Download Sample 1AC:

Sample 1AC:
Resolution: My partners and I stand firmly resolved that factory farming should be illegal.
We offer the following Case against the status quo:
Contention I. Harms/Needs
A. Factory farming is extremely cruel.
1. Evidence: The animals are confined to the point where suffocation is common.
Most of the animals never see direct sunlight, smell fresh air, and some never even
touch the ground. Animals are mutilated and modified. (Singer, Peter. “Animal
Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
2.
Evidence: The circumstances don’t allow the animals to act in natural ways.
(Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of
California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
B. Due to factory farming, health risks for people have grown significantly.
1. Evidence: Overcrowding of animals in factories spreads epidemics quickly.
(Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of California .
17 Dec. 2010. <http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
2.
Evidence: The factory farms are filled with so many antibiotics and hormones that it
is common for diseases, bugs, and infection to pass to humans. (Singer, Peter.
“Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of California . 17 Dec.
2010. <http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
C. Factory farms poison the land, air, and water.
1.
Evidence: Animal waste is stored in large pits or “lagoons” where it poses a serious
threat to the land, air, and especially the water. (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation”
Factory Farming Website University Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
2.
Evidence: Three-quarters of U.S. factory farms are subjected to no state pollution
controls. (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University
Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
3.
Evidence: Factory farms generate enormous amounts of waste , which can leak into
the ground water, and put residents at risk of exposure to infectious and potentially
deadly bacteria
Evidence: Runoff from industrial farms can also spread antibiotic-resistant bacteria,
and contribute to dangerously high levels of heavy metals such as nitrates into wells
and public water supplies.
4.
Contention II. Inherency
A. No direct laws protecting animals from factory farming
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1.
Evidence: The Federal Animal Welfare Act regulates the treatment of animals for
commercial purposes but does not apply to farm animals unless they are being used
in research or for exhibition. This creates a gap. (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation”
Factory Farming Website University Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
2.
Evidence: There are no federal laws that protect farm animals from even the most
harsh and brutal treatment as long as it takes place in the name of production and
profit. (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of
California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
The affirmative has developed a plan to solve the problems in the status quo:
Plank 1: Mandates:
A. Factory farming is illegal.
1. Factory farming is defined as large-scale industrialized and intensive agriculture that
is focused on profit with animals kept indoors, confined at high stocking density and
restricted in mobility; where a farm operates as a factory
2. All animals used for consumption must be raised on a free-grazing farm.
3. All animals must be fed natural products with no artificial hormones and additives.
4. All animals used for consumption cannot be administered antibiotics, growthpromoting hormones, appetite stimulants and pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and
aflatoxins.
B. All animals used for consumption will be treated humanly and without cruelty.
1. All farms must follow animal cruelty laws.
Plank 2: Enforcement
Government health inspectors and agriculture officials will be able to investigate farms.
5.
A special unit will be assigned to investigate farms monthly with various random
visits.
6.
Inspectors and officials would also inspect at any given time based on suspicious
activity.
B. Violators will be punished by the law.
1.
First offense results in a fine worth 60% of their profit of farming.
2.
Any offense there after, the violator will face imprisonment with a minimum
sentence of one year, or more depending on the severity, and their farm will
be shut down.
Plank 3: Administration
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A. The United States Department of Agriculture will oversee and manage the production of
animal products.
1.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service will go directly to the farms for
enforcement.
2.
A committee will be formed with two representatives from each state to
specifically deal with farming issues.
B. The committee will analyze the need for changes in enforcement and funding, as well as
discussing issues at hand.
1.
The committee will meet every four months to discuss together.
2.
In order for change, the committee must have a ¾ majority vote.
Plank 4: Funding
A. A 10-cent tax will be added to meats, dairy, poultry, and fish for consumers.
1.
B.
As of now, there is no tax on meat; therefore this tax will bring in additional
funding needed.
a. According to a 2008 survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, the
average family of four spent $5,478 on groceries, including $1,201 on
meat, poultry, fish and eggs. (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation”
Factory Farming Website University Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
Government funding will be in effect.
1.
Money towards the FDA and USDA will be used.
2.
Government funding will vary based on money spent.
Our last Contention proves that our plan will solve the problems:
Contention III: Solvency
A. Harm 1: The extreme cruelty of factory farming will be solved by…..
1. Applying animal rights laws to farming animals
2. All states will apply their animal rights laws to factory farming
B. Harm 2: Due to factory farming, health risks for people have increased significantly and
will be solved by…..
1. Banning the use of antibiotics, growth-promoting hormones, appetite stimulants and
pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and aflatoxins as enhancements
2. Minimizing the potential for cultivating and spreading disease rapidly due to close
confinement
C. Harm 3: Factory farms poison the land, air, and water and will be solved by…..
1. Air, water, and land pollution will decrease due to factory farming being shut down
2. The surrounding communities will have less risk of health problems
D. Advantage 1: Beef fed with natural grass is high in Omega 3, which in turn will allow the
consumer to eat healthier
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1. Omega 3 helps prevent hypertension, cancer, arthritis, auto immune disorders, and
coronary artery disease (Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website
University Of California . 17 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
2.
Omega 3s in beef that feed on grass is 7% of the total fat content, compared to 1% in
grain-only
D. Advantage 2: Family farms will be able to prosper once again
1. Family farmers are being forced out of business at an extremely high rate
2. According to Farm Aid, 330 farmers leave their land each week. Resulting in nearly
five million fewer farms in the U.S. than there were in the 1930's
3. Of the two million only 565,000 are family operations
4. Family farms also provide wealth and other benefits for their communities and
surrounding areas, boosting their economy
5. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, between 1974 and
2002, the number of corporate-owned U.S. farms increased by more than 46%.
(Singer, Peter. “Animal Liberation” Factory Farming Website University Of
California . 17 Dec. 2010.
http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=301>
We feel the Affirmative has presented adequate information to prove that the status quo is not working
and that our plan will fix the problems.
I now stand open for cross-examination and points of clarification.
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Fall and Rise of an American Icon. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2002.
"Ho Chi Minh." Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2003. Britannica.com.
15 May 2003 <http://www.britannica.com>.
King, Stephen. Black House. New York: Random, 2001.
---. From a Buick 8: A Novel. New York: Simon, 2002.
Law and Order. Prod. Wolf Film in assoc. with Universal Television. NBC Television
Network. WHEC, Rochester, NY. 13 Mar. 2003.
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