California Proposition 2

To continue the series on State Propositions dealing with the environment and my recommendation.

Proposition 2: Standards for Confining Farm Animals

If it passes, it will create a new state statute that prohibits the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. Voters in other states have voted to eliminate calf and pig crates, but Proposition 2 in California in 2008 is the first time voters will have been asked to eliminate the practice of confining chickens in battery (small, confining) cages.

* Imposes a misdemeanor penalty and a fine of up $1,000 or imprisonment in county jail for up to six months to those who have been found to violate the act.
* Bans dense confinement for egg-laying poultry, gestation crates for sows and veal crates for veal calves.

Argument FOR
– prevents cruelty to animals, since it is simply wrong to confine animals in tiny cages barely large enough for their bodies. To emphasize this argument, supporters of Prop 2 released a video on October 14 that according to the Los Angeles Times shows “egg-laying hens crammed into filthy cages, while, nearby, discarded birds are left to die in piles of corpses.”
– improves our health and food safety by requiring better conditions for animals.
– supports family farmers, who are driven out of business when factory farms cut corners and put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.
– protects air and water and safeguards the environment.
– a reasonable and common-sense reform, which will take effect in 2015 and won’t be costly to implement.
– The price of cage-free eggs will go down.

Arguments AGAINST
– If it passes, egg supply will go down and egg prices will go up.
– Some egg farmers in California who already practice cage-free chicken farming are fearful that the ballot language is ambiguous and that their farming would also be subject to the provisions of the initiative.
– If chickens are not in cages, they are more vulnerable to attacks by predators, including other chickens;
– Veal grates and gestation crates for pigs are practically non-existent in California or are being voluntarily phased out this year.
– The initiative doesn’t require farmers to keep chickens outdoors. Battery cages have been banned in Europe effective 2012. Farmers making the transition there are not providing free range conditions for their chickens but are instead finding other ways to keep chickens in barns.
– The cost of producing eggs would increase by 20% or more.

My recommendation:

In my opinion, you should vote YES on this proposition. From what I can tell it not only ensures health and safety rules for the consumer, it supports family farms, it protects our air and water supply, but most importantly, it prevents animal cruelty. I do not believe the concerns raised by the opposition, in fact in many cases (i.e. increase in avian flu and salmonella) those myths have been negated by science.

The websites:
Support of Prop 2, HERE
Oppose Prop 2, HERE