Park Slope Food Coop Animal Welfare Committee

We'll be rescheduling the workshop for early 2015! Stay tuned! ---------------------------------------------------- Are you interested in vegan eating? In recent years, there has been an increased interest in vegan eating, with people like Bill Clinton and Ellen DeGeneres touting the benefits of their plant-based diets. Growing evidence shows that vegan diets have positive impacts on human health and are better for the planet. Whether you want to commit to a vegan diet or start eating more plant foods, this workshop will help.

Two Coop vendors recently went head-to-head in a lawsuit over the meaning of the word "humane." For members who want to know more about the meat they buy, here is the story. In 2003 Coop members voted to stop buying foie gras, which consists of the diseased livers of ducks and geese who were force-fed through long, hard pipes to swell their livers eight or more times their normal size. Before 2003 we bout foie gras from vendor D'Artagnan, which sold foie gras made by Hudson Valley Foie Gras (HVFG). The Coop still sells meat from chickens, pigs, lambs, rabbits, cows, turkeys, wild boars, and ducks from D’Artagnan HVFG has been calling its foie gras humane, which stuck in the craw of another Coop provider, Regal Vegan, which makes Faux Gras. Regal Vegan made an unfair competition claim, arguing that by calling its product humane, Hudson Valley was stealing business from Regal Vegan’s Faux Gras -- which is free of animal products and so indisputably the...

The Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) conducted a workshop for co-op members about Vegan Eating on January 12 th . We covered a number of subjects, including the AWC’s mission, reasons for eating vegan, the basics of vegan nutrition, and tips for shopping for vegan food at the co-op. We plan to offer the workshop again, so if you would like to attend please be on the lookout for an announcement. Links to our handouts are attached here: Nutrition This four-pager addresses vegan sources of protein, calcium, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin B-12, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin D3. Disclaimer: we are not doctors or nutritionists. In this handout we share our understanding of our nutritional needs and list resources that offer more definitive and detailed information. Replacement andTransitional Foods If you’re looking for ways to replace specific animal products in your diet, this is a good place to start. We list vegan analogs for dairy milk, eggs, butter, yogurt, ...

Hello PSFC members! Thank you to the folks who joined Piper and me this afternoon to hear about what the Animal Welfare Committee's work entails and how to apply for the Animal Welfare Squad as your co-op workshift. All applications are due by 4/20 and we are hoping to meet with candidates who are a good fit during our 5/5 meeting (7-8:30pm) if possible. [THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED. Thanks for your applications!] If you were NOT able to join us this afternoon and are interested in joining the committee, please review the following points before applying.  Please know our mission before applying.   The Animal Welfare Committee provides transparent animal welfare information about the co-op’s products.  Please take a look at the info sheets we produce.   This is a large part of what this committee's work is...and what the new members will be researching and creating as well!  Research involves calling PSFC vendors (farmers) and asking them ...

Whether you want to learn what the Animal Welfare Committee does or you'd like to join the committee, this workshop is for you!  Please join us for an overview of what the committee does for the Park Slope Food Co-Op membership!   If you'd like to join the squad, we'll be reviewing what skill sets we're looking for and letting you know how to apply!  If you can't make it and you'd like to join the squad, please keep an eye out here (or @psfcanimals on twitter) as we'll be hosting the online application on this blog.   Jesse, on behalf of the Animal Welfare Committee

Are you interested in vegan eating? In the New Year, many Coop members will resolve to change their eating habits. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in vegan eating, with people like Bill Clinton and Ellen DeGeneres touting the benefits of their plant-based diets. Growing evidence shows that vegan diets have positive impacts on human health and are better for the planet. Whether you want to commit to a vegan diet or start eating more plant foods, this workshop will help. Join us Sunday, January 12, at 12:00 p.m. in the PSFC's upstairs meeting room for an introduction to vegan eating. We will discuss recipes, shopping staples, and basic nutrition. Space is limited. Please RSVP now to reserve your seat.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the Animal Welfare Committee's 2013 Turkey Guide is here! We contacted the Coop's turkey vendors and interviewed them about  the conditions their birds live in, then organized the information in a handy chart for members. The Guide also explains the labels commonly found on meat products, like free-range and pasture-raised, and describes the festive turkey alternatives that the Coop carries. The Turkey Guide is laminated next to the turkeys, and take-home versions are also available there. You can find a larger version of the Guide online by clicking on the AWC Guides tab at the top of this page, and then clicking on Buying Turkeys at the Coop. Piper on behalf of the Animal Welfare Committee