California is the largest agricultural state in the country, generating nearly $32 billion annually, about a quarter of which comes from animal agribusiness. The industrial model used streamlines the production of food from farm to fork and helps lower the retail price of meat, egg and dairy products, but such cheap food comes at a high cost: the suffering of millions of animals intensively confined in massive warehouses.

The California Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act would prohibit some of the most egregious practices in factory farming such as packing egg-laying hens into wire “battery cages” and confining pregnant pigs and baby calves in crates so small that the animals cannot even turn around. The improvements proposed in this measure will simply give egg-laying hens, pregnant sows and calves raised for veal enough room to stand up, turn around, lie comfortably and extend their limbs.

Volunteers are currently working to collect 650,000 signatures by the end of February to place the measure on the ballot in the November 2008 general election. They are asking for your help to reach their goal.

Read More | Californians for Humane Farms