
Playful piglets romp around their pen at OC Fair and Event Center Centennial Farm on Saturday, January 8, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California.
Supreme Court Animal Welfare Ruling a Win for Democracy
In a surprising decision, the corporate-coddling court ruled that the people, not the meatpacking industry, should shape agricultural policy.
It’s an odd marketing strategy for an industry to assail its own consumers.
Yet, that’s what the monopolistic meatpacking industry—led by such huge conglomerates as Tyson, Smithfield, JBS, and Hormel, which control nearly 70% of America’s pork market—is doing.
“Just shut up and eat your bacon,” the industry shrieks.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
The target of their corporate tantrum is the growing grassroots movement of consumers, animal rights advocates, farmers, chefs, retailers, and others who are dismayed and disgusted by Big Pork’s profiteering on animal cruelty.
“None of your business!” shout the executives, lobbyists, lawyers, and for-rent politicians who run the tortuous system.
But gutsy groups like the Humane Society made their way inside the industry’s animal factories, videoing such mass horrors as thousands of pregnant sows locked for 16 weeks at a time in gestation crates so small the animals can’t even turn around. In 2018, such exposés prompted 60% of California voters to approve a ballot initiative outlawing the use of the inhumane crates.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
Never mind that few of us uncorporatized commoners consider animal suffering to be a sound practice. Even the corporate-coddling Supreme Court gagged at the industry’s claim that it has the sovereign power to dictate what type of pork chops are available to the public.
This May, in an odd-fellow 5-4 decision rendered by two progressive judges and three corporatists, the Court ruled that “policy choices like these usually belong to the people.” Well, yes—and to the animals!
This is an example of how grassroots activism matters in important ways. To stay involved in this issue, go to humanesociety.org.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
It’s an odd marketing strategy for an industry to assail its own consumers.
Yet, that’s what the monopolistic meatpacking industry—led by such huge conglomerates as Tyson, Smithfield, JBS, and Hormel, which control nearly 70% of America’s pork market—is doing.
“Just shut up and eat your bacon,” the industry shrieks.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
The target of their corporate tantrum is the growing grassroots movement of consumers, animal rights advocates, farmers, chefs, retailers, and others who are dismayed and disgusted by Big Pork’s profiteering on animal cruelty.
“None of your business!” shout the executives, lobbyists, lawyers, and for-rent politicians who run the tortuous system.
But gutsy groups like the Humane Society made their way inside the industry’s animal factories, videoing such mass horrors as thousands of pregnant sows locked for 16 weeks at a time in gestation crates so small the animals can’t even turn around. In 2018, such exposés prompted 60% of California voters to approve a ballot initiative outlawing the use of the inhumane crates.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
Never mind that few of us uncorporatized commoners consider animal suffering to be a sound practice. Even the corporate-coddling Supreme Court gagged at the industry’s claim that it has the sovereign power to dictate what type of pork chops are available to the public.
This May, in an odd-fellow 5-4 decision rendered by two progressive judges and three corporatists, the Court ruled that “policy choices like these usually belong to the people.” Well, yes—and to the animals!
This is an example of how grassroots activism matters in important ways. To stay involved in this issue, go to humanesociety.org.
It’s an odd marketing strategy for an industry to assail its own consumers.
Yet, that’s what the monopolistic meatpacking industry—led by such huge conglomerates as Tyson, Smithfield, JBS, and Hormel, which control nearly 70% of America’s pork market—is doing.
“Just shut up and eat your bacon,” the industry shrieks.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
The target of their corporate tantrum is the growing grassroots movement of consumers, animal rights advocates, farmers, chefs, retailers, and others who are dismayed and disgusted by Big Pork’s profiteering on animal cruelty.
“None of your business!” shout the executives, lobbyists, lawyers, and for-rent politicians who run the tortuous system.
But gutsy groups like the Humane Society made their way inside the industry’s animal factories, videoing such mass horrors as thousands of pregnant sows locked for 16 weeks at a time in gestation crates so small the animals can’t even turn around. In 2018, such exposés prompted 60% of California voters to approve a ballot initiative outlawing the use of the inhumane crates.
Adding plutocratic stupidity to their greed, the pork barons then sued the people of California. Yes, the pork profiteers actually asserted that democracy must not interfere with “sound business practices.”
Never mind that few of us uncorporatized commoners consider animal suffering to be a sound practice. Even the corporate-coddling Supreme Court gagged at the industry’s claim that it has the sovereign power to dictate what type of pork chops are available to the public.
This May, in an odd-fellow 5-4 decision rendered by two progressive judges and three corporatists, the Court ruled that “policy choices like these usually belong to the people.” Well, yes—and to the animals!
This is an example of how grassroots activism matters in important ways. To stay involved in this issue, go to humanesociety.org.