Animal advocates decry CAFTA as ‘deadly disaster’
US - Animal advocates denounced the passage of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement as a “deadly disaster” for farmed animals and wildlife.Prior to the vote, a letter signed by over 100 animal organizations was sent to every member of the House condemning DR-CAFTA. Activists charge that the agreement will lead to massive expansion of cruel and unsanitary “factory farm” agriculture. This intensive confinement industrial production system is responsible for the vast majority of pig, chicken, turkey and egg products produced in the United States, but is still uncommon in Central America.
DR-CAFTA will force member countries to eliminate tariffs and sanitary barriers on U.S. agricultural imports, allowing U.S. agribusiness to flood these countries with cheap pork, beef, chicken, eggs, turkey and dairy products. Latin American producers will be driven out of business or forced to adopt factory farm methods to remain competitive.
Source: Peoples Weekly World
26 August 2005
1 minute read
