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READER'S LETTER PUBLISHED IN THE WESTSIDE WEEKLY (A PUBLICATION OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES), FEBRUARY 7, 1999
Should Furs Have Tags on How Animals Were Killed?
AT ISSUE: The Beverly Hills City Council this week reluctantly approved a special election May 11 to let voters decide whether to put tags in furs explaining how animals were killed.
From: Teresa Platt, Executive Director, Fur Commission USA
Fur Commission USA, representing over 600 U.S.-based mink and fox farmers, would like to respond to an article on the labeling of fur garments (First fur labeling law headed for city ballot, Sunday, January 24). Should this labeling initiative make it to the ballot, we urge everyone to vote it down.
The initiative was put forward in response to an edited tape showing Beverly Hills' retailers commenting on the production of fur. One could tape waiters and chefs discussing how beef, chicken or fish were produced, edit out any knowledgeable response and say that labeling was necessary for consumers to get information on areas outside the domain of the waiters and chefs. Or one could go to the source: the ranchers, farmers, fishermen and the appropriate government agencies. Even the proponents of the labeling initiative submitted a boxful of information to the Beverly Hills city clerk to argue their case, proving that information is readily available to any consumer seeking it out. Start at our website at www.furcommission.com. But we fur farmers, along with most other consumers and retailers, object to reducing complicated discussions about resource management and use to "credit card" sized labels on products.
The sale of garments made from farmed animals supports the annual recycling of over a billion pounds of food byproducts from the fish, beef and dairy industries, reducing waste. Products made from wild animals support wildlife management programs which maintain a balance between animal populations and habitat, infusing value into wildlife so people live off the bounty of nature. This is sustainable use, which is supported by every major environmental organization in the world. Conservationists wear fur and leather proudly.
The efforts of the fur industry, which includes such diverse components as indigenous trappers and hunters, fur farming families, designers, manufacturers and high fashion models, result in an exquisite natural insulator, a fabric that is used in some of the world's most beautiful garments. Beverly Hills can be chilly at times, but since many residents of Beverly Hills travel they know firsthand that nearly half the Earth's surface is subject to snow, ice, and seasonally frozen ground. The fur industry is proud to contribute to protecting people from those harsh elements with grace and style.
© 1998-2008 Fur Commission USA