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Americans could barely believe their eyes when shown the sickening mistreatment of downer cows at a Southern California slaughter plant earlier this year. An investigator for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) went undercover there and documented ailing dairy cows unable to walk being brutalized in order to get them into the

slaughter area. Government inspectors and plant management either missed the abuse or allowed it to go on. After the disturbing video came to light, criminal charges were filed against plant workers, the nation's largest-ever meat recall was initiated, and then the U.S. Agriculture Secretary announced on May 20th that his agency would no longer allow the meat from downer cattle onto our food plates.

This investigation shows us we cannot always wait for the government and the leaders of the factory farming industry to protect animals from abuse or to guard us from food safety threats. That's why a coalition including The HSUS and other animal protection groups, veterinarians, environmentalists, family farmers, and food safety advocates led an effort in which nearly 800,000 Californians signed petitions to place an anti-cruelty ballot initiative on the November 2008 ballot.

The principle behind the 'Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act' is simple: All animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food. Specifically, the measure seeks to afford animals raised for food the opportunity to turn around and extend their limbs. It will prevent three of the worst factory farming abuses: veal crates for young male calves, gestation crates for breeding pigs, and battery cages for egg-laying hens.

-- read full article: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/05/the_prevention.html