Group Suggests Undercover Activists Should Face Punishment

Group Suggests Undercover Activists Should Face Punishment


Oct 14, 2009 2:40 PM, Source: Kansas Livestock Association

Animal cruelty should be stopped in its tracks, not redistributed through videos

The Animal Ag Alliance (AAA) is suggesting undercover activists who witness and record animal mistreatment be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for not immediately reporting the incident. Alliance members made the recommendation in light of the growing number of activist groups hiring individuals to seek illicit employment at ranches, feedyards and processing plants solely for the purpose of capturing video that condemns animal agriculture. The video is frequently produced and released to the media months after the alleged mistreatment occurred as activists plan a strategic media campaign.

AAA is a coalition of producers, organizations, suppliers, processors and retailers communicating the important role of animal agriculture. The group emphasizes animal well-being is central to producing safe, high-quality, affordable food and other products essential to consumers around the world.

The alliance strongly encourages all food animal owners to implement care guidelines, provide worker training and establish policies holding all employees accountable for their actions. Employers should screen potential employees closely to protect against illicit employment by activists, according to AAA.

I thought that this was an interesting article. I totally agree with the AAA. The undercover activists are just a guilty of the mistreatment of animals, when they stood by and watched and recorded the actions of their "co-workers". Seriously, if they cared for the animals as much as they say they do they would have put a stop to it there on the farm or at the slaughter plant not with a video they released to the media. I just don't understand! All of the food-animal caretakers that I know would have been appalled if their employees treated animals the way the undercover activist showed on their recordings and there would have been corrective-action taken to change the way of doing things.


I do strongly believe in training. The Beef Cattle Institute is working hard to provide easy-to-use, online training for employees in all sectors of the beef industry. We have to remember that many of the employees hired are generations removed from the farm. So they do not know, as owners, managers and operators, we must give them the tools to do their job correctly, safely and well.

My Thoughts on Lary King Live and IS MEAT SAFE? Story

I realize I am a little late on blogging on the Larry King Live, Is Meat Safe?, story. However, I cannot seem to get this story off my mind. I know that we (beef advocates) have heard this type of garbage before and will continue to hear it. Beef Advocates across the country are working diligently to get the true message out about the beef industry. Something else that I cannot get off my mind is a story that I heard on The Early Show last week, The 10 Risky Foods. Do you know what number one was? Leafy Greens. Yes, that is right, not beef, or meat products, but leafy greens. These greens were the number one risky food because of their contamination with E.Coli. The story stated: Between 1990 and 2006, The Center for Science in the Public Interest used data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as other sources to identify 363 outbreaks linked to iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens “variously contaminated with E. coli, Norovirus or Salmonella." This caused at least 13,568 people get sick.



So what it boils down to, to me, is that there is risk in everything that we eat, but there are risks in everything we do too. Every time you get in a car you have a chance of losing your life, but does that stop us from getting in our cars? So, why not enjoy a properly cooked old fashion hamburger, with maybe COOKED spinach on the side.



*Side-Note* As many of you know Arturo and I’s goals and dreams are to make our living in production agriculture, once we have completed our time at K-State. The beef industry has always been important to me and my family, however as we get closer to our dreams coming into realization I grow more passionate about the industry every day. Our blog will continue to showcase the “going-on’s” of the Pacheco household, but I also plan to write more about the beef industry and be a more active advocate. One day when we are living and breathing ranch life, I hope to have a dedicated blog to our daily interactions of on the ranch and our daily duties of production agriculture.

And what is a blog post without pictures?

Arturo counting calves and cows to make sure no one was left behind.