Activism at the altar

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was considering a resolution regarding consuming animal products from large-scale farms. The original recommendation asked the Presbyterian Mission Agency to “advocate wherever possible in favor of alternatives to CAFOs and IFAPS, commonly known as factory farms, and to advocate against measures that support industrialized animal farming” and encouraged “all levels of the denomination to purchase only meat that carries the minimal certification of “Certified Humane Raised & Handled.” Animal Ag Alliance submitted a letter to the moderator of the committee expressing concerns with demonizing farmers and farms based solely on size and emphasizing the entire animal agriculture community’s commitment to animal care. The updated version adds a line “recognizing that large scale farming is necessary for producing the large amount of food needed to sustain our growing population” and strikes the recommendation for all levels of the denomination to purchase “Certified Humane Raised & Handled” meat products.  Perhaps most meaningfully, the new text asks the Church to “recognize that damage is done to the Body of Christ when we vilify those who work in good faith in an industry that undergirds most of modern life; encourage collaboration with the many individuals in the food industry who seek to engage food production in positive and creative ways.”