Apr 07 2010
HSUS Offends Iowa Journalists, Lays Giant Egg
As we predicted yesterday, Wayne Pacelle showed up in Des Moines today with a brief video (less than seven minutes, although we thought it would be five), spliced together from several unidentified times and places, and tried to make the case that it represented the typical state of affairs everywhere in America egg-laying hens are raised. There was no context, and no proof—just righteous indignation.
Appearing on behalf of HSUS, Wayne Pacelle insisted that a nationwide move to cage-free eggs was the right solution. But no one in the room challenged him to explain why HSUS can't even bring itself to endorse a cage-free egg (or any food derived from animals). And we understand that there was also no mention of an essay appearing in this morning's Des Moines Register, explaining why cage-free eggs "are not all they're cracked up to be." (Blame the newspaper editor for the pun.)
On that subject, we notice that one of the Iowa egg producers targeted by HSUS does have a robust cage-free egg business. We wonder why HSUS didn't send a spy into that particular operation? Our guess is that HSUS understands full well that more hens actually die in cage-free settings than in cages, and that cage-free operations tend to spread more disease. There's no sense shooting video that doesn't make the selective point you're trying to drive home.
The Associated Press seems to believe HSUS is merely agitating "to get hens out of cages." But as we've said before, the group's long-term strategy is not about preferring one kind of egg over another. It's about using short-term skirmishes to earn enough moral authority to win the long-term war. And "victory" in this war is defined as the day when all of America goes vegan. Nothing else will satisfy Wayne Pacelle.
The big reason no one put this in its proper perspective was that this wasn't a real press conference. HSUS actually refused to admit several credentialed members of the media, based solely on whether or not their publications were expected to be friendly to HSUS. That picture above, taken by an Iowa Farm Bureau photographer (also denied entry), shows all the rejected reporters in the hallway. We're not joking.
And what about the video itself? (Go ahead and watch it. I'll wait.) We simply don't know if it's authentic. If HSUS wants to be taken seriously, it should do two things, and do them today:
- provide a media pool with all the video that its undercover operatives supposedly shot; and
- make the videographers available (to every media outlet) for interviews.
The few minutes of footage we've seen reportedly came from 25 full days of shooting, and the owners of the egg farms weren't even allowed to see the video before the press conference today.
HSUS might also want to explain why its undercover secret agent failed (as HSUS employees have in the past) to alert the people in charge of these egg farms that something was amiss. If you believe animals are being abused, and you'd rather film it than actually do something about it, the least you should do is report it immediately.
One reporter who did manage to get through the HSUS gauntlet this morning was the Register's Phil Brasher. And he "tweeted" from inside. Brasher noted that this HSUS video was shot on a cell-phone camera ("Will farms ban them?"), and that an Iowa egg farm executive insisted that he has nothing to hide ("they're 'open to anyone' for visit"). But Brasher's most telling observation was Pacelle's comment that "I don't think anybody can see this footage and feel good" about conventional egg production.
Well ... that's kinda the point, isn't it, Wayne? When you intentionally produce a low-budget horror movie, and when you control the images that everyone sees, you're not expecting anyone to merrily sing along with the theme song. Just like no one would be all that scared of the knife in all those slasher films if they knew it was only a blunt prop, Americans wouldn't be all that concerned about egg production if they saw it as it really is—instead of Wayne Pacelle's cherry-picked caricatures.
Animal agriculture doesn't always appear pretty in the eye of a city boy. But then again, neither does crop agriculture. Did you ever wonder how many animals are killed or maimed by plows and combines among those amber waves of grain? One researcher claims switching to a food system dominated by beef and dairy would save the lives of 300 million more animals annually than converting everyone to veganism.
No one is served by HSUS's sensationalistic videos. They just drive a deeper wedge between perception and reality.
Posted on 04/07/2010 at 03:27 PM by the HumaneWatch Team
The Best of HumaneWatch • Animal Agriculture • Eggs • (19) CommentsComments
Its the same ploy that Hitler used to turn decent, honest hard working germans into the anti-jewish fanatics they became. Pacelle knows exactly how to infuriate a populace that is ignorant to the ways of honest animal agriculture. Nothing but total veganism will satisfy Pacelle and his cronies in the ARA’s.
I’m sorry David but your way off your marker on this one. Your refuting HSUS’s claims against caged hen abuse by saying that since HSUS doesn’t show the entire investigation, it doesn’t merit any credibility? The very fact that the hen investigation shows animals suffering and languishing in their own filth should be evidence enough that these animals are living in horrid conditions. Even if the incidents are far and wide in between (which we don’t know), it’s still the fact that it’s occurring.
There are many people who don’t support the HSUS but we still care about animals. Don’t ever make that mistake.
Lets see. If I sent 4 people following police officers around with undercover cameras for two months, I’ll bet I could get anyone who wasn’t familiar with cars to think from 2 mins of video that they were the biggest death traps one had ever seen. Can you imagine what awful gruesome footage you would likely get? Perhaps we should ban all cars. Free range people!
I’ll bet you could find some pretty nasty cases of people abusing people too, doesn’t mean it’s happening in every house.
Great story, keep up the good work. Hey, maybe we should send undercover cameras into certain animal shelters, I’m sure given enough time and video we could make an HSUS type documentary showing the horrors of life in a cage at an animal shelter. Also, we should start pushing for “Cage Free” Animal Shelters.
Dave, regarding your comments below: These operations support hundred of thousands of birds. One should not reach a conclusion on an organization or an industry based on selective accounts which are sought out and exploited for the purpose of pursuing an agenda.
“The very fact that the hen investigation shows animals suffering and languishing in their own filth should be evidence enough that these animals are living in horrid conditions. Even if the incidents are far and wide in between (which we don’t know), it’s still the fact that it’s occurring.”
I don’t worry about the way farm animals are kept farmers know how to take care of livestock, I’ve worked on different farms. My belief is kill ‘em and grill ‘em—t-bone is my favorite food.
No one in the room challenged him because no one in the room was from Iowa! Did we forget that the Iowans were refused entry to this “press conference”?
I’m a vegetarian and believe in the IDEA of the Humane Society but appreciate outside parties keeping an eye on the organization to prove or disprove its’ honesty (since, let’s face it, organizations tend to be greedy and lie a lot).
With that said, I do have a problem with the whole idea of “less animals would die if everyone ate a meat/dairy diet.” I read the article, and I understand what they’re trying to say (and it was rather interesting—poor voles!), but I think there is a way we could make the world a more animal friendly place while not imposing lifestyle choices when it comes to food.
I think slaughterhouses definitely need to be monitored regularly to ensure that the animals are living in suitable conditions and are killed humanely (as humanely as violently extinguishing one’s life can be, that is). I also think we should support more local farmers.
I get my eggs and milk from a friend of mine whose family owns a farm and I plan on keeping a vegetable garden and owning some livestock one day too (although, being a vegetarian, I wont be eating any of them). I know that this kind of choice (supporting local farmers) wouldn’t really be effective in cities (where people tend to not even have yards), but for suburban/rural goers, this option is available.
You may not agree that becoming a vegan is a viable goal as numerous members of the Humane Society do, but there are still various campaigns the Humane Society supports that you may agree with. After all, like the Humane Society, you believe that animals should be treated as humanely as possible. I am not a full-time vegan either, but I, and possibly you, still agree with the Humane Society on numerous issues, and on the fact that there is no reason for unnecessary animal suffering to occur. It is possible to work for people who do not agree on everything to focus on what they do agree upon and work together for the good of society.
No, Jack at 05:04 AM, that would only work if the HSUS was an honest broker. As they are really animal rightists disguising themselves as animal welfarists, all of the programs are fraudulent. See http://humanewatch.org/index.php/site/post/how_the_egg_industry_should_respond_to_hsuss_investigation/ for the proper way to approach the HSUS.
Simple argument against cage-free:
Mortality rate ~5% in cage operations
Mortality rate ~20% cage-free operations
How is it “humane” to increase the number of birds dying before harvest?
I love veggies and meat both and encourage a well balanced meal. I’d just like to remind people that HSUS does not support your local Humane Society. That’s the BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION and why the HSUS is getting so much support. they’d like to stop dog shows (they call them animal slaves) and dressing dogs up and being indoors. They’d like to stop ALL animal ag and other commercial ag as well. Their agenda? Fill Pacelle’s attorney friends’ pockets w/ money! All animal lovers, all types of food eaters (veg & meat) beware!
its easy to feed the media just invite friendly media that will print what ever you hand them and screen all the others out and ask questions?that would be real interesting but they don’t want you to question what they are doing just bow down and follow
HSUS videos = the “Reefer Madness” of the vegan set.
With all the crap from both sides , who knows what to believe I support the poor animals
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Keep up the good work, guys. If I really believed HSUS was a legit animal welfare organization - and that belief died long before this site was launched or I heard of your efforts - I’d believe they could be reformed or repaired. But they are in the business of deception, now - deception and feeding their own bank accounts. There are legitimate organizations that are looking at the treatment of farm animals, and I believe that it is possible to respect the interests of farmers, animals, and the public which needs healthy, affordable food. But that will only happen if the people looking for solutions believe that the humans in the equation deserve respect, too.