Welcome!
Hello!
We're a group of Park Slope Food Coop members who came together after realizing during our PFSC shopping trips that, while there are a lot of animal-friendly products on the PSFC's shelves, there was still a lot of room for improvement!
In our conversations with other members, some were surprised to hear that we still carried any items that are tested on animals (even though our policy says the PSFC avoids such products) and others expressed confusion regarding animal-treatment labeling ("What's the difference between grass-fed and free-range?).
After having these conversations and wishing for a way to help inform PSFC shoppers who are interested in animal welfare, what's animal-tested (and PSFC alternatives), what's "free-range", etc. we thought we would enlist other PSFC who share these concerns to join us in creating a committee to specifically address these issues.
We're hoping to create a workslot credit committee that would be in service to the PSFC membership regarding animal welfare. This page was created to gauge PSFC membership interest and we're curious to know what you would like this committee do for you as a PSFC member.
Please feel free to comment here or email us directly at PSFCanimals@gmail.com - we look forward to hearing from you!!
- Jesse + Patrick :)
Text of Proposal Item (printed on agenda, 25 words or less)
To form a Park Slope Food Coop Animal Welfare Committee which would provide animal-related reference materials, articles and product suggestions (alternatives to PSFC products as they relate to animals).
Explanation (40-100 words) This info will help the Agenda Committee in preparing the GM agenda and will not be printed with the agenda. You're invited to share your thoughts on the proposal with members through the Gazette letters section.
8-10 member workslot credit squad proposal.
Focus: research and education to share with PSFC members on PSFC products as they relate to animals or animal welfare issues as they relate to the PSFC membership.
This will include researching animal-tested products and animal care standards on "food-animal" products that the PSFC carriers or is asked to carry.
Examples:
We're a group of Park Slope Food Coop members who came together after realizing during our PFSC shopping trips that, while there are a lot of animal-friendly products on the PSFC's shelves, there was still a lot of room for improvement!
In our conversations with other members, some were surprised to hear that we still carried any items that are tested on animals (even though our policy says the PSFC avoids such products) and others expressed confusion regarding animal-treatment labeling ("What's the difference between grass-fed and free-range?).
After having these conversations and wishing for a way to help inform PSFC shoppers who are interested in animal welfare, what's animal-tested (and PSFC alternatives), what's "free-range", etc. we thought we would enlist other PSFC who share these concerns to join us in creating a committee to specifically address these issues.
We're hoping to create a workslot credit committee that would be in service to the PSFC membership regarding animal welfare. This page was created to gauge PSFC membership interest and we're curious to know what you would like this committee do for you as a PSFC member.
Please feel free to comment here or email us directly at PSFCanimals@gmail.com - we look forward to hearing from you!!
- Jesse + Patrick :)
Following is the text for the general meeting agenda item submission we submitted. When this is on the agenda of a future general meeting, the attendees will have the opportunity to vote to create this committee. If you would like to know when this happens, please email us at PSFCanimals@gmail.com.
Text of Proposal Item (printed on agenda, 25 words or less)
To form a Park Slope Food Coop Animal Welfare Committee which would provide animal-related reference materials, articles and product suggestions (alternatives to PSFC products as they relate to animals).
Explanation (40-100 words) This info will help the Agenda Committee in preparing the GM agenda and will not be printed with the agenda. You're invited to share your thoughts on the proposal with members through the Gazette letters section.
8-10 member workslot credit squad proposal.
Focus: research and education to share with PSFC members on PSFC products as they relate to animals or animal welfare issues as they relate to the PSFC membership.
This will include researching animal-tested products and animal care standards on "food-animal" products that the PSFC carriers or is asked to carry.
Examples:
a) delineating PSFC products still tested on animals contrary to the PSFC's Environmental Statement and researching alternatives, working with the coordinators and their distributor information;
b) educational overview of the different kinds of animal testing/"food-animal" welfare standards certification labels and what they mean;
c) vendor profiles as they relate to animal-related products as the PSFC (could be farm visits, could be interviews);
d) films relevant to animal product issues
Wonderful idea, and so necessary. Let's do for animals what the Environmental Committee is doing for the environment! There's lots of opportunity for real impact here, and it's very much in line with PSFC's mission to "reduce the impact of our lifestyles on the world we share with other species."
ReplyDeleteKama Einhorn
I'm exciting to hear about this, and I think the examples you provide are excellent. In particular, I really like the idea of vendor profiles, as I believe such profiles would help support the work of animal-friendly farmers and other vendors.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I hope you consider having educational information available near the shelves where animal products are sold, as this is where important decisions are often made. I know I used to often wonder what certain producer claims meant and to what degree such claims were subject to USDA regulation and/or independently verified. I've since done a lot of research on my own, but I don't think every Co-op members should have to go through this kind of thing just to get the information.
Good luck!
-Michael Barrish
I think this is a wonderful idea! I fully support your mission.
ReplyDeleteJanine DiLorenzo
I'm a meat eater, but try to be a conscientious one. I'd definitely like to see animal- related issues given more consideration at the coop. More signs. Clear definitions. Pressure on our suppliers. Thanks for pursuing this.
ReplyDeleteLet's do it!
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if the new committee could provide more information about common products people may not realize are made with animal parts. For instance marshmallows and gelatin products are made with the collagen of slaughtered animals, yet there are vegetarian alternatives.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cynthia! That is definitely a good area to work on (especially, given your example, since we now carry Sweet & Sara marshmallows!). - Jesse
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see this moving forward. Thanks for your work so far, Patrick and Jesse!
ReplyDeleteI recently got an e-newsletter that included a link to lists of companies which test on animals as well as those that don't: http://search.caringconsumer.com/search_list_icons.aspx?Donottest=-1&Product=0&Dotest=8. Some of the entries surprised me, such as Kiehl's, which bills itself as a natural company. I will definately be emailing them. The coop doesn't carry Kiehl's but there are other companies carried by the coop on that list such as Fantasik (bad for the environment as well!). People might be interested in knowing the very popular Swiffer company is on that list. This kind of information would be important to many people in the coop.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea! It's so important for PSFC members to be able to make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing products. That's one of the reasons we're members! Making sure that animal welfare is a consideration in our personal shopping as well as in what's being made available for purchase is vital to the mission of the Co-op. Having a committee that makes information regarding whether or not animals were actually "humanely" treated known to members and researches products so we can make sure we're supporting only the best vendors when it comes to animal welfare seems not only like a good idea, but also as a necessity!
ReplyDeleteI am interested in serving on the comm. as a vegan of 17+ years,I believe that raising my understanding of these issues and others as important. You can reach me at rlee15@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteI fully support the formation of this committee. The PSFC represents the most progressive format for connecting the producers and consumers of food and I think that we as coop members must continue to push that progress. With regard to animal welfare, I think that the PSFC has a long way to go (I was actual shocked to find that we sold meat at all when I first joined) and the formation of this committee will provide a much needed service to coop members. By both informing coop members of the impact of purchases on animals as well as pushing the organization as a whole toward consuming fewer animal products, this committee will be help continue the PSFC tradition of progress.
ReplyDelete