Senator Robert Byrd, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, recently spoke out on the floor of the U.S. Senate. He said:

Our inhumane treatment of livestock is becoming widespread and more and more barbaric. Six-hundred pound hogs — they were pigs at one time — raised in two-foot-wide metal cages called gestation crates, in which the poor beasts are unable to turn around or lie down in natural positions, and this way they live for months at a time.

On profit-driven factory farms, veal calves are confined to dark wooden crates so small that they are prevented from lying down or scratching themselves. These creatures feel; they know pain. They suffer pain just as we humans suffer pain. Egg-laying hens are confined to battery cages. Unable to spread their wings, they are reduced to nothing more than an egg-laying machine.

Tragically, in spite of a growing awareness and concern about the inhumane conditions existing on industrialized factory farms, laws protecting farm animals in the U.S. remain grossly inadequate. These animals are specifically excluded from the federal Animal Welfare Act, and they are excluded from most state anti-cruelty laws.

New Jersey is in a unique position to bring animal protection laws into line with popular sentiments. New Jersey has not been colonized by industrialized factory farms like other states, and its citizens are very supportive of the humane treatment of animals. So far, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has received 30,000 comments urging it to prohibit inhumane farming practices, such as the veal crate.

In closing, I want to quote Mary Tyler Moore. Last month, she came to Trenton to lobby for improving the protection of farm animals. From the steps of the statehouse in Trenton, she said:

The vast majority of citizens oppose inhumane farming practices. People are appalled to learn that young calves are taken from their mothers and chained by the neck in crates for their entire lives to produce veal...New Jersey has a unique opportunity, and an obligation, to prohibit such cruelty...For too long, farm animals have suffered out of public view, and outside of public concern...Like all animals, farm animals have feelings and they deserve to be protected from cruelty. As a civilized nation, we have an ethical obligation to recognize farm animals as sentient beings and to prevent their suffering.

Our treatment of animals reflects upon us as human beings, and most people in New Jersey and across the U.S. believe that animals, including farm animals, deserve basic humane consideration. A 1948 provides veal calves with basic humane consideration, and it deserves your support.

Submitted by:
Gene Bauston, President
Farm Sanctuary
P.O. Box 150
Watkins Glen, NY 14891