1. Gentle Thanksgiving - Top Ten Reasons to Skip the Turkey!
2. Holiday Giving - Great Gift Ideas!
3. Thanksgiving Letter to the Editor
4. CHOICE - Campaigns in FL, NY and CA proceed at full speed
5. Meatout Mondays features new Thanksgiving Recipes
6. Sabina Grant Deadline is Dec 15
7. Workplace Giving Info

Over 60 events in 25 states are now registered but the animals need more!

• Host a veggie Thanksgiving or bring vegetarian dishes to another host.
• Send leaflets offering free Veg Starter Kits in your bills (see http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.farmusa.org/thanksgiving/action_kit/FLRTG2a.pdf%20.
  
• Write a letter to your newspaper or call your local radio station.
• Let your friends know about the Top Ten reasons to skip the turkey

Be sure to let us know about your plans so we can include them on our website, publicize them with the media, and inspire others. More information and online registration is easy: just visit our website (http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org).

In the meantime, please consider these Top Ten reasons to skip the Turkey on Thanksgiving:

10. Your body will appreciate a holiday from fat, cholesterol, and hormones.
9. You won't take the environmental devastation guilt trip.
8. You won't spend a sleepless night wondering how the turkey lived and died.
7. Animal advocates, including some of your best friends, will thank you.
6. Fruits and vegetables don't have to carry government warning labels.
5. You won't have to call the Poultry Hotline to keep your family alive.
4. Commercial turkeys are too overwieght to have sex. Could happen to you.
3. Your kids can tell their friends they ate Tofurky, just like The Simpsons!
2. You are what you eat. Do you want to be a 'butterball?'
1. You won't fall asleep during the football game.

Need a great idea for a holiday gift for that vegetarian co-worker of yours? Know someone who loves animals? This thoughtful gift idea will be overwhelmingly appreciated by any veggie, animal loving significant others, or even your in-laws.

This holiday season, think of FARM! Give the gift of life to farmed animals everywhere. We are certain that your friends, family and co-workers will be honored to have a donation given in their name this holiday season. Give and receive that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that all contributions to FARM make an important difference, saving countless animals from the cruelty of life (and death) in today's factory farms.

We will send a beautiful holiday card to the gift recipient informing them that a donation was made in his/her name. (Or, we can send the card to you so you can surprise them with it.)

Choose the campaign for your thoughtful gift! FARM organizes 6 major national campaigns and a national conference - most of which have interactive websites and resources for information and events.

And don't forget: With the pending end of the 2003 tax year, this is a great time to donate appreciated property to your favorite charity - FARM. The property can include securities, IRA and other retirement funds, and/or real estate. You win three ways: by getting a tax deduction on the fully appreciated value, by avoiding capital gains tax, and most importantly, by helping animals! Your support helps ensure that our essential programs and indispensable work for the animals will continue for years to come.

Thanksgiving Editorial

Please write letters to the editor of your local papers this holiday season to teach others in your community about the dreadful suffering and death of turkeys! Also, if you are interested in joining our activist network of letter writers, please contact info@farmusa.org and we will get you started. Here are some talking points about turkeys:

• The 340 million turkeys raised in the US each year for our holidays are forced to breathe toxic fumes in crowded sheds, as their beaks and toes are cut off to reduce damage from stress-induced aggression. After 16 weeks of agony, they are hung by their legs on a conveyer belt and beheaded by an electric saw while fully conscious.
  
  
• Turkey flesh is laced with cholesterol, saturated fats, hormones, antibiotics, and deadly pathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter.
  
  
• Turkey producers are polluting our natural environment. Much of the 10 billion pounds of manure generated by 7,300 turkey farms in 33 states winds up in our drinking water.
  
  
• Grain fed to turkeys denies lifesaving food-stuffs to millions of starving people. Raising grain for turkeys involves depletion of topsoil and groundwater essential to a good harvest.

CHOICE Campaigns in CA, FL, and NY promote vegetarian options in school cafeterias

State and Local Initiatives:

1. Activists in any state can call FARM for a great "Get Veggies" poster featuring Alicia Silverstone to put in area schools.

2. If you’re a CA resident and want to see veg meals in your local schools, email https://www.mailermailer.com/manage/reports/mail%20to:info@choiceusa.netwith your name, address, city, state and zip, as well as the school or school district you would like to influence. We’ll let you know what’s happening in your region!

3. If you’re a FL or NY resident, and would like to circulate a petition, seek endorsements in support of getting veg meals into schools, or help lobby, go to http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.choiceusa.net/petitions.htm.

4. If you would like to start an effort in your state, go to http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.choiceusa.net/State%20Initiaves.htm.
   
   

5. To review a copy of the Healthy School Lunch Proposal/Resolution, go to: http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.choiceusa.net/California%20proposal.html%20

6. To review the final draft of the Obesity Prevention Motion which requires vegetarian options and passed in Los Angeles two weeks ago, go to http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.nojunkfood.org/policy/lausd_obprevfinal.html.
   

   Federal Legislative updates

   There are several efforts before the US Congress that will help to bring healthier meals and vegan opportunities to students. Help support these efforts by contacting your Senators and Congressmen.

• Soy/rice milk update. Activists often contact us wanting to know what they can do to support getting soy and rice milk into schools. Currently, the soy industry is in discussion with the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee regarding prospects for inclusion of soy beverages at schools. As these discussions unfold, we will keep you updated. Read how the dairy industry has responded to this effort. Log on to their website for documentation and testimony designed to uproot the soy effort. http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.idfa.org/leg/childnutrition.cfm%20
  
  
• Prohibit the use of federal funds to purchase chicken for school lunches that has been treated with fluoroquinolones. More info is at http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://www.ucsaction.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=13030
  
  
• The Healthy Children Through Better Nutrition Act of 2003 would require a la carte items to comply with federal nutritional requirements (eliminating junk foods). The bill would also provide for improved access to fruits, vegetables and whole grains. For additional information on the Healthy Children through Better Nutrition Act of 2003, go to http://www.mailermailer.com/rd?http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/hr3416briefsummaryinfo.html or contact Joe Novotny with the House Committee on Education and the Workforce at 202.226.2068.

Got CFC Workplace Giving?
FARM's is CFC #1805

Please make it FARM this fall during the Combined Federal Campaign and other workplace giving. FARM is one of the best investments possible to end animal abuse and the cruel factory farming system.

Help even more by giving FARM CFC fliers to your coworkers and placing them in your lunchroom.

With the pending end of the 2003 tax year, this is a great time to donate appreciated property to your favorite charity - FARM. The property can include securities, IRA and other retirement funds, and/or real estate. You win three ways: by getting a tax deduction on the fully appreciated value, by avoiding capital gains tax, and most importantly, by helping animals!

Click here to donate to any of FARM's campaigns.