Secret video footage: Can you protect yourself?
By Dairy Herd staff
| Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Farmers across
Critical to the success of Prop 2 was shocking footage shown on television commercials that aired regularly leading up to the election. Animal-rights activists who were posing as regular workers secretly filmed much of this footage.
The group that has produced most of the footage used in the Prop 2 campaign is Mercy for Animals, a non-profit group that claims to be committed to reducing cruelty in the production of animal products for food. But their true intentions are revealed through their web site, which directs visitors to adopt a vegan diet, and explains that the best thing concerned people can do is to embrace a diet free of dairy, eggs, meat, and other animal products. The truth is that this group does not want to reform the industries it attacks it wants to destroy them.
Now Mercy for Animals has surfaced again. From late 2008 to early 2009, an activist from the group infiltrated Quality Egg of New England by posing as a worker, and secretly took photographs and video allegedly cataloging widespread inhumane treatment of chickens on the farm. Quality Egg is the largest egg producer in
According to Mercy for Animals, their goal is to pass a Prop 2 style law in
The footage raises a number of questions. Does hidden-camera footage violate the privacy rights of others who are included in the footage? Does the footage accurately represent the general practices of the business, or does it show a few isolated incidents? Did company management know about the activities filmed? Did those activities violate company policies? Unfortunately, these questions will likely never be answered, as the public will have the negative footage as their only impression of this business.
All agricultural operations that deal in animal-based commodities must be aware of the smear campaign that organizations like Mercy for Animals are pursuing, and must take steps to protect themselves as follows:
- Maintain an employee handbook that strictly prohibits cruelty to animals, and enforce the rule on a “zero tolerance” basis
- Utilize surveillance cameras in animal-care areas and monitor to ensure proper treatment of animals by employees
- Maintain the premises and keep barns and other areas as clean as is reasonably possible;
- Use written job applications and require applicants to provide references. Check employment references before you hire an applicant
- Participate in your industry associations to build political strength. Community outreach is also very important. Your typical grocery consumer has never seen where eggs, milk, and other animal products come from. Be proud of your industry, and share that pride with your community.
Everyone agrees that proper treatment of farm animals is important. We cannot allow the agenda of extremists who want to end the consumption of all animal-based foods to dominate the political landscape. Ask yourself how your operation would look to an urban consumer if it were shown on TV, and what you can do to improve perceptions and impressions of your farm and your industry.
Source: Anthony Raimondo, McCormick
