Newsletter 6/02 of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU)

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,in the FARM Relase dated 20 September it is stated that "during a 77-yearlifetime, a typical U.S. resident is responsible for the suffering and deathof 11 cows, 32 pigs and sheep, and 2,660 turkeys, chickens and ducks, anduncounted numbers of fish and other aquatic animals - enough to populate afamily farm".Fortunately, more and more people decide not to have any part any more insuch a bloody routine. In order have our say regarding this shocking realityand to make our voices heard, the EVU organises the Seminar "Vegetarianismin Europe". More details under point 1.Many of you start planning ahead for next year. So do not forget to reserveyour room(s) for the "Vegetarian Festival" in Turkey - 21-17 June 2003.During this week you can meet vegetarians from other countries, take part ininteresting talks and workshops and enjoy the famous Turkish cuisine. (formore details http://www.european-vegetarian.org/1212.0.html )By the way, our Autumn issue of the "European Vegetarian" will bedistributed soon. Should you have contributions for the last magazine of theyear 2002, please don't hesitate to forward them to me.with best regardsHerma CaelenEVU SecretariatB 7011 Ghlin26, Rue Moncoureure-mail evu-secretariatwebsite http://www.european-vegetarian.org-----------The subjects of this Newsletter are :1. EVU Seminar "Vegetarianism in Europe"2. FARM Releases3. Live animal transport discussed by EU Agriculture Ministers (23 Sep)4. Good news from India5. Rescue for Trees? Bananas make great paper, scientist says6. Texas cattlemen's suit against Oprah dismissed7. Cloned Food Products Near Reality - Items Could Reach Shelves by 20038.. Letters to the EVU Secretariat-------------------1. "Vegetarianism in Europe"VEGETARIANS IN AN ENLARGED EUROPEAN UNIONHOW TO PROMOTE VEGETARIANISM IN EUROPE...In order to contribute to the European Convention, the EuropeanVegetarian Union invites to a one-day seminar which will be chaired by theEVU President, Dr. Igor Bukovsky from Slovakia. The event is registered onthe EU website: http://europa.eu.int/futurum/evoth_en.htmDate: Friday, 1 November 2002 (All Saints'Day/holiday in Belgium), startingat 9 h and ending with an evening mealVenue: Restaurant LA SAGA , Ave de la Chevalerie 9, 1040 Brussels, Tel. 0032 2 734 40 98for more information: http://www.european-vegetarian.org/1134.0.htmlCost : 55 Euro per person (for vegan/bio food: lunch, dinner and two coffeebreaks)------*******Registration and Payment please until 5 October 2002****** Account Fortis Bank Ghlin 001-3751541-45-----I/we want to participate in the Seminar on 1st November 2002NAMEORGANIZATIONADDRESSSIGNATURE(please send to the Secretariat)**some hotel suggestions:Hotel Derby - Ave de Tervuren 24, 1040 Brussels, Tel. 02/733 75 81single room 48 Euro, double room, 60 Euro (breakfast included)Big Tower - Rue du Cornet 114, 1040 Brussels, Tel. 02/646 00 97Apartments (with small kitchen) for 2 persons: 75 Euro per nightPark Hotel Brussels - Ave de l'Yser 21, 1040 Brussels, Tel. 078/168 914single room 105 Euro, double room 110 Euro (breakfast included)--- a few meters from LA SAGA-------------------------2. .FARM - Releases-----> September 2002: ANIMAL AGRICULTURE CLAIMS MORE THAN TEN BILLIONVICTIMSThe total number of mammals and birds raised and killed for food in the U.S.this year is expected to exceed ten billion for the first time in U.S.history, according to extrapolation of data published by USDA's NationalAgricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This represents a 2.6% increase overthe 2001 figure of 9,853 million. The number of fish and other aquaticorganisms killed for human and animal food is not reported and may wellexceed that number.The 2002 total of 10,108 million includes 41 million cattle and calves (down1.4% from 2001), 116 million pigs (down 1.7%), 4.2 million sheep(unchanged), 304 million turkeys (down 1.6%), and 25.6 million ducks (down7.2%). But also 9,133 million 'broilers' (up 2.6%) and 484 million layinghens (up 7.6%).In addition to the 8,965 million animals reported as slaughtered in 2001 bythe NASS, another 885 million, or 9% of the total, suffered lingering deathsfrom disease, malnutrition, injury, suffocation, stress, extermination, orother deadly factory farming practices and never reached the slaughterhouse.Some of these 'other' deaths were reported by the NASS. But, most had to bededuced from secondary sources, such as hatchery reports and interviews withagricultural experts. Examples of deaths that are not reported include'broiler' chickens and turkeys who die before they are placed on a farm,male layer chicks suffocated at birth, discarded layer hens, and piglets whodie before weaning.In more personal terms, during a 77-year lifetime, a typical U.S. residentis 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 andother aquatic animals - enough to populate a family farm.Moreover, the 10,108 million animals raised and killed for food account for98% of all animals abused and killed annually in the U.S. Another 135million animals are killed for 'sport', 60 million are used in bio-medicalresearch and testing, and 5 million are put down in pounds.The worldwide number of animals killed for food in 2001 was in excess of 45billion, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Thisincluded 306 million cattle, buffalo, and calves, 1.2 billion pigs, 800million sheep and goats, and 45 billion chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese.The figures exclude some small countries and 'non-slaughter' deaths, whichare generally not reported.The report on the number of victims of animal agriculture is compiled andpublished each year by FARM in connection with the annual observance ofWorld Farm Animals Day on October 2 (Gandhi's birthday). FARM is a publicinterest organization dedicated to exposing and ending animal abuse andother devastating impacts of today's animal agriculture on environmentalquality, food resources, and public health. World Farm Animals Day promoteshumane, sustainable agriculture.(See http://wfad.org/mediacenter.html)(Laurelee, 00 1 808-575-7694; http://wfad.org/mediacenter.html)**--------à August 2002: FARM divulges findings of the National VitalStatistics Report by the U.S. Public Health ServiceIn 2000, 1.32 million, or 54%, of all U.S. deaths were attributed todiseases for which consumption of animal products represents a substantialrisk factor. The number was compiled from the latest mortality figuresreported in the October 2001 National Vital Statistics Report by the U.S.Public Health Service.The total included 633.5 thousand deaths from several forms of heartdisease,166 - from stroke,58.2 - from other circulatory diseases,258.8 - from several types of cancer,68.7 - from diabetes mellitus,40.5 - from kidney and gallbladder failure, and98 - from a pro-rated number of 'ill-defined' diseases.The diseases for which meat consumption is a substantial risk factor, wereidentified by a panel of physicians specializing in diet and health.Identification of meat-linked diseases was conservative. Thus, cancer oflung and pancreas was not included, although a plant-based diet appears toreduce the risk. For 'ill-defined' and 'other' diseases, the number ofdeaths included in the total was prorated according to the ratio ofmeat-linked deaths to all other deaths.(FARM - farm - August 2002)--------------------------3. PRESS INFORMATION - Brussels, 19 September 2002Live animal transport discussed by EU Agriculture MinistersEurogroup for Animal Welfare urges Ministers to support a journey time limitEU Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels next Monday (23 September) willbe asked to present their countries' position on new EU rules on theprotection of animals in transport during an "Open Council Debate".Eurogroup takes this opportunity to restate the demands of the Europeananimal welfare movement: a limit on the time for which farm animals may betransported, significant improvements to transport conditions and theintroduction of stricter enforcement of EU animal transport rules.The European law on the protection of animals in transport adopted in 1995is currently being reviewed based on a report of the Commission's ScientificCommittee. It is expected that Commissioner Byrne will have the proposalsready before the end of this year.The principle of limiting transport times will be the central issue in thedebate. The European Commission's own scientists recommend that for animalsunaccustomed to transport journeys should be as short as possible. TheCommission claims that long journeys are not a problem provided theconditions are good. However, enforcement of the rules by Member States is ajoke and as a consequence conditions on many journeys are appalling.The problems in live transport have been well documented over the years.The Commission's own inspectorate (Food and Veterinary Office) hasrepeatedly found evidence of animal suffering in overloaded, badlyventilated vehicles; and lengthy journeys without rest, food or water. Arecent Eurogroup investigation found pigs being transported for up to 90hours from the Netherlands to Greece resulting in acute suffering with 40dead.David Wilkins, Director of Eurogroup has been campaigning on this issue formany years: "In 1993 the Commission promised to reconsider the issue of atime limit if experience showed that the laws continued to be disregarded.Long-distance transport of slaughter animals has been an unacceptable tradefor too long. It must not be allowed to continue with the false promise ofbetter controls. We urge the Commission and Member States to think firstabout the protection of animals and not just the protection of the trade".For more information or pictures on transport available from Eurogroupplease contact: Ms. Veronika Haunold 00 32 2 740 08 20 or 00 32 497 90 92 75www.eurogroupanimalwelfare.orgEurogroup for Animal Welfare, 6 Rue des Patriotes - B-1000 BrusselsA copy of the Memorandum from the Danish Presidency concerning theprotection of animals during transport can be downloaded from the registeron the Council's Website http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/ Document number:11699/02------------------------------4. Good News from India--------à Panel rejects meat export proposalsNEW DELHI: Given the BJP's views on animal slaughter, the PlanningCommission has backed off on proposals to expand the meat sector. OnTuesday, it said it had not accepted the recommendations of its workinggroup and therefore, no new scheme for this sector has been sanctioned.The preliminary recommendations of the sub-group looking into this for the10th Plan had recommended increasing meat exports, stressed the need tosustain the leather sector and even called for a removal of the ban on beefexports. First reported in this newspaper in April, the group suggested itwas time to consider improving the cow economy through better utilisation ofbullocks so that cow protection could be ensured.This potentially embarrassing set of recommendations for the BJP evoked astrong protest from animal rights activist and the then minister ManekaGandhi.(The Times of India - September 17, 2002)**-------à Advani for ban on cow slaughterDeputy Prime Minister LK Advani on Friday spoke the language of the VishwaHindu Parishad (VHP), the militant fringe of the Sangh Parivar. Speakingat the inaugural function of a two-day conference on 'Exhibition and theUsefulness of the Cow in the Country's Economy' at the Indian Institute ofTechnology here, Advani said there was a need to amend the Constitution fora complete ban on cow slaughter.According to the Deputy PM, the existing laws were not comprehensive enoughto enforce total prevention of cow slaughter. In his opinion, Article 48of the Constitution "should have been more comprehensive in its scope" onthe issue. Impressing upon the need for such a ban, Advani said, "reverenceand faith" were essential for having such legislation.Quoting from Article 48, the Deputy PM said it had only spelt out that theState shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modernand scientific lines and shall take steps to preserve and improve the breedsas also prohibit slaughter of cows and calves and all milch and draughtanimals.Advani said the animal had a "special place" in the Indian tradition. "Notonly is the cow revered by the people as part of their bharatiyata(Indianness), but it had played a major role in the country's economy sincetime immemorial," he remarked.Reacting to Advani's advocacy of a ban on cow slaughter, CPI(M) PolitburoSitaram Yechury said, "This is the RSS' view. This is also the BJP's agenda.First, it was Ayodhya, then Gujarat and now a ban on cow slaughter. And itcomes from no other than the country's Deputy PM".(Hindustan Times Ltd. - 7 Sep 2002)**-----> Meat-free dog food for vegetarian petsA VEGETARIAN dog food created for canines who prefer munching carrots tochewing on a bone was yesterday described as "a first" by animalnutritionists.Made from rice and vegetables, the dog food has gone on sale in India whereabout 80 per cent of the population - and a similar number of pet dogs - donot eat meat for religious reasons. There are no immediate plans to launchvegetarian dog food in Britain, but Mars, which markets the meat-free petproduct under its Pedigree brand, believes that there could be huge demandoutside India.Dr Kate Ingham, a researcher for the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, aBritish research centre owned by Mars, said yesterday: "We believe that itis the first of its kind."(Telegraph UK - 16 September 2002)NOTE: With all due respect: Dr. Ingham is wrong! Vegetarian dog and cat foodis available in several European countries. For more information see herehttp://vegetarismus.ch/vegepet/ (in German/English/French)-------5. Bananas make great paper, scientist saysJapanese man's procedure can even turn fruit waste into clothingHalf of the world's paper should be made out of bananas within a decade,according to a Japanese scientist at the Earth summit in South Africa.Hiroshi Morishima of Nagoya City University is in Johannesburg to promotehis Banana Green-Gold Project, an effort to turn the detritus of bananaplantations into pulp, which can be used to make all sorts of paperproducts and even fabric for clothing."I want all shopping bags in the country made of banana paper," said JamesBaba, Uganda's ambassador to Japan, who joined several otherbanana-producing countries in lending his support to the project yesterday.Dr. Morishima projects the process he designed could turn the world's onebillion tonnes of annual banana waste into 100 million tonnes of paper --more than half of the current world consumption. This plantation waste isotherwise left to rot. About 170 million tonnes of paper -- 95% of it madefrom wood pulp -- were used worldwide last year and, according to UnitedNations estimates, this number will increase five-fold by 2010. Pilotprojects in Jamaica and poverty-stricken Haiti have made promising economicprogress since last year. In Haiti, where more than 80% of the population isunemployed and where notebooks and pencils are a luxury, the project throwsa lifeline to locals and boosts educational opportunities for deprivedchildren, Dr. Morishima said.Top banana producer India as well as Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Papua NewGuinea, Peru and the Philippines have expressed interest in the project,which is seen as a valuable new revenue stream for the world's 129banana-producing countries.Dr. Morishima's process involves using a plant extract to break down thematerial, then straining it through screens, flattening it and laying it todry into paper. In one day, and using one tonne of banana waste, a workercan produce 1,200 pages of letter paper, he said. Last February, to show theutility of his process, a 40-page illustrated children's book printedentirely on banana paper was published.( National Post - 10 September 2002)-6. Texas cattlemen's suit against Oprah dismissedJudge dismisses 6-year-old suit against Oprah over beefAfter six years, escalating legal fees and a celebrated trial in the heartof Texas cattle country, a federal judge has dismissed a lingering lawsuitthat accused Oprah Winfrey of maligning the beef industry. U.S. DistrictJudge Mary Lou Robinson threw out "all claims and auses of action assertedor that could have been asserted" by Cactus Feeding Club Inc. and againstWinfrey, her production company and vegetarian activist Howard Lyman.The lawsuit was similar to the one that went to trial in Robinson's court inJanuary 1998, causing Winfrey to move her popular talk show to Amarillo forseveral episodes and creating a carnival-like atmosphere in the TexasPanhandle city for six weeks. The 138 livestock owners sued Winfrey inDumas, a town of 13,000 about 45 miles north of Amarillo. But the case wasquickly removed back to Robinson's federal court, over the objections ofplaintiff's attorney Kevin Isern, and has sat there for four years. "It waskind of a soft landing to a hard trial," said Chip Babcock, a top-gun FirstAmendment attorney who represented Winfrey in the case.The cattlemen have contended Lyman violated Texas' "veggie libel" law duringan April 1996 edition of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" by saying U.S. beef couldbe at risk of spreading mad cow disease. The incurable illness, blamed forseveral deaths in England, had not been detected in U.S. herds before theshow or in the 6 1/2 years since. In the weeks after the show, alreadyslumping cattle prices dropped to 10-year lows. Cactus Feeders Inc. ownerPaul Engler, who was behind both lawsuits, unsuccessfully appealed theverdict to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.Babcock said his side expects to recover $85,000 in court costs, butotherwise Robinson ruled each side must cover its own expenses in her orderdated Aug. 27. Neither Engler nor Winfrey immediately returned messagesseeking comment Tuesday. The 1996 trial created a media encampment outsidethe Amarillo federal courthouse and long lines of residents wanting to getinto the courtroom and the local theater where Winfrey did several of hershows.The cattlemen suing Winfrey claimed Lyman's statements -- coupled withediting they say portrayed the industry in a negative light and her shoutingthat she never would eat another hamburger -- inappropriately defamed theindustry and cost them money. Winfrey defended the show and its right tohave guests speak their minds. Lyman, a former rancher who became an animalrights advocate, stood by his statements on the witness stand.(HoustonChronicle.com - 17 Sep 2002)---------------7. Cloned Food Products Near Reality - Items Could Reach Shelves by 2003Milk from cloned cows and meat from the offspring of cloned cows and pigscould show up on grocery shelves as early as next year under the plans oflivestock breeders who are already raising scores of clones on Americanfarmsteads. A recent report from the National Academy of Sciences, thenation's top scientific body, has given fresh impetus to the effort to turncloning into a routine tool of U.S. agricultural production.A special NAS panel that reviewed developments in animal biotechnology wasalarmed by genetic manipulation of fish and insects that might escape andharm wild species, but it found cloning of farm animals less troublesome,since the technique involves copying adult animals without altering theirgenes. The committee called for a few additional studies but said thetechnique was unlikely to affect the safety of the food supply."I think our message was fairly loud and clear," said panel member EricHallerman, a biologist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and StateUniversity in Blacksburg. "The concern about food safety, we thought, wasjust way overblown."A few cloned cows scattered around the country are already producing milk.Farmers and companies have held off selling it only because of informalrequests from the Food and Drug Administration, which is reviewing whetherclones, their byproducts or their offspring should be allowed into the foodsupply. The agency hopes for a decision by late this year. Absent compellingevidence of a problem, it's not clear the FDA or any other government agencywould have the legal power to keep cloned animals out of the food supply.The biggest lingering concern appears to be for the welfare of clonedanimals and their surrogate mothers, with some groups saying the developmentof cloning on a large scale will lead to widespread animal suffering. Thenumber of cloned animals living on American farms today is small -- mostestimates put it at fewer than 100. All are elite animals that cost tens ofthousands of dollars to produce and are valued as breeding stock, not asmeat. For that reason, products made from clones are likely to be a meretrickle in the marketplace, at least at first, farmers said.But if the technique becomes established and the price of cloning falls,farmers envision a day when entire dairy herds may be stocked with nothingbut clones of the most prolific cows. The technique may never be cheapenough to produce animals for use directly as meat, but breeders said it'slikely the first- or second-generation offspring of clones will wind up inthe meat supply in large numbers. The cloned food products that could hitthe market in small quantities next year include milk from cloned Holsteindairy cows and, potentially, veal from their first-generation offspring.Pigs would likely not be far behind, with some first-generation offspringprobably being butchered for food in 2004 or 2005, animal breeders said.Other countries are moving in the same direction as the United States. Astudy published recently in Japan said cloned meat and milk are identical tothe ordinary kind. That nation is now preparing to lift a ban.....(Washington Post - 16 Sep 2002)----------------------------8. Letters to the EVU Secretariat:Chalissa wrote on 3 September:Could you include the following message in future newsletters: I am anenvironmentalist, an animal activist & a vegetarian. I have converted the "Meet your Meat" video into a CD rom & will send a copy of it for free toanyone with a Cd burner & a pledge to make at least 4 copies to give totheir meat eating friends.I sent out a total of over 750 CD's last year to 60 different countries. Mygoal in 2002 is to double that number. I am at 950 this year so far!I would appreciate if you would forward this message to your members.Anyone willing to participate, please forward your mailing address toChalissa1**Dave wrote on 10 September:Hey there, I'm a musician as well, with a few AR songs (and others thattouch on the subject.). If you guys can think of a use for some of them,please do...The site is: www.mp3.com/noisy - And the songs to check out are:* Dairy Trucks Keep Circling My House (very poppy, my fav AR song)* Mabel the Witch (not exactly PC, written about Temple Grandin)* Hope You Choke (kinda rough, but hey..some people like it)* Life on the Pharm (kinda)* Earthquake (mentions vegan cake)And I touch on the subject in a few other songs. Thanks!dave-------2-

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