Bill helps animals, family farmers

Californians have spoken and have successfully put the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act on the November ballot. We now have a historic opportunity to greatly improve the lives of 20 million animals each year in California that are so intensely confined in cages and crates on factory farms that they can barely move their entire lives. Animals on factory farms are prevented from engaging in every natural behavior due to their inability to move. We can give egg-laying hens, pigs and male calves enough room to turn around and extend their limbs.

Factory farms are a major cause of global warming and pollution to California's residents. Family farmers would never treat their animals in such a way.

Arizona, Oregon, Florida and the European Union have already passed similar laws. This would benefit family farmers by leveling the playing field with large corporate farms, which have reduced animals to nothing but a commodity. I'm proud that Californians truly care about doing the morally decent thing for our family farmers, animals and environment.

MICHELLE SETARO

Modesto