Conference Airs Controversy Over Farmed Animals Advocacy Campaigns

MACHIPONGO, Va., March 25 - United Poultry Concerns (UPC) will hold a roundtable conference on March 29-30 in Norfolk and Machipongo, Virginia, on controversies within the farmed animal advocacy community on the best ways to relieve farmed animals of their plight and promote their wellbeing.

“Cage Free, Animal Friendly, Go Vegan - What’s the Problem?” asks: Is there a conflict between working for welfare reforms and urging people to stop viewing animals as edibles and go vegan? Should activists work to reduce the suffering of billions of chickens and other animals who will never live to see a vegan world, or is such work counterproductive – a moral betrayal of animals? And what about terms like “humane meat” and “compassionate standards”? – What message do they send to the public?

The conference features leaders from within the animal advocacy movement who focus particular attention on farmed animals. They include:

Karen Davis, President of United Poultry Concerns
Harold Brown, President of Farm Kind
Patty Mark, President of Animal Liberation Victoria in Australia
Christine Morrissey, Director of East Bay Animal Advocates in California
Roberta Schiff, President of Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society in New York
Paul Shapiro, Senior Director of HSUS’s Factory Farming Campaign

The Saturday session will be held at the Hilton Norfolk Airport Hotel, 1500 North Military Highway. The Sunday session will be held at the headquarters & sanctuary of United Poultry Concerns in Machipongo on the Eastern Shore at 12325 Seaside Road.

“The purpose of the conference is to bring people who care about farmed animals face to face on issues concerning the most effective ways to help these animals,” says UPC President Karen Davis. “The issue rages over the Internet. Bringing people together in the same room is designed to facilitate the discussion in a different venue.”

For more information about the conference, contact Karen Davis at 757.678.7875 or karen@upc-online.org. Or visit www.upc-online.org.

United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. On the Web at http://www.upc-online.org.

SOURCE United Poultry Concerns