Animal activists plan to be visible

Re: Council OKs grants for turkey packaging plant pledging 50 jobs, by Brian Cross, Jan. 9. I was present at this council meeting and it seems that there has been a misunderstanding why animal activists were present.

We knew that we could not stop this processing plant. We attended this meeting so that important information was made public regarding the meat industry: the exploitation of farm animals; the devastating effects on slaughterhouse workers; the effect on our climate from animal agriculture; and the viruses that are virulent inside these slaughterhouses and factory farms. Even though this processing plant is not killing birds, the danger is still there with contamination and viruses at their slaughterhouse in Amherstburg.

The three delegates represented Direct Action Everywhere Windsor, Windsor Animal Allies and our newly formed group, Windsor-Detroit Farm Animal Save. We are part of The Save Movement which has more than 250 groups worldwide.

I have to set the record straight, as our group will be very active in the coming months. Exploitation of animals must come to an end.

We see major meat and dairy companies investing millions of dollars in plantbased companies. Verdient Foods opened a large pea protein processing plant in Saskatchewan last year, and French food company Roquette is spending $400 million on a similar facility in Manitoba. If you had the choice of working in a pea protein plant or a slaughterhouse which would you choose?

As consumers begin to make different food choices we will see how viable this processing plant will be because the future lies in plant-based protein.