This is the third and final report in a three-part series on animal welfare.
Right-click on the audio players below to download audio.
Who should be responsible for the way that livestock is raised and ensuring that such practices are humane? Perhaps no other question better encapsulates the animal welfare debate as that, and according to Protect the Harvest Senior Consultant Wayne Yocum, there’s no higher authority than the men and women who work with livestock day in and day out.
Humane Society of the United States President and CEO Wayne Pacelle says that’s an oversimplification and points to the diversity of his organization as a key factor in their credibility.
While both organizations have credible arguments, litigation appears to be more effective in the present; on November 16 HSUS reached a partial settlement with the now-bankrupt Hallmark Meat Packing Company, responsible for a 2008 scandal in California concerning abuse of downed animals whose meat later entered the National School Lunch Program. The original settlement figure, just under $500 million, is the largest court judgement ever entered for animal abuse, but will not be collected due to the defendant’s insolvency.
