United Poultry Concerns
Promoting the compassionate and respectful
treatment of domestic fowl

PO Box 150 • Machipongo, VA 23405-0150
(757) 678-7875 • FAX (757) 678-5070
www.UPC-online.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
26 August 2004		 Contact:

Karen Davis 757-678-7875

UPC Forum "Mad Cows To Mad Chickens" a Huge Success

"Excellent and informative speakers covered a wide range of issues." - Attendee

Machipongo, Va. - On August 21-22, United Poultry Concerns held our 5 th Annual Forum on this year's topic, "Mad Cows to Mad Chickens: What Insiders Can Tell You About Agribusiness, Animal Liberation, and Your Diet."

The forum provided a focused, detailed and intense perspective on farmed animal production and related issues of diet, agribusiness and government practices. Topics ranged from foie gras production to chicken slaughterhouse atrocities to artificial insemination of turkeys to USDA "inspection" myths to the fallacy of "certified humane" care of animals raised for food, to the certified inanity of the Atkins Diet and the spellbinding beauty of chickens in a sanctuary environment. Audience participation was stimulating and strong throughout.

This year's forum was inspired by the revelations of Virgil Butler, who in 2003 testified via PETA to the horrors he witnessed on a nightly basis at the Tyson chicken slaughterhouse where he worked for five years in Grannis, Arkansas. This was Virgil's first conference speaking engagement, and his presentation was charismatic, a "thrill" as people said about his talk and about Virgil and his partner Laura Alexander who, in the words of one participant, "have been to Hell and back and remarkably are unscorched."

UPC takes this opportunity to thank the speakers for their stellar presentations: Sarahjane Blum, Virgil Butler, Terry Cummings, Mary Finelli, Lester Friedlander, DVM, Michael Greger, MD, Pattrice Jones, Jim Mason, and Paul Shapiro. And we thank Annie and Neil Hornish for graciously videotaping each presentation, which will soon be available for sale.

UPC is grateful to the following people for their generous sponsorship assistance to this year's forum: Lynn Halpern, Audrey Haschemeyer, Lenore Madeleine, Richard Peppin, and Sheila Rybak. And we thank the Norfolk Airport Hilton Hotel for their delicious meals, elegant arrangements, and overall hospitality.