The message of veganism for health has been growing by leaps and bounds the past ten years. Even the ethical message of veganism is breaking into the mainstream. More and more people are embracing this philosophy of doing no harm to animals when it isn’t necessary. The Vegan Lifestyle is growing. A recent study in the UK showed that as many as 33% of the population now identify as flexitarian. This means while they do still eat meat, their diet is primarily plant based. While we haven’t achieved those numbers in the US, veganism is definitely on the rise.
With the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, a lot people are worried for many reasons. His intolerance towards a whole range of people is frightening. It seems that vegans have cause to be alarmed now as well. Factory farm conditions could get worse instead of better.
All of the progress we have made in the US for the cause of going vegan could suffer a major blow under the presidency of Donald Trump. It all comes from his campaign promises regarding trade with other countries, primarily China. It also stems from his EPA appointment that could wipe out needed regulations on factory farms.
According to Mother Jones, Donald Trump “showed his willingness to make good on his promises to keep ag exports booming and gut environmental regulations on farms.” This is devastating for the small gains that vegan activist have made in the factory farming industry. More animals will suffer and die as a result.
With the threat of these regulations on the treatment of animals and farm safety at risk of being modified or reversed, we will take a step backwards in our treatment of animals on factory farms in the US. While the improvements in factory farming had been small and not nearly adequate, at least there were some. Now it seems as if all of that could be lost.
Trump’s selection to run the EPA is Scott Pruitt. This is a man who has a long running cozy relationship with the agricultural industry, especially the meat industry. According to Mother Jones, “Pruitt’s relations with meat industry interests flourished.
In August 2015, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association honored him with its Distinguished Service Award, given to “individuals who have contributed to the success of the OCA and the Oklahoma beef cattle industry. And just last month, days before the presidential election, he keynoted the Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s annual convention. In his speech, he lambasted EPA overreach, complaining that the agency is “affecting farmers and ranchers, it’s affecting oil and gas.”
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