Tag Archives: factory farming

Not eating poultry – always in style! … An industry built on suffering

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They’re not chickens and they’re not dinner, but they’re lovely strutting before this cute little blue South Worcester home! Go, Worcester’s inner-city, go!!! pic:R.T.

By Dan Paden

What’s the backbone of the poultry industry?

Suffering.

And few touched by this industry escape unscathed.

Earlier this year, an Oxfam report found that workers at this country’s four largest chicken conglomerates are ignored, ridiculed or even threatened with being fired if they dare to ask for or take “unscheduled” bathroom breaks. Those who are unable to “hold it” are forced to urinate or defecate in place, while working the processing line—a demeaning and disgusting prospect. Some have resorted to wearing diapers while on the job.

Workers take additional hits in the form of ridiculously low wages and exposure to dangerous air conditions that may lead to asthma, bronchitis or other chronic respiratory illnesses. Those who work in slaughterhouses may lose fingertips—or even worse—to the machinery.

The poultry industry also turns a blind eye to the environment. Three of the top 15 U.S. waterway polluters are chicken companies, and poultry producers suck up clean water at an alarming rate. Chicken farms pump harmful bacteria and other pollutants into the air, potentially sickening nearby communities. And ironically, the current industry trend toward organic chicken—which produces smaller animals—exacerbates environmental decay: Raising smaller chickens means that the number of birds has to go up in order to meet demand, which, in turn, means more water wasted and hundreds of thousands of extra tons of manure to cope with (not to mention a larger number of suffering individuals).

In light of its complete disregard for its own workers and even the very air we breathe, it’s no surprise that the poultry industry condemns chickens, too, to widespread suffering. These inquisitive, clever animals are raised in filthy, windowless sheds, crammed in by the thousands, with virtually no opportunity to engage in natural forms of behavior, such as dustbathing and roosting. At slaughter time, they’ll be crammed into open-air trucks in the dead of night and transported through all weather extremes to the slaughterhouse. Some birds will die along the way, succumbing to dehydration, heat exhaustion or freezing temperatures or crushed under the weight of their cagemates.

The survivors will have their legs forcibly jammed into shackles, and as they hang helplessly upside-down, their throats will be cut by a spinning blade. But not all will die immediately: Each year, nearly 1 million birds will still be conscious when they are immersed in scalding-hot water so that their feathers can be removed.

Even at birth, chickens are shown little kindness. A recent PETA exposé of a massive North Carolina hatchery operated by Sanderson Farms, Inc.—also one of the companies cited by Oxfam’s damning report—documented that chicks who hatched later than expected were often left to suffer in barren plastic crates. These hours-old babies—deprived of warmth, comfort and mothering—are seen gasping for air, some too weak to stand or lift their heads. Discarded but still-living chicks were dropped into a giant grinding machine called a macerator—but some fell to the side and were simply left alone to languish and die.

Perhaps what’s most shocking is that in the poultry industry, it’s standard practice for unwanted chicks to be ground up alive, just as it’s standard practice to confine older birds for their entire lives to windowless sheds. None of this everyday suffering is illegal in the many states whose anti-cruelty statutes exempt “normal” factory-farming practices.

Most consumers, though, have no idea that when they buy eggs, chicken, other types of meat or even dairy foods at the grocery store, they are financially supporting institutionalized abuse. Investigations by PETA and other concerned groups into the abuse that occurs out of the public eye are crucial for consumers to understand where their foods come from. But across the country, anti-whistleblower laws (commonly referred to as “ag-gag” laws)—which block people from documenting and exposing cruelty to animals—threaten these vital investigations. Such laws protect abusers, never the abused.

All those chicken fingers, buffalo wings, rotisserie-roasted breasts—every single purchase contributes to suffering. Every single purchase declares your support for the abusers rather than for the abused. Stick up for the abused: Go vegan!

As our nation mourns, remember that love conquers hate

By Mitch Goldsmith

Like the rest of the nation, and as an openly gay man, I am stunned and heartbroken by the carnage in Orlando. While we as a society debate the factors—anti-gay sentiment, misguided fundamentalism, all-too-easy access to assault weapons—that led to the deadliest mass public shooting in American history, as President Obama rightly noted, “We know enough to say this was an act of terror, and an act of hate.”

Members of the LGBTQ community know what it’s like to feel the sting of mindless intolerance and hatred simply because of who we are. And for many of us, this experience of irrational bigotry informs our advocacy—not only for gay and transgender rights but also for the rights of others who are oppressed, including individuals of other species.

While our country mourns and discusses ways to prevent future outbreaks of such violence, if any good can come of this tragedy, I hope that it will engender continued progress against biases that harm so many of us who are perceived as “different,” including animals.

Animals’ lives are as important to them as ours are to us. They experience fear, love, grief, joy and pain just as we all do, though often their feelings are dismissed as unimportant. Billions of animals are slaughtered, experimented on, shot, poisoned, beaten, shackled, drowned and dissected. This happens routinely, despite the availability of kinder options.

If we truly reject violence, as we all say we do, we must reflect on the torment that animals are forced to endure every day, out of sight, just because they are deemed “different” from us and therefore easy to exploit. And then we must also act. By choosing to eat a vegan meal rather than a meat-based one, buying shampoo from a cruelty-free company or going to a concert rather than the circus, we can easily make a difference. These may seem like simple actions, but our day-to-day choices matter. How we go about our daily lives can perpetuate injustice, or help bring about fairness and tolerance.

I’m not the first person to make this connection, of course. Leaders of social justice movements have historically recognized that the liberation of one oppressed group is linked to the liberation of all the others. The best way to end bigotry is for social justice advocates of all stripes to work side by side.

Steven Simmons, a respected PETA staffer and gay rights activist who died of AIDS in the mid-1990s, wrote, “It’s time for us to end this hierarchy of who has the right to live, who deserves not to suffer, who should be respected, [the idea] that there’s a limit to the amount of compassion that we can have for our fellow creatures.”

It was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and it’s worth noting that after his passing, as the concepts of gay rights and animal rights began to spread, his widow, Coretta Scott King, became an outspoken LGBT advocate and a vegan.

Members of the LGBTQ community have fought long and hard to overcome the violence, hatred and prejudice directed at us just because of who we are, and the massacre in Orlando reminds us that there is still much work to be done. But as a society, we must not limit the scope of our concern. Those of us who sincerely want to foster a climate of compassion and peace must have the courage to speak out and stand up against all forms of violence.

Memo to the FDA: Label ‘unhealthy’ foods

By Heather Moore

Should we all pitch in and buy the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a dictionary? Apparently, the agency is looking for the modern definition of “healthy.” It seems to have no idea what the term means — or should mean — and it’s planning to ask the public for input.

Here’s my suggestion: Forget about “healthy” labels on food packaging. More people will pay attention if the government plasters “unhealthy” labels on packages of meat, eggs and dairy products.

There’s no doubt that federal officials need to catch up with current ideas about what’s healthy — and what’s not. For example, the government still allows “pink slime” — bright pink ammonia-treated meat — to be used as filler in ground beef and permits schools to count pizza as a vegetable if it contains at least two tablespoonfuls of tomato paste. When it isn’t trying to determine whether vegan mayo counts as mayo without the inclusion of artery-clogging eggs, it’s making nutty demands about snack labels. Last year, the FDA warned a manufacturer of fruit-and-nut bars to stop using the term “healthy” on its packaging because the heart-healthy fats in nuts don’t meet the current labeling criteria. While that warning was recently rescinded, the fiasco reportedly prompted the FDA to review its antiquated “healthy” labels.

Here’s why meat, eggs and dairy products should never receive the stamp of approval: Animal-based foods contain cholesterol and saturated fat, which can build up inside the coronary arteries, putting a person at risk for a heart attack. Meat and other animal-based foods can also cause cancer, diabetes, strokes and other life-threatening illnesses.

A new study by the Mayo Clinic in Arizona shows that you can increase your life expectancy by about four years — and probably enhance your quality of life, too — by eating plant-based foods rather than animal-based ones. Researchers analyzed six studies involving more than 1.5 million people and, among other conclusions, determined that processed meat significantly increases the risk of mortality and that people who eat little to no meat may be up to 50 percent less likely to die prematurely than people who eat a lot of meat. Other studies suggest that people who eat plant-based foods live up to 10 years longer than meat-eaters and that vegans are less likely to suffer from debilitating diseases.

In March, the Netherlands began officially advising people to eat significantly less meat — no more than two servings per week — and instead to eat plant-based foods, including beans and nuts. The United Kingdom also recently encouraged its residents to replace several servings of animal protein with healthy vegan foods.

Isn’t it time the U.S. did the same?

In 2012, the government began putting nutrition labels on certain types of raw meat so that shoppers could see how many calories — and how much fat, cholesterol and sodium — are in chicken breasts, steaks, pork chops and other types of meat. It was a good start, but labels proclaiming, “Warning: Consumption of this product can cause heart disease, cancer and other diseases that can lead to premature death,” would be much more effective.

I’ll settle for “unhealthy,” though. It’s concise and easy to understand. And while I won’t hold my breath waiting for the government to require labels reminding shoppers that each package of meat contains the decaying flesh of a dead, dismembered animal, that would make a difference, too.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait for government labels in order to make healthy, humane choices. We can just do it ourselves. If you care about your health—as well as animals and the environment — just choose wholesome vegan foods. Nowadays, no one needs a dictionary to know what “vegan” means – not even the FDA.

Top Tips for a Vegan Christmas Feast!

 

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From PETA.ORG … Click on the blue text to see the information!

1.   Succulent main courses: There are plenty of ready-to-eat choices, but PETA’s pick is Gardein’s new Savory Stuffed Turk’y. Other flavorful options include Turtle Island Foods’ Tofurky Roast and Field Roast’s Celebration Roast.

2.   Veganize the classics: You can easily use vegetable stock, vegan margarine, and unsweetened soy milk to veganize family favorites such as stuffing andmashed potatoes with gravy. In bread and savory dishes, use Ener-G Egg Replacer instead of eggs, and in sweet baked goods, use apple sauce or bananas. Refer to these articles for more specifics on replacements for dairy products and eggs.

3.   Divine desserts: Decadent nondairy, egg-free desserts from New York City’s famous Candle Café are now available at most Whole Foods Market locations. If you purchase all four varieties, I only wish your guests the best of luck as they struggle to choose between Chocolate Mouse Tart, Raspberry Linzer Tart, Vanilla Cheesecake, and Chocolate–Peanut Butter Tart. If there isn’t a Whole Foods near you, make your own vegan desserts at home.

4.   Cruelty-free cookbooks: If you choose to whip up your own vegan dishes, I recommend picking up The Kind Diet by vegan Alicia Silverstone orThe New York Times bestseller The Conscious Cook by vegan chef Tal Ronnen.

The big turkey-“gobbling” (up) holidays are here! Save a bird! Save your waistline and heart! Go veggie this holiday season!


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Paul McCartney became a vegan after he met the lovely Linda Eastman. They married, gave birth to WINGS, children and not a few veggie cookbooks! Their daughter Stella is an internationally feted fashion designer. Every piece of clothing, every shoe, sandal, purse she designs is 100% vegan – no animals killed to make her fashion.

Paul has been collaborating with PETA for years.  Learn from the cutest Beatle!

Want to speak out for turkeys, like Paul? PETA says: “Wear this “Eat No Turkey” T-shirt while you go vegan this holiday season.” (to order your T-shirt, click on blue text!)

– R.  Tirella

FROM PETA.ORG (click on blue text for more info!):

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and, of course, food! This Thanksgiving, Paul McCartney is urging you to say “no, thanks” to turkey and “yes” to a delicious, cruelty-free holiday meal.

Paul is no stranger to the world of meat-free meals—his powerful narration of PETA’s “Glass Walls” video illustrates his notion that “if slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.”

Like chickens, the 300 million turkeys raised and killed for their flesh every year in the United States have no federal legal protection.

More than 45 million turkeys are killed each year at Thanksgiving alone, and more than 22 million die at Christmas.

Speak out for turkeys this Thanksgiving and Christmas!

(And definitely don’t eat them! – R.T.)

Go meat-less this holiday season!

Holiday time doesn’t have to be turkey-, pig-, or chicken-killing time! Besides, why gain all the extra holiday weight by eating animal fat?

Since I’ve pretty much stopped eating meat/animal fat, I’ve lost weight, feel “lighter” … and last week my yearly physical results came in: This old broad’s cholesterol level, BMI, blood pressure, sugar level, thyroid, iron, vitamin D, etc, etc normal to excellent!!

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Rosalie – old vegetarian broad!

Everyone’s always amazed that my blood pressure level is excellent, what with InCity Times, Jett and my screwy life in general. I say to them: GO VEGGIE and you can do ANYTHING!

I really believe vegetarianism/MUCH LESS ANIMAL meat and fat is the way to go for all us middle-aged folks! It keeps us trim and healthy! Without all that much work!

Here are protein sources to be wolfing down if you go meatless!

 – Rosalie Tirella

From PETA.ORG:

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Vegans are constantly asked where they get their protein, when, in fact, protein is one of the easiest nutrients to find! These are just some examples of foods with a high protein value but no cholesterol or cruelty to animals. Not only are these foods easy to find and affordable, they’re also delicious!

1. Black beans

Black beans can be served alone or as a side. They also taste great in burritos, enchiladas, homemade patties, soups, or chili. They can even be added to baked goods!

Try these black-bean veggie burgers.

2. Tofu

You can marinate it, sauté it, grill it, mash it, bake it, and even blend it. Tofu will absorb any flavor that you put on it, which makes it suitable for many recipes. Add it to tacos, sandwiches, salads, or baked goods. It can also be used to make sauces, creams, or smoothies.

Try these Thai tofu lettuce wraps.

3. Nuts

There is a large variety of nuts, and they are all versatile and delicious. You can make vegan cheese sauces, nut milks, nut butters, and even faux meats from different types of nuts.

Try this nacho recipe using cashews.

4. Tempeh

Tempeh absorbs any flavor, just as tofu does. It can also be fried, baked, sautéed, or grilled. Tempeh can be used in pastas, sandwiches, tacos, chili, and many other dishes.

Try this tempeh Reuben sandwich.

5. Garbanzos

Garbanzo beans or chickpeas are a versatile legume. Add them to salads, soups, or wraps. You can mash them to form patties or blend them to create hummus.

Try this sandwich with mashed garbanzo beans.

6. Broccoli

Broccoli is a lean, green protein. You can add steamed broccoli to stir-fries, salads, or pastas. You can also add it to soups whole or blend it for a healthy green soup.

Try this tofu, rice, and broccoli dish.

7. Quinoa

You can use quinoa anywhere that you would use rice—as a side dish, mixed with veggies, inside a burrito, or on a salad. It can also be used to form faux burger patties.

Try this quinoa salad.

8. Lentils

Lentils can be added to tacos, burritos, soups, stews, and salads and can also be used to form faux meats, such as lentil burger patties. They’re quick and easy to make, too.

Try these lentil cakes.

9. Potato

Potatoes get a bad rap, but they can actually be good for you because of their high protein content. Dice them, and add them to your burritos, tofu scrambles, tacos, and stews. Or you can cut them lengthwise and bake them for a healthier version of French fries.

Try this creamy dill potato salad.

10. Mushrooms

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There are various types of mushrooms, and they can be sliced or served whole. Use them in pastas, stir-fries, or tacos or on pizzas or serve them in a burger.

Try this mushroom risotto.

These are just 10 of the top protein sources, but there are many more! The number of recipes that you can make with these foods is endless, so get creative!



Read more: http://www.peta.org/living/food/top-10-vegan-protein-sources/#ixzz3HM6vNP79

REC Farmers Gala special!

Farmers Gala 2014!

The REC invites you to celebrate our 8th annual fall fundraising gala—with a new name, theme and venue! 

Join us at the all new Farmers GalaThursday, October 23rd, 2014,

6 pm – 9 pm, at the Citizen Wine Bar, 1 Exchange Street in downtown Worcester. 

 SPECIAL:  Early Bird Tickets!!!  – $60 (must purchase tix by October 9)

This tasting event will feature specially prepared dishes and drinks made with local ingredients.

Mix and mingle with other guests and savor the opportunity to meet and talk with the farmers who grew the food we’ll be enjoying.

Live music, a silent auction, and an award ceremony will all contribute to the fun!

  Please register by October 17, 2014

 Don’t forget! SPECIAL:  Early Bird Tickets – $60 (by October 9)

Standard Tickets – $75 (beginning October 10th)

This event is limited to 200 guests.

For more information please contact
508.799.9139 or info@recworcester.org

All proceeds will support the work of the REC–community & school gardens, farmers’ markets, urban agriculture, youth development & employment, neighborhood cleanups, and community organizing for
environmental health & justice

Transparency in food labeling should include how animals are treated

By Dan Paden

According to a poll released last year, the vast majority of us favor transparency in food labeling. Eighty-two percent of respondents said that foods containing genetically modified ingredients should be labeled as such, and in May, Vermont passed the nation’s first GMO labeling law. For most of us, our food matters. We want to know if what we’re buying and eating is locally grown or organic or sustainable. I would add one more criterion to that list: Are the foods we eat kind or cruel? If you consume meat and other animal products, the answer is the latter.

Every time PETA has sent an investigator to a factory farm, we’ve found cruelty and unmitigated suffering. Every single time. Our latest investigation is no exception. For more than two months, a PETA investigator worked at a pig factory farm owned by a worldwide leader in pig breeding. The company is a leading U.S. supplier of pig semen and of sows who are sold to other meat companies and will be artificially inseminated. When most of us think of GMOs, we probably think about corn or soybeans, but animals are also routinely genetically manipulated for our dinner plates.

At this facility, lame and injured pigs were left to languish without any apparent veterinary care. PETA’s investigator documented one pig who pitifully dragged himself along the hard floor by his front legs, until he collapsed, apparently exhausted. He lay immobile for days in a pen with other pigs, unable to eat or drink, and was finally hauled to slaughter. Other pigs suffer from rectal prolapse, a painful condition in which internal tissue protrudes from the anus, or “belly ruptures,” in which the animals’ abdomens bulge with protruding intestines—again, without any apparent veterinary care.

Lame and injured animals are simply put in what workers call the “junk pen” and are held there until they are taken to the slaughterhouse. Mother pigs are confined to metal crates so small that they can’t even turn around, and many develop painful ulcers on their shoulders from the constant pressure of lying, nearly immobile, on the hard slatted floor. Their crying, writhing piglets are castrated—without any anesthetics or pain relief whatsoever—right in front of them. Mother pigs are fiercely protective, and some thrashed and struggled in the metal crates or tried to bite the workers in a desperate attempt to protect their precious babies. Boars used for semen production are also confined to tight metal crates, jammed together inside a filthy shed.

Many pigs at this facility die in the sheds where animals are fattened for later breeding or slaughter, and a company vice president blamed some of the deaths on workers’ “not really caring about the pigs.” At this factory farm—as at others—animals are viewed as commodities, not as the smart, social, feeling individuals they are. Unwanted pigs have the word “CULL” callously spray-painted on their backs, and they are eventually taken to slaughter. We have a right to know where our food comes from and how it is produced. That’s the impetus behind the movement to require labels on GMO foods.

We should also insist on transparency when it comes to the way that animals who are raised and killed for food are treated. Until that day comes, there’s one thing that we as consumers can do to ensure that we are not supporting animal suffering with our food choices: Look for the label that says “vegan.”

Poll shows 90% of Mass. voters support legislation to protect farm animals

A Massachusetts bill to prohibit certain extreme confinement farming practices has overwhelming support from voters, a new statewide survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research reveals.
H.1456 would prohibit the most extreme forms of confinement for breeding pigs, veal calves and egg-laying hens in small crates and cages.
The poll found that at least 90 percent of Massachusetts voters favor outlawing extreme confinement of certain farm animals, while only 5 percent oppose it.
Large majorities in all demographic groups, regions of the state, and party affiliations expressed strong support.
In the pork industry, most breeding pigs are confined for years in immobilizing gestation crates. Many veal calves are similarly immobilized for their entire lives. And more than 90 percent of egg-laying hens are confined to barren battery cages, which are so restrictive the birds can’t extend their wings.
Eighty-two percent of those surveyed reported they were more likely to support a lawmaker who votes for legislation to prohibit extreme confinement, while only 3 percent would be less likely to do so.
The poll of 625 statewide Massachusetts voters was conducted by telephone from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27, 2014. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent.
Survey Results

QUESTION: Pigs used for breeding and calves used for veal on large farms are often confined to two-foot-wide metal cages knows as “gestation crates” and “veal crates,” respectively. In these crates, the animals do not have enough room to turn around for nearly their entire lives.
Would you support or oppose a bill that would require pigs and calves have sufficient space to be able to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs?
STATE
MEN
WOMEN
DEMS
REPS
INDS
SUPPORT
92%
90%
94%
94%
89%
91%
OPPOSE
5%
6%
4%
4%
8%
6%
UNDECIDED
3%
4%
2%
2%
3%
3%
BOSTON METRO
EASTERN MA
WESTERN MA
SUPPORT
95%
91%
88%
OPPOSE
3%
6%
7%
UNDECIDED
2%
3%
5%
QUESTION: If the legislature passed a bill allowing pigs and calves to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs, would you support or oppose Governor Patrick signing the bill into law?
STATE
MEN
WOMEN
DEMS
REPS
INDS
SUPPORT
91%
88%
93%
94%
88%
90%
OPPOSE
4%
6%
3%
3%
7%
5%
UNDECIDED
5%
6%
4%
3%
5%
5%
BOSTON METRO
EASTERN MA
WESTERN MA
SUPPORT
94%
89%
88%
OPPOSE
4%
4%
5%
UNDECIDED
2%
7%
7%
QUESTION: Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a state legislator who voted for a bill that allows pigs and calves to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs?
STATE
MEN
WOMEN
DEMS
REPS
INDS
MORE
82%
79%
84%
86%
75%
82%
LESS
3%
5%
2%
2%
5%
3%
NO EFFECT
15%
16%
14%
12%
20%
15%
BOSTON METRO
EASTERN MA
WESTERN MA
MORE
83%
85%
77%
LESS
3%
3%
3%
NO EFFECT
14%
12%
20%
QUESTION: Hens used for egg production are often confined in metal cages that are too small for the birds to extend their wings. Would you support or oppose a bill that would require hens have sufficient space to be able to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their wings?
STATE
MEN
WOMEN
DEMS
REPS
INDS
SUPPORT
90%
88%
91%
93%
89%
88%
OPPOSE
5%
5%
5%
4%
7%
5%
UNDECIDED
5%
7%
4%
3%
4%
7%
BOSTON METRO
EASTERN MA
WESTERN MA
SUPPORT
96%
90%
89%
OPPOSE
3%
7%
5%
UNDECIDED
1%
3%
6%

Worcester celebrates healthy foods and humane farming in a big way!

Worcester Celebrates Food Day in a Big Way!

Food Day will be celebrated at Worcester State University on October 24 with a film festival, workshop series and a farmers’ market. The Canal District Farmers’ Market will celebrate in Kelly Square on Thursday the 24 from 3 pm – 7 pm. At the Community Harvest Project in North Grafton a kid-friendly film and free taco bar by Chipotle will also happen on the 24th at 5:30.

All events are free and open to the public and details can be found at http://worcesterfoodday.org.

The event committee, comprised of organizations including the Regional Environmental Council, Worcester Food & Active Living Policy Council, Worcester State University, WooFood, YMCA, Community Harvest Project, and the MA Farm to School Project are planning a family-fun day filled with activities including local produce for sale, kids activities, home gardening demonstrations, nutrition and health screenings, information booths from local community partners, and live entertainment.

“Food Day is not only an excellent opportunity for communities to celebrate all the exciting work being done in Worcester around healthy food, it is also a time for our residents to see their role in our local food system,” stated Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Michael Hirsh. “Many are unaware that right here in Worcester we have over 60 community and school gardens, a Mobile Farmers’ Market and numerous additional great resources that are providing locally grown, healthy food year round. Food Day is a great time to highlight this work and continue with the momentum of assuring healthy food access, sustainability and promotion in our City. The phrase”you are what you eat” applies to both individuals and to the Central Mass. Regional Public Health Alliance as a whole”.

Food Day acknowledges this reality and celebrates our regional efforts to prove our Public Health with better nutrition equitably distributed.

Food Day is a national campaign to draw attention to and celebrate healthy, affordable foods produced in a humane, sustainable way and to fix the food system by:

· Promote safer, healthier diets

· Support sustainable and organic farms

· Reduce hunger

· Reform factory farms to protect animals and the environment

· Support fair working conditions for food and farm workers