BOSTON -- March 14 -- Farm Sanctuary, a leading farm animal shelter and advocacy organization, has launched a campaign to urge legislators to pass two bills that would prevent unnecessary and cruel confinement for veal calves and breeding pigs, as well as ban the inhumane force feeding of birds for foie gras production. Farm Sanctuary's Farm Animal Forum in Boston comes to a close with today's Rally Against Factory Farming, where the nation's leading animal protection experts and celebrity activists will convene on the steps of the State House to speak out in support of this pending legislation.

"We brought the Farm Animal Forum to Boston to raise awareness about problems associated with industrialized farming and to advocate for humane reforms," said Farm Sanctuary president, Gene Bauston. "Given its long history as a forward-looking state, Massachusetts is positioned to be a leader in efforts to stop the systematic abuse of animals on factory farms,"

Legislation has been filed in the Massachusetts State Legislature that would ban the use of veal and gestation crates. Veal crates and gestation crates are small enclosures in which the animals cannot walk, turn around or lie down with any comfort. They spend their entire lives unable to enjoy even the most basic movements. Confined in this manner, calves and sows suffer numerous physical and psychological maladies.

Senator Steven Tolman and Rep Brad Hill have sponsored a bill that would put an end to these cruelties. Co-sponsors of the Massachusetts Veal and Gestation Crate bill include, Sen. Sue Fargo, Sen. Pam Resor, Sen. Richard Tisei, Rep. Frank Hayes, Rep. Lou Kafka, Rep. Pat Jehlen, Rep. Susan Pope and Rep. Anne Paulsen. In 2002, Florida voters passed an initiative to ban gestation crates, which was the first law enacted to prohibit a standard factory farming practice in the U.S.

Outside of the U.S., foie gras production is banned in at least a dozen European countries, as well as Israel, once the world's third-largest producer of the product. Late last year, California became the first state to ban the force feeding of birds to make foie gras, when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law SB1520. The success of SB1520 has prompted the introduction of anti-foie gras bills in Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon and New York, which has the largest foie gras production facilities in the U.S. Last week, SB413 in Illinois passed the Senate Executive Committee with a unanimous vote.

Senator Sue Fargo has sponsored a bill that would prohibit these egregious practices from taking place within Massachusetts, as well as to prohibit the sale of any product produced in this manner. Co-sponsors of the Massachusetts Foie Gras bill include Sen. Richard Tisei, Rep. Susan Pope, Rep. Jim Leary, Rep. Anne Paulsen and Rep. Tom O'Brien.

Speakers at the 2005 Farm Animal Forum included Gene Bauston, Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the United States, lauren Ornelas, executive director of Viva! USA, Holly Cheever, D.V.M., vice president of AVAR and NYSHA, Brenda Davis, R.D., noted vegan nutritionist and author, Michael Greger, M.D., author and Farm Sanctuary's Chief Investigator of Mad Cow Disease and celebrity activists, Corey Feldman and Persia White of UPN's top-rated sitcom, "Girlfriends."

Following the speaker presentations, all Forum participants attended the "Cowtail Party" social, where they had an opportunity to sample vegetable-based "faux gras" prepared by Andrea Mason, owner and chef of Boston's premiere caterer, Dinner is Served. In addition, noted authors Brenda Davis and Michael Gregor were on hand for book signings, followed by a performance from the band, 27.

Today's Rally Against Factory Farming will include speakers, Gene Bauston, Wayne Pacelle, Carter Luke, vice president of animal protection at the MSPCA, Corey Feldman and Persia White. The Rally will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the front steps of the State House.

About Foie Gras

A recent Zogby poll found that nearly 80 percent of Americans, when educated about how foie gras is produced, support a ban on the force feeding of birds to make this expensive food item. Foie gras, a French term meaning "fatty liver," is the enlarged, diseased liver of ducks or geese that are force fed as a pipe is shoved down their throats several times daily. Confined in small pens or individual cages barely larger than their own bodies, these birds are forced to ingest amounts of food far in excess of what they would eat in the wild. In a matter of weeks, their livers expand up to ten times their normal size until they reach the diseased state of "hepatic lipidosis," in which they no longer function properly. It is this diseased, fatty mass that is sold as foie gras.

More information about foie gras production and legislation banning foie gras production in both the U.S. and worldwide can be found at http://www.NoFoieGras.org.

About Veal

In order to produce veal, young calves are taken from their mothers and chained by the neck in crates measuring just two feet wide. They cannot turn around, stretch their limbs, or even lie down comfortably. This severe confinement prevents the calves' muscles from developing - the greater the muscles atrophy, the more "tender" the meat.

Published scientific research indicates that calves confined in crates experience "chronic stress" and require approximately five times more medication than calves living in more spacious conditions. Researchers have also reported that calves confined in crates exhibit abnormal coping behaviors associated with frustration. These include head tossing, head shaking, kicking, scratching and abnormal chewing. Confined calves also experience leg and joint disorders and an impaired ability to walk.

Veal calves are fed an all-liquid milk substitute, which is purposely deficient in iron and fiber. It is intended to encourage borderline anemia, which results in the pale-colored flesh that the veal industry serves up as "gourmet." At approximately twenty weeks of age, these weak animals are slaughtered and marketed as "white" veal (also known as "fancy," "milk-fed," "special-fed," and "formula-fed" veal).

More information on efforts to stop veal production in the U.S. can be found at http://www.NoVeal.org.

About Gestation Crates

Modern breeding sows are treated like piglet-making machines. Living a continuous cycle of impregnation and birth, each sow has more than 20 piglets per year. After being impregnated, the sows are confined in gestation crates - small metal pens just two feet wide that prevent sows from turning around or even lying down comfortably. At the end of their four-month pregnancies, they are transferred to similarly cramped farrowing crates to give birth. With barely enough room to stand up and lie down and no straw or other type of bedding to speak of, many suffer from sores on their shoulders and knees.

Numerous research studies conducted over the last 25 years have pointed to physical and psychological maladies experienced by sows in confinement. The unnatural flooring and lack of exercise causes obesity and crippling leg disorders, while the deprived environment produces neurotic coping behaviors such as repetitive bar biting and sham chewing (chewing nothing).

After the sows give birth and nurse their young for two to three weeks, the piglets are taken away. When the sow is no longer deemed a productive breeder, she is sent to slaughter.

More information on gestation crates and other factory farming abuses can be found at http://www.FactoryFarming.org.

Farm Sanctuary, the nation's largest farm animal rescue and protection organization, operates shelters in Orland, CA and Watkins Glen, NY and has rescued and placed hundreds of abused farm animals. With a membership of over 100,000 people, Farm Sanctuary runs several advocacy campaigns and educational outreach projects. More information can be found at http://www.farmsanctuary.org.

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