Table of Contents
Gentle Thanksgiving Recruits Hundreds of Events
World Farm Animals Day Observed in 30 Countries
Hundreds of New Letters to the Editor Published
Animal Rights 2005 Scheduled for Los Angeles
Let FARM Help to Relieve Your Tax Burden
Gentle Thanksgiving Promotes Hundreds of Cruelty-Free Events
This year's Gentle Thanksgiving campaign includes promoting vegetarian thanksgiving events, listing hundreds of events on our web site, and conducting a massive media blitz.
Lets use this special holiday to spread compassion and show your friends, family, and neighbors that turkeys are too neat to eat!
To become involved, contact Frank at 301-530-1737 or visit the web site.
World Farm Animals Day Observed in All 50 States and 30 Countries
This year's 22nd observance of World Farm Animals Day was the largest ever, with 400 grassroots educational events in all 50 states and 30 other countries. Highlights included billboards in four major metropolitan areas, proclamations by nearly 30 governors and mayors, and dissemination of a Farm Animal Rights Platform to more than a thousand candidates for public office.
The Platform, designed to alleviate animal suffering in factory farms and slaughterhouses, calls for the following reforms:
Inclusion of farmed animals in anti-cruelty statutes
Humane slaughter enforcement
Ban of veal crates and sow gestation stalls
Ban of battery cages
Strict regulation of emissions and antibiotics in factory farms
Provision of daily vegan school lunch option
The proclamations urge that animals raised for food be treated 
humanely and that farming practices protect our environment and natural resources. The billboards, in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Oakland, show a sow in a metal stall and ask readers to "Save Some Lives - Yours and Theirs - Go Veg!"
Activists in all 50 states and 30 other countries staged vigils, demonstrations, marches, street theater, and video screenings at state and national capitols, government offices, and other public venues to educate the public about the need for humane farming practices.
The purpose of World Farm Animals Day is to expose and memorialize animal suffering in factory farms and slaughterhouses and other devastating impacts of animal agriculture. The date (October 2) honors the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a foremost champion of humane farming.
For additional details and many photos, please visit the web site!
More Letters to the Editor Published
In the past three months, we had nearly 300 letters to the editor printed in metropolitan newspapers throughout the U.S. The topics included President Clinton's heart bypass surgery, World Farm Animals Day, reducing oil consumption, and improving school lunches. Here are some excerpts:
“Former president Clinton’s coronary bypass surgery should be a wake-up call for the millions of Americans whose chosen lifestyles elevate their risk of heart disease... Scores of studies in the past three decades demonstrate that replacing animal fat and meat in our diet with vegetables, fresh fruit and whole grains lowers substantially the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases... Choosing a wholesome plant-based diet is a snap... All we need is the will to live.”
“The war in Iraq has robbed our nation of the opportunity to act upon… genocide in the Sudan, global hunger and environmental crises, as well as homelessness, deteriorating public health, and animal abuse in our own country. Yes, animal abuse. Each year, more than ten billion cows, pigs, and other innocent, sentient animals are caged, crowded, deprived, drugged, mutilated, and manhandled in U.S. factory farms... Let's remember that on our next visit to the supermarket.”
“Crossing of the symbolic $50 mark for a barrel of oil provides a clear wake-up call for national energy policy officials… National strategic and environmental concerns demand a drastic reduction in fuel use for our cars, homes, and diets… Yes, our diets. According to Cornell University Professor David Pimentel, production of animal protein accounts for 8% of national consumption of fossil fuels, nearly as much as driving our cars. It requires 8 times as much fuel as production of plant protein. We can reduce these disastrous impacts of meat production on our next trip to the supermarket.”
“Last week’s National School Lunch Week raised public awareness of child nutrition... Unfortunately, the lunch fare consists largely of surplus meat and dairy commodities, which contain excess protein, saturated fats, and cholesterol and account for child obesity, diabetes, and heart disease… We should work with our PTAs in demanding healthy school food. Additional infor-mation is available at www.asfsa.org and www.choiceusa.net.”
Please contact Marissa to join our Letters From FARM network.
Animal Rights 2005 Scheduled in LA
Animal Rights 2005 our movement's annual national conference has been scheduled for July 7-11 at the Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles. The program will feature one hundred speakers from 60 groups representing every faction of our movement, as well as Newcomer Orientation, exhibits, videos, Awards Banquet, and a number of other special features. Monday, July 11, is designated for in-depth seminars and street demonstrations.
Additional information and early registration will be available in December at the web site.
Let FARM Relieve Your Tax Burden
This is the time of year to review your appreciated securities and other assets to determine whether a tax-exempt donation to FARM can relieve your tax burden and the suffering of billions of innocent animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses. Donation of appreciated securities 
benefits you in three ways:
1. It exempts you from paying capital gains taxes
2. It reduces taxable income by the appreciated value
3. It provides you the satisfaction of helping the animals
And, of course, always remember to include FARM in your will, so that we may continue to relieve animal suffering when you no longer can.
For additional information, please contact Dawn
or visit the web site.
FARM Heroes
This column cites the people who ensure FARM's survival and effectiveness - the directors, the staff, and major donors.
We continue this month with the rest of our staff: David Pryor, Tony Lee, and Jen Riley.
David Pryor, FARM Database Manager, became a vegan, gave up a successful career in commercial real estate, and joined FARM several years ago, after witnessing how farmed animals are treated. Two years later, he formed a consulting firm for manufacturers of meat/dairy analogs, but is back with us.
Tony Lee, FARM's Bookkeeper, keeps track of all financial transactions. He came to us a year ago from Amnesty International. Tony stopped eating animals four years ago, while working at a local animal shelter.
Jen Riley, FARM's Office Manager, is responsible for managing mailings and keeping the office running smoothly. She has been a vegetarian for 11 years and organized events in Baltimore.
FARM advocates a plant-based diet and humane treatment of farmed animals through eight national campaigns: Great American Meatout, CHOICE, World Farm Animals Day, Gentle Thanksgiving, Letters From FARM, Information Archives, Sabina Fund, and National Conferences.
FARM is supported entirely by individual contributions from caring folks like you. Because our staffers take reduced or no compensation, nearly all of your funds go directly to support our programs, and our overhead is below 5%
We have launched a new set of pages to make your support for FARM campaigns fun and easy. Options include joining at different membership levels, donating to specific campaigns, donating appreciated assets and services, deferred giving, and sponsoring projects.
Check it out!
10101 Ashburton Bethesda MD 20817 info@farmusa.org
888-ASK-FARM
