Bill to Prevent Cruelty to Veal Calves Killed by Agribusiness Lobby

Published on January 12, 2004 by Farm Sanctuary

Popular Humane Legislation Stopped at Last Minute on Assembly Floor

Trenton, NJ: New Jersey lost an opportunity to prevent the cruel treatment of veal calves when Joe Roberts, the Assembly majority leader, blocked the veal bill from coming up for a vote on the Assembly floor. The measure, which already passed in the New Jersey senate, had enough votes to pass in the Assembly had a vote been allowed on January 12, the last voting session of the year.

The veal bill was supported by a five to one margin among New Jersey citizens, according to a poll by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Humane organizations, veterinarians, businesses, farmers, and celebrities, including Mary Tyler Moore, actively supported the bill. Assemblyman Roberts refused to allow a vote, despite hearing from thousands of citizens urging him to do so.

The legislation would have required that calves who are raised for veal be provided enough space to turn around. And it would have required that calves be given adequate dietary iron to prevent anemia, and adequate fiber to allow their digestive systems to develop normally. While New Jersey is not a significant veal-producing state currently, it is a major veal calf slaughtering state, and there are concerns that inhumane veal operations will move into New Jersey in the absence of this legislation.

To produce veal, calves are typically chained by their necks in small crates. This is where they spend their entire lives, unable to walk, turn around, or even lie down comfortably. They are fed an all-liquid diet that is lacking in iron and fiber, which produces borderline anemia and the pale-colored flesh sold as veal. Such cruelty has been outlawed in other countries, and it should be prohibited in the United States, as well.

"The veal bill is a common sense proposal that requires calves to be given basic humane consideration," said Farm Sanctuary president, Gene Bauston. "This legislation has widespread support throughout New Jersey, and it is very frustrating that a couple of Assembly members aligned with agribusiness could block the bill at the last minute. By refusing to allow a vote, Assemblyman Roberts has served the narrow interests of the factory farming industry to the detriment of broader popular concerns and basic human decency."

With over 100,000 active members across the country, including celebrities Casey Affleck, Kim Basinger, Noah Wyle, Alicia Silverstone, and Hollywood legend Mary Tyler Moore, Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading voice for farm animals, works to end farm animal suffering through legislative and legal actions, cruelty investigations, humane education, public awareness projects, and direct rescue and shelter efforts.

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