FARM on the (Lack of) Effectiveness of World Farm Animals Day
On October 2, Farm USA and a number of other groups marked the 20th observance of World Farm Animals Day. Prior to this year’s observance, Farm USA also released its annual look at the total number of animals slaughtered in the United States and the rest of the world.
The results are hardly surprising — despite all of that activism, the total number of animals slaughtered in the United States in 2003 is expected to exceed 10 billion for the first time (and that figure does not include fish and other aquatic organisms which Farm USA notes is itself likely to be in excess of 10 billion).
Extrapolating from partial USDA data, Farm USA estimates 2003 totals that break down like this,
| Animal |
Millions Slaughtered in 2003 (est.)
|
Percentage Change from 2002
|
According to a press release announcing the spectacular lack of success of World Farm Animal Days and similar efforts, Farm USA said,
Farmed animal literally never “have a nice day.” From birth, they are caged, crowded, deprived, drugged, mutilated, and smothered on today’s factory farms. Even slaughter may not end their agony. Recent documentaries have shown animals skinned, dismembered, and gutted in U.S. slaughterhouses while still conscious. USDA has never enforced the 1958 and 1978 federal Humane Slaughter Acts.
In more personal terms, during a 77-year lifetime [meat eaters can live to 77? I thought all non-vegans dropped dead well before that?], a typical U.S. resident is responsible for the suffering and death of 11 cows, 32 pigs and sheep, and 2,660 turkeys, chickens and ducks, and uncounted numbers of fish and other aquatic animals — enough to populate a family farm.
Americans weren’t the only people eating lots of animal flesh in 2003, of course. According to Farm USA, more than 51 billion animals were slaughtered worldwide for food in 2003.
Sources:
Animal agriculture claims 10 billion victims in 2003. Press Release, Farm USA, September 25, 2003.
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