Chiken

Slide 2 :CHOKING ON CHICKEN Carlita Martinez Race, Poverty and the Environment, URBS 515 Professor Raquel R. Pinderhughes Urban Studies Program, San Francisco State University, Spring 2003 Public has permission to use the material herein, but only if author, course, university and professor are credited.


Slide 3 :This presentation focuses on chicken and the poultry industry in the United States. It is designed to inform and enlighten us on the conditions of the poultry industry in a cradle to grave analyses, paying special attention to the social, environmental and public health impacts associated with the processes of the poultry industry. We will start by looking at the history of the poultry industry in the U.S. and follow with observing the impacts of the industry on our labor force, business, environment, health and animals.


Choking on chicken :Choking on chicken


Slide 6 :Which came first the chicken or the egg... Genesis 1:24


Slide 7 :A question left open to personal interpretation or simply left unanswered… No matter what the interpretation, the chicken and the egg have both found a profound place in American culture and eating habits.


Slide 9 :The consumption of egg and chicken in the U.S. and around the world has created a massive poultry industry with many facets and enormous problems. Most of the nations poultry is under control of giant agribusiness which are imposing factory production processes that are fundamentally changing the U.S. food supply. These production practices have serious consequences to our: * HEALTH * ANIAMLS * CHILDREN * WATER * LAND * FARMS * JUSTICE IN OUR LABOR FORCE


Slide 10 :The agribusiness transitions from human to mechanized power to chemical to genetically engineered have increased productivity, but have not decreased the health and safety stresses upon farmers, labor, the environment and our food supply.


Slide 11 :Chickens are creatures of the earth who no longer live on the land. If there is such a thing as earth rights, the right of a creature to experience directly the earth from which it derives and on which its happiness in life depends, then chickens have been striped of theirs, They have not changed; however, the world in which they live has been disrupted for human convenience against their will. Karen Davis (1)


A Little History….. :A Little History…..


Slide 13 :People have kept chickens for thousands of years. The species has been traced back to the tropical forest of Southeast Asia spreading to India, Europe, Africa and China through commercial and military activities. Egyptian records reference chickens as early as fourteen century B.C. Original interest may have been for entertainment of cock fighting until later realized for their meet and eggs. (2)


Slide 14 :In the 17th and 18th centuries boatloads of Europeans brought chicken to America as they settled the new world. Chickens were easy to care for and provided meat and eggs for the journey and became the mainstay in every colonial farm. The San Francisco Gold Rush explosion in 1850’s would create demand for eggs and poultry in the West. Sonoma County, California, was the largest producers of poultry, home now to the largest vineyards in the U.S..


Slide 15 :After the Civil War poultry production increased throughout the United States with chickens still having free range life styles and small country business operations.


Slide 16 :Women and children were the primary handles of poultry in the U.S. until small farm operations turned into business enterprises. Men’s attitude was it was beneath them. As one woman put it, “my’ flock turned into “our” flock and ultimately “his” flock. (3) Karen Davis


Development: :Development: The poultry industry of the United States had been a home based operation for more than two hundred years. The growing practice in raising chickens in hen houses and controlling diseases from over crowded conditions helped frame the attitude and practices of raising animals today, these practices are extensions from the past. The 1920’s saw the development of hatcheries and artificial incubators, science programs and research facilities set up by Quaker Oats, Purina, and Mills.


Slide 18 :Freemont, California would launch one of the first modern genetic research programs that worked on egg breeding traits and vaccines to cope with chicken diseases that developed from genetic manipulations and over crowding. By the 1940 and 1950s urban population growth would give rise to a higher demand of chicken meat and eggs. Breeding chicken as an economic enterprise would begin. Transformation of local industry and small farms would see the beginning of a new era of industry.


Slide 20 :Automation of the industry would push small farms/ firms out of business. After WWII the “broiler processing industry” would begin. This process was the demand for eviscerated poultry. (chicken insides removed) The broiler industry would transform the local industry of buying and trucking live chickens to markets and outlets to slaughtering chickens on site. The selling of dead and gutted chicken to markets opened up a new road toward technology. This new technology would expose the public to health and labor issues not seen before.


Slide 21 :The Delmarva Peninsula, acronym for the states of Maine, Vermont and Delaware were among the first and largest chicken producers of the East Coast where large poultry companies employed thousands of workers.


Slide 22 :By 1954 the broiler processing industry would be the main agriculture crop for many states across America. These east coast states, of mostly white working class communities, were thriving and would feel the success from the growing industry but the new age poultry work and conditions would also prove to be difficult.


Slide 23 :Working conditions emulated the industries competition to produce inexpensive meats and eggs. Workers would endure dangerous and demanding labor conditions which were only part of a scene which included, stench, blood, and disembowelment.


Slide 25 :Labor organizations were young and working conditions were secondary to the profit pace of the 70s. During the 1970s communities that had developed around the growing “ broiler industry” would be at there peak. These same communities that had thrived through the poultry industry would see the face of change again.


Slide 26 :The growth of the industry, new technology and the more favorable attitudes of the South would bring change to the industry again and it’s location……..


Slide 27 :92% of poultry businesses were disinvesting in the North East area. The change for location was spurred by : (4) Con: Strong southern competition High cost of fuel and grain transportation on the rise Environmental and health regulations and fines were becoming expensive liabilities, Unionization and supporting the gains of organized labor were costly. Pro: Southern area locations offer cheaper labor, mostly because of the influx of immigrant communities of color Labor and union organizations were weaker in the south Environmental regulation less strict Geographic conditions were favorable.


Slide 28 :Between 1973 and 1984 over 50,000 people would be unemployed from poultry plant shutdowns in Maine alone. case study: The workers and community of Maine’s poultry industry are one example of many communities that profited and suffered from the poultry industry’s growth which would eventually shut down and move south. (5)


Slide 29 :High unemployment left the communities depressed and impoverished. The mostly white, uneducated working class community not only lost their jobs but the subsequent jobs they would find did not provide comparable income and benefits. Having lost seniority they were vulnerable to layoffs at their next job. Women, minorities and the elder were twice as unemployed for long terms likely to stay Families used their savings, some lost their homes, and their health benefits.


Slide 30 :Physical and mental health was also included in the adverse effects, some people had to move and migrate to other communities where employment was available, leaving their family and friends. As quoted from one of the workers of 25 years at one of the poultry plants in Maine, “I was content and not content.” The conditions of poverty and lack of education were very controlling factors in what individuals could do and would endure.


Slide 33 :In the year 2003, the overwhelming majority of poultry industry’s still reside/thrive in the Southeast of the U.S. and the West of California and Washington. The competition to produce inexpensive meat, eggs and dairy products has led animal agribusiness to treat animals as objects and commodities. The world wide trend is to replace small family farms with “Factory farms”-large warehouses where animals are confined in crowed cages or pens or in restrictive cells. Bernard E Rollin, PHD


Slide 34 :In the U.S. the factory farming industry is qualified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Confined Animal Feed Operation (CAFO) Under U.S. regulations of the EPA defined in the Clean Water Act , the poultry farm industry (CAFO) is the second after agriculture on the list of the largest water polluters in the U.S. water ways.


BUSINESS: :BUSINESS: The Average American eats more than 50lbs of chicken per year, twice as much as 20 years ago. The chicken industry has come a long way from the small family farm. Today a small group of agribusiness corporations control most of the nation’s poultry production.


Slide 42 :Under contract systems most farmers do not own the animals they raise. Local farmers raise animals under a contract that requires them to provide the land, the labor, pay the energy and water cost and pay for building and industry facilities. One of the many difficulties for contract growers is in the growing disposal of tons of manure and dead birds and the growing debate of who pays for the environmental fines and cleanup that the poultry industry is creating.


Slide 43 :In most cases poultry industries “big wigs” have little or no connection to what actually takes place at the plants. This lack of connection creates alienation from bosses to workers and to near by communities impacted by the plant and the environment.


We can work for the profit of all living things- or just work for profit. :We can work for the profit of all living things- or just work for profit. agribusiness


Slide 45 :Large corporations have developed the “vertical integrated” practice, which gives control to almost every aspect of how broilers (chicken) and eggs are processed. From conception of the chicks to their slaughter and packaging to market. These contract agreements have profited giant corporations like, Tyson, Perdue, Foster Farm, Con Agra and other mega poultry owners well.


Vertical Integration :Vertical Integration


Working conditions/ Health and Safety :Working conditions/ Health and Safety In each stage of the production there are risks involved. The poultry industry is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in America. According to OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Agency, the poultry industry’s illness and injury rate is more than twice the national average.


Slide 48 :Working conditions: The production of commercial poultry can result in some undesirable environmental side effect: Humans working and birds living in poorly managed and inadequately ventilated poultry housing can have respiratory ailments from elevated levels of odor and dust. Poultry Farm Workers may contract, from the fowl in their care, infectious diseases that are common to fowl and man.


Slide 49 :The atmosphere in poultry farms usually contains significant levels of agricultural dust and toxic gases, urine and fecal matter which put the workers at a health risk. Some chemicals used at poultry farms (for disinfection, etc.) may cause harm to workers' health. Sever repetitive and prolonged hand movements cause carpal tunnel and muscular disorders


Slide 50 :The Poultry Farm Worker's work is often physically difficult and involves handling heavy loads, uncomfortable postures and movements. This may cause traumas (including falls), back, arms and hands pains. Other safety and health hazards for agricultural enterprises, include mechanical, electrical, chemical, and fire hazards, and heat and cold stress.


Slide 51 :Related Tasks: Evisceration Evisceration processes remove the internal organs of the poultry. Hearts, livers, gizzards, and necks may also be cleaned and packaged in evisceration. This operation includes the following tasks: Task 1: Rehange: Hangs carcasses back for further processing down line. Task 2: Opener (Vent Opener): Manually cuts open the bird. Task 3: Neck Breaker: Cuts the neck. Task 4: Oil Sack Cutter: Cuts and removes the oil sack. Task 5: Arranger: Arranges viscera for USDA inspector. Task 6: Giblet Harvester: Separates giblets and viscera. Task 7: Gizzard Harvester: Removes the gizzard. Task 8: Gizzard Table Operator: Manually trims and cleans gizzards. Task 9: Gizzard Table-Peeler Operator: Moves the gizzard over rollers to remove the skin. Task 10: Heart and Liver Cutter/Inspector: Cuts and inspects hearts and livers. Task 11: Bagger: Places hearts, livers, gizzards and paws into bags. Task 12: Lung Vacumer: Removes lungs and kidneys. Task 13: Backup Eviscerator: Verifies that carcass is eviscerated. Support Tasks: Rework Floor Person: Manually reworks evisceration problems. Ice Attendant: Manually transports ice. |


Slide 52 :Birds in the United States, virtually all farmed birds are raised in factory farms. HATCHING: From the beginning, the chick embryo is taken from the mother and incubated in artificial environments with mechanical setter and hatchers. Many eggs are produced, but only fertilized eggs will hatch. Once chicks are hatched they are separated by sex and vaccinated. Only females can reproduce and lay eggs.


Slide 53 :Chicks will be boxed and shipped to commercial farms if hatching is not part of the farm system.


Slide 54 :One hen will lay over 250 eggs per year. Egg laying chickens are breed exclusively for maximum egg production, they don’t grow fast enough or large enough to be raised for meat. Male chicks of eggs laying breeds are of no economic value and are discarded on the day of the hatch. They are either thrown into garbage cans to smother or thrown in grinders alive.


Feed: antibiotics and hormones :Feed: antibiotics and hormones Young chicks are fed pellets laced with growth hormones to speed up growth quicker for production. When chicks are large enough they will be fed grains laced with antibiotics to prevent disease epidemics from confined quarters. Loss of genetic diversity and over breading is creating birds that are vulnerable to many diseases. The over use of antibiotics to control disease enters our food chain as well as our water ways. Exposure to antibiotics enables resistant bacteria strains to evolve, as resistant strains increase over time the drugs become less effective.


Slide 57 :The over use of antibiotics is threatening public health by making humans resistant to antibiotic treatments. Efficiency of antibiotics is critical in young children the elderly and Aids patients fighting immune system problems. Bacteria that are naturally resistant to antibiotics survive and spread leaving consumers at greater risk of being exposed to Salmonella, E coli, Campylobacter. The increased use of antibiotics in animal production has gone hand in hand with the development of industrial style livestock operations. Thousands of animals are crammed into unhygienic crowed quarters and antibiotics are dispensed constantly through the animals feed.


Slide 58 :25 million pounds of antibiotics are fed to American livestock annually. This is about 70% the total amount of antibiotics produced in the U.S. each year and eight times more than used in human medicine. (6)


HOUSING: :HOUSING: Large barns are built where chickens are lodged with 25,000 or more birds for the next six to eight weeks. Birds are crammed into in unnatural confinement in spaces not big enough to open their wings. Birds will live on a concrete floor filled with manure, filth and dead bird parts. Dirt, fresh air, and sun will rarely be seen again. The hen laying birds are crammed into metal cages the size of a piece of typing paper, stacked several feet high. Crowed conditions cause temperature rise, causing birds to suffocate and suffer cage layer fatigue.


Slide 62 :Energy bills are high in chicken houses from long exposed light periods. Long simulated day’s lengths will encourage birds to eat more and develop at faster rates. This causes early development and bone deformities. Birds will be “ de-beaked’ having their beaks cut off with hot blades, causing severe pain for weeks. Some are unable to eat afterwards and starve. Birds beaks are cut off to avoid birds pecking each other to death in the hot frenzied environment of their over crowed conditions.


Slide 64 :After their six to eight week stay, the last step in the barn is to “catch” the birds and put them in cages to slaughter. This is considered one of the most dangerous jobs. Workers wrap their face and walk slowly under a cloud of ammonia from urine and fecal matter with bacteria and salmonella Manure up to their calves in 100 degree temperatures with broken beaks and claws snapping at them. No machinery has been able to replace this important last catch.


Slide 65 :“Catchers” are vulnerable to cuts, infections, eye injuries and respiratory aliments. Most catchers work under separate contracts which have for years been dominated by African Americans. Most companies are now bringing in Latinos into the job and as some older African Americans catchers see it, companies are trying to replace them cheaper workers. The company say the trend toward Latino catchers merely reflects a shortage of workers. The UFCW, United Food and Commercial Workers has filed numerous law suits against Tyson and Perdue charged with changing wage and hour violations on behalf of catchers.


Slide 66 :“Catchers” are vulnerable to cuts, infections, eye injuries and respiratory aliments. Most catchers work under separate contracts which have for years been dominated by African Americans. Most companies are now bringing in Latinos into the job and as some older African Americans catchers see it, companies are trying to replace them cheaper workers. The company say the trend toward Latino catchers merely reflects a shortage of workers. The UFCW, United Food and Commercial Workers has filed numerous law suits against Tyson and Perdue charged with changing wage and hour violations on behalf of catchers. (7)


Slide 67 :Once birds have lived out their lives, for the sake of man, they are brought to the slaughter houses where they will endure; stunning, electrocution, scalding, cutting, and fear until their brutal death. Poultry barns are disinfected between each production cycle, because of crowed conditions , over breeding and genetic manipulations, disease is a serious challenge.


Slide 68 :Poor ventilation of houses allows gases to build up, gases coming ammonia, disinfectant and methane gas from manure. Workers are exposed to the high temperatures releasing toxic fumes from decomposing foul, ammonia, feces and manure creating respiratory illness.


Slaughter: :Slaughter: Slaughter houses are located mostly in rural areas. Traveling is keep to a minimum to keep fuel expenses down and create less stress on birds subject to dehydration and weight loss. Bird weight equals profit$. From trucks the birds are moved to the hanging room, which has been described, and I quote “ like and incantation from hell.” Birds will be hung up side down and placed on hooks alive waiting to be stunned, the process where birds heads are submerged in a electrified bath of water that numbs the pain before the mechanical device slits the throats. (8) The machine cut with 75% accuracy, 25% are slit manually.


Slide 74 :After the slaughter birds will pass through an array of assemble procedures of: Scalding De-feathering Disembowelment Cutting Packaging Transport


Slide 75 :Production: The production environments are loud and noisy from machinery reaching high decibels they carry unpleasant odor of urine, blood and guts. The floors are slippery covered with bird feet, blood and dead parts. Temperature can range form 28 degrees in packing rooms to 120 degrees near scalders which loosen feathers. Working long hours in subzero cold conditions cause frostbite and respiratory disorders. Line production speed is calculated in seconds. Plant work had been broken down to specific jobs for maximum efficiency. Repetitive hand movements related to machinery and production causes carpel tunnel syndrome.


Slide 76 :Accident related to machinery are high. The cold environments cause arthritis and bone pains. Water from high pressure hoses soaks concrete floors where chicken fat turns surfaces slick causing falls and back injuries The USDA limit for line speed is 91 chickens a minute, twice as fast as two decades ago. A typical plant in one eight hour shift turn out 144,000 birds. All tasks are calibrated to the second and each worker is part of the machine.


Labor: :Labor: Production in the slaughter house employs thousand of people. Processing firms depend on a large supply of labor despite increased automation Labor remains intensive and dangerous Jobs related require little skill but maximum endurance. Over 30 million birds are slaughtered in the U.S. every day. Birds are not the only affected victims of the poultry industry. The poultry industry is notorious for exploiting and mistreating workers.


Slide 78 :The labor force is largely composed of immigrant workers, minorities, refugees and women. The department of labor has documented widespread violations for workers which include violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act Many immigrants are ill prepared to assert their legal rights and are commonly exploited. Working hours, overtime pay and injury compensations have been major issues of the fair labor issues. The many who are non citizens stay silent afraid to lose their jobs or be deported.


Slide 79 :The industry has had a large influx of immigrant labor fro years and has grown to occupy 40 to 60% of the work force, many who are non citizens. The largest group are Mexican and Guatemalans. Immigrant workers have historically been know to work many areas of American agriculture and labor markets. Many workers are taken advantage of because they don’t know their rights or speak no English. The poor and unskilled and less educated need work and are forced into situations they often must accept.


Slide 80 :Illegal workers must be quiet about conditions or treatment I order to not lose their jobs or be threatened to be deportation. Unionization is strongly debated over immigrant workers. Tensions between pro and anti unions have resisted unionization efforts. Unions are targeting drives at immigrant workers who believe through solidarity one can gain rights and bargaining power. Bargaining for basic rights is like being able to go to the bathroom when you need to. One of the toughest challenges in organizing workers is the level of intimidation.


Slide 81 :Part of this stems from the location of the plants in rural areas and small towns. When someone gets unjustly fired they are isolated and in an environment where there aren’t many opportunities. Workers have a hard time finding alternatives for work n these areas. Socio demographic transformation occurs when immigrant populations move into an area. Immigrant taking jobs outside of rural communities of the Delmarva valley have in less than five years changed the face of the community. The influx of Mexican, Guatemalan and other central Americas immigrants in that area is one of the largest changes that have taken place since the colonial era.


Slide 82 :African Americans who had dominated the poultry industry labor force are now finding jobs in better area, but some have feelings like expressed in this statement. “They used the slaves to build America, but now they don’t need us anymore. They’re threatening us with these Mexicans. Liable to put us on a boat and send us back to Africa.” (9) In addition to racial and cultural community adjustments, often the location of many of these rural vulnerable communities and communities of color are close to the where the poultry farms environmental messes are located. Local citizens live with the pollution while working at dangerous and degrading jobs.


Slide 83 :The Eastern Shore Sanctuary is a non-profit group that helps save animals that have been discarded and abused form poultry and livestock industries. Quoting from one of their articles: Animal subordination lays the groundwork for racism. The ideology of animal subordination requires a thick line be drawn between human animal and other animals. Animals on one side of the line are considered to have rights while animals on the other side on the line are treated as objects that can be owned. Starting from this position, it is easy to shift the line a little bit, so that humans are grouped with the animals and also treated as lesser beings, Indeed, it was specifically among the keepers of “livestock” that the practice of slavery began. As long as some living beings are considered property, no group of people is safe from the possibility of also being deemed to be with out right.” (10)


Environment: :Environment: Environmental pollution stemming from the poultry industry is a major cause of environmental degradation. The manure runoffs from these over crowded poultry farms are effecting our rivers, lakes, groundwater and bays. The Delmarva peninsula, which I use again as a reference to poultry industry problems, is located along the East Coast in Delaware. Over 600 million chickens produce 400,000 tons of manure a year. Manure that contains as much phosphorus as the waste form a city the size of Los Angeles and as much nitrogen from the waste from a city the size of New York.


Slide 85 :The manure is used as fertilizer and is filled with antibiotics hormones and other deadly organism and bacteria as well. The excess amounts and inappropriately applied land fertilizer is running off into water ways, contaminating groundwater and bays. The high levels of nitrogen and antibiotics used on chickens are finding they way into the water systems and having adverse effects on aquatic life and human health, mostly infants. Often there is more nitrogen and pollutants from factory farming manure runoff than water coming from sewage treatment plants.


Slide 86 :The excessive amount of manure applications are exceeding the capacity that the land can hold effectively. One method of application is in the use of tanker trucks which easily haul 6000 gallon loads of sludge nutrients and squeeze and spray it into soils of farmers. Perdue alone rids itself of more than 8 million gallons a year in this manner.


Slide 87 :The pollutants effecting the waters are from high concentration of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). Nutrient over enrichment in water bodies causes an excess of algae blooms called “eutrophication”. Euthrohication processes deplete aquatic life of sunlight and oxygen, creating imbalances and death in these environments. Hormones and antibiotics used for animal growth production and to prevent epidemic levels of diseases among confined animals, pathogens, sediments and oxygen depleting substances which effect aquatic life are regularly found in U.S. water systems. Unsafe drinking water, contaminated groundwater, bio accumulation of toxins in aquatic life, contaminated bays and estuaries, lake and rivers are all effected by these waste disposal practices. Regulations: Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1362) the discharge of pollutants into navigable water of the United States from directly identifiable locations (point sources) is regulated through the EPA


Conclusion: :Conclusion: Areas of natural beauty are being turned into smelly infested places by the poultry industry, Wild habitats are being destroyed by the increase of land use for the growing industry. Water ways and groundwater are being contaminated by uncontrolled wastes and nutrients. Animal conditions are unjust and labor practices unfair. Immigrants are being exploited in the work force. Consumer health conditions are compromised from production methods and over use of hormones and antibiotics are having adverse health effects. What can be done? Are there any alternatives? The answers I ask of you.


Off to Safeway… :Off to Safeway…


References: :References: 1)Karen Davis, “prisioned chickens, poisoned eggs”, 2) Wilson, American Poultry History 3) Karen Davis, 4)Poultry.org “Worker exploitation”, 5)Chatterley N Cedric and Rouverol J Alicia, “I was content and Not content” 6)Goodmen S peter, Washington Post; Eating Chicken Dust, Nov.1999 7)Horowitz, Roger and Mark J Miller. Immigrants in the Delmarva Poultry industry. Paper #37 8)Don Cameron Warren, “ Breeding” American Poultry History 9)www.oshs.gov US Department of labor, Agriculture Operations 10)Animal Sanctuary Photos from; Factory Farming Photo gallery and HFA Photo Gallery


Choking on chicken :Choking on chicken El fin…