IMPORTANCE
The Pew National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) was formed to  examine the social, economic, environmental, public health and animal welfare issues associated with concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and modern farm animal production methods. After two years of research, the commission released its findings in a report: Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America. The report contains many recommendations which, if implemented, likely would raise the cost of producing food animals and increase meat prices in the face of a global food crisis.

BACKGROUND
The Pew Charitable Trust granted the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) $2.6 million to conduct an assessment of the costs and benefits of CAFOs. JHSPH formed a 19-member commission, PCIFAP with representatives from animal science, economics, veterinary medicine, agriculture, business, government, animal welfare, conservation, public health and religion. PCIFAP conducted public meetings around the country and received specialized technical reports before releasing the final report.
The commission issued many recommendations to policymakers, industry stakeholders and the general public based on its findings, including phasing out certain production practices, banning certain animal antibiotics and placing new restrictions on the use of manure. If implemented, these recommendations would raise the cost of producing food animals and increase the price of meat in the face of a global food crisis. The commission overlooked the substantial progress made by the nation’s pork producers in addressing all of those issues.  Chaired by former Kansas Gov. John Carlin, the commission also includes former USDA Secretary Dan Glickman, and free-range pork producer Bill Niman. JHSPH includes the Center for a Livable Future, which has as projects the anti-CAFO Spira/GRACE Project on Industrial Animal Production and the Meatrix I and II videos.

In August of 2009, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) responded to the PEW Commission's recommendations, stating they were flawed and can actually threaten human health.  The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) agrees with the AVMA that there are significant flaws in the Pew Report, pointing out that the process for gaining scientific expertise in the technical reports was biased and did not incorporate the findings and suggestions of a significant number of participating scientists. This represents a fundamental problem in the way the report was constructed.  The full AVMA response can viewed by clicking the following link: AVMA Response. 

NPPC POSITION
NPPC joined other animal agriculture organizations in a coalition to monitor and address the Commission’s assessment of modern pork production. NPPC, through the coalition, has provided the commission with resources and materials that accurately portray the pork industry and worked with the commission to ensure a fair, balanced and scientifically accurate process. NPPC distrusts the objectivity of the commission, whose work was directed by the Center for a Livable Future.

Environment & Energy Press Releases

Environment & Energy Testimony & Comments