'Certified Humane Raised & Handled' Label: Euphoria for Whom?
In my previous blog post, Partners in Exploitation, I discussed the various labeling schemes endorsed and promoted by HSUS, PETA, and other animal welfare corporations.
Well low and behold, yesterday, I went to the local Whole Foods Market, you know, the one to which PETA gave the Best Animal-Friendly Retailer award, and I picked up a copy of the Whole Foods magazine, “Whole Deal.”
And there was a coupon for “All Natural Brown Cow Parfaits,” which are apparently combinations of different flavors of yogurt.
Yogurt? But doesn’t that involve animal suffering and death?
Not to worry. As you can see:
This yogurt carries the “Certified Humane Raised & Handled” label. The Certified Humane Raised and Handled Label is the stamp of approval of an organization called Humane Farm Animal Care, which developed the label with its partners, including the Humane Society of the United States. The HFAC/HSUS label isdescribed as “a consumer certification and labeling program” to give consumers assurance that a labeled “egg, dairy, meat or poultry product has been produced with the welfare of the farm animal in mind.”
The fine print on the coupon says that the Brown Cow Parfait:
“Meets the Humane Farm Animal Care Program standards, which include nutritious diet without antibiotics, or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space and the ability to engage in natural behaviors.”
Please note that cow on the coupon is wearing a little service cap and holding a spoon in her mouth. So it’s all okay. You see, she’s willingly serving you this product, made from her suffering and death and the suffering and death of her children.
The coupon has “Euphoria!” written at the top. “Euphoria” is defined as a “sense of happiness or well-being.”
And whose euphoria, whose sense of happiness or well being are we talking about?
Perhaps the euphoria of Humane Farm Animal Care, which charges fees for its little stamp-of-approval? Perhaps the euphoria of HSUS, which promotes these “humane” products so that HSUS members and the public in general can feel warm and furry about eating the products of animal torture? Perhaps the euphoria of Whole Foods, who peddle “humane” animal flesh and “happy” animal products and make a fortune doing so? Perhaps the euphoria of PETA, who gives awards to places like Whole Foods so that it, like HSUS, can cash on the “happy meat” fundraising and encourage animal consumption?
One thing of which we can be completely certain: It is not the euphoria of the cow.
If you are not vegan, go vegan. It’s incredibly easy. It is better for your health. It is better for the planet, which sustains all life. And most importantly, it’s the morally right thing to do.
Gary L. Francione
©2010 Gary L. Francione
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I have a dog with a very sensitive stomach, and many people have suggested adding yogurt to his food to enrich the good bacteria. (There are probiotic supplements on the market, but their effectiveness is debatable.) I personally don't eat dairy for humane reasons, except goat cheese from a local farm that I've personally inspected, and this farm only sells cheese, not yogurt or milk. Any suggestions?
I love eating meat , its how are bodies are made to live. If you want to be vegan , power to you, but why do you feel the need to push your views on me? I remember when the left always complained about how the right were pushing their views on everybody else. Well looks like that table has turned. Why is it now ok for you guys to do it? I do not push my views on anybody and expect the same in return.
Again eat meat , it does your body good!
I am boggled by the lack of opposing views here on Opposing Views.
I am baffled on how you all think that people are all about switching to veganism and they merely just need "awareness." Are you people insane? Most people know about vegans . Most people know about animal cruelty . And the majority of people choose not to care.
You people seriously make me sick that you CONDEMN those who choose to eat meat and want to buy products where the animals were treated humanely. No, the cow will never happily serve you chocolate parfait, but I'm sure glad the poor thing wasn't shoved into a corner and stripped of its milk until it was "spent" and then sent to slaughter. You have to realize that I, who choose to drink milk and will for the rest of my life, am choosing for my cow to have a better life before slaughter. If you think this is evil and just as bad as beating the cow to death , than you have a twisted sense of reason.
From a previous poster: "exploiting and killing animals is wrong , no matter how 'nicely' we treat them" - really? Ok, I get your point, but you are saying that it doesn't matter if we beat a cow with a crowbar to death or if we kill it humanely, its all wrong so it doesn't matter. No one should try and treat animals humanely if they are just going to slaughter them later. Right. I hope you realize your insane idealistic dreams of a vegan world where no animal is ever born and raised to be slaughtered will never happen, regardless of the amount of - oh my god here it is - AWARENESS you guys pump into the nation.
Heres some awareness - the majority of people do not want to be vegans. So, as a compromise, why don't we try to treat our animals better and give them a better life before slaughter?
Have you ever seen a cow happily grazing in Switzerland? I've seen many, and let me tell you, I know those cows aren't wishing they were never born, because they are having a fulfilling life and even if it ends with slaughter. If you were to kill me tomorrow and eat me for meat, well I'd be happy you didn't cage me in a house with hundreds of other chickens for my whole life.
I care enough to purchase foods with the Certified Humane label, but definitely never enough to be a vegan. I know zero vegans out of the hundreds of people I know. Talk to people outside your vegan circles and get to know how non-vegans feel about organic foods and the humane labels. I bet you'll find those that care about humane treatment sure do not want to become vegan.
The " welfare of the farm animal in mind"? This seems to me to be a contradiction. I'm not really sure how being used as a commodity is beneficial to the farm animal. I would have thought the milk this cow supplies for this product was intended for her baby . I fail to see how this is 'euphoric' for the cow, in any way.
have you ever even been around a cow? I doubt it.
Everyone here has raised such good points. There's really nothing to add . It's nice to see these discussions taking place and it's nice to see that it's a global discussion (Canada, the U.S. and Australia participating). Viva la veganism !
If you are using the animals for food production, you are not taking their welfare in mind. Plain and simple. These companies know this, and they are playing the rose-tinted goggles game. They are counting on the consumers to be placated by these labels and see look at their purchases with a false sense of making a difference. And in fact most are.
Most are telling these companies that if they stick one of these 'happy meal' labels on them, that consumers will pay an elevated price to falsely appease their 'conscience', and the companies are getting that message loud and clear. Wake up, consumers, you are being played in so many ways.
Thanks, Gary for continuing to try and get people to take off the goggles and see the truth.
I agree with the OP and with the AH. This looks like some bare-naked profiteering off of animal use. The HSUS and its partners in the animal welfare industry are establishing a cartel of "humane" brands in order to corner the market on indulgences that make a nonvegan public feel better about eating animal products. Shameful.
HSUS proponents and opponents often talk about a "secret agenda" at HSUS. I don't think it's a secret -- I think they really like making money !!
Vincent J. Guihan
AnimalEmancipation.com
baby steps.
skyler
*Your Future Health*
(try vegan -- for your health , the health of society , and the health of the planet.)
contact skyler @ superapollo@ufl.edu to learn more and get involved.
www.myspace.com/skylerspektor
Baby steps? Why do you feel that it is okay to lie to people in order to get them to start thinking about something? Tell them the TRUTH and they will listen. If somebody cares enough to buy a "humane certified" food item, then they will care about what we have to say as vegans , in that there is no humane alternative.
Do we tell racists to take " baby steps" away from their racist ways?
Would we recommend that a child molester take "baby steps" to slowly ween himself off of molesting children ?
No, we dont...
Don't forget, we're fighting speciesims, here... and it's speciesist to think that we should treat the animal rights issue any different from the human rights issue.