Animal Exploitation: Brought to You by “Animal Advocates”

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I regularly get newsletters from the Global Animal Partnership (GAP), about which I have written before.

The most recent GAP newsletter features an interview with Wayne Langston, VP of Production for Panorama, Grass-fed Meats- a company based in California that sells Organic, 100% Grass-Fed beef, which has a Step 4 happy exploitation designation.

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The picture should be captioned: “Here we are with a victim of speciesism whom we will soon slaughter but it’s all okay because HSUS President Wayne Pacelle and Compassion in world Farming Director Leah Garces sit on the Board of the GAP. And PETA, HSUS, Farm Sanctuary, Mercy for Animals, and Compassion Over Killing all publicly expressed “appreciation and support” for the “pioneering” program of happy exploitation that resulted in the 5-Step program. So eat up. The ‘animal people’ have put a big stamp of approval on it!”

GAP is

a non-profit alliance of producers, retailers, animal advocates and scientists dedicated to improving farm animal welfare through the 5-Step® Animal Welfare Rating Program. We facilitate continuous improvement in animal agriculture across the USA, Canada, and Australia through our 5-Step animal welfare standards and third-party certification. We are committed to informing and empowering consumers and recognizing and rewarding farmers and ranchers for raising their animals in a welfare-friendly way.

ALL of the major “animal advocacy” organizations gave their public blessing to the Whole Foods Animal Compassionate standards that became the GAP 5-Step happy exploitation program.

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Although these organizations, will, when talking with vegans, claim to not support happy exploitation, any such claim is clearly, unequivocally, and unquestionably false.

The calf in that picture will be dead soon. And his death will bear the stamp of approval from the “animal movement.”

I am regularly attacked by “animal advocates” who say that I should not criticize other “animal advocates” because we’re all on the “same side” and we need “unity.” To my welfarist friends: I am not on the side of this obscenity. I oppose animal exploitation. You promote it. Please stop.

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If you are not vegan, please go vegan. Veganism is about nonviolence. First and foremost, it’s about nonviolence to other sentient beings. But it’s also about nonviolence to the earth and nonviolence to yourself.

If animals matter morally, veganism is not an option–it is a necessity. Anything that claims to be an animal rights movement must make clear that veganism is a moral imperative.

The World is Vegan! If you want it.

Gary L. Francione
Board of Governors Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University

©2015 Gary L. Francione

Related posts:

  1. Some “Animal Advocates” Never Miss An Opportunity to Exploit Animal Exploitation
  2. The Problem: “Animal Advocates” Who Promote Animal Exploitation
  3. Enabling Animal Exploitation
  4. The “Happy Exploitation” Partnership
  5. Animal Welfare Regulation, “Happy Exploitation,” and Speciesism