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THE ISCOWP NEWS Volume 15 Issue 3 2005Are Not the Animals of a Country Citizens Also? Srimad Bhagavatam Purport 1.10.4
Click the pictures to enlarge Above: Harvest Workshop Garden Tour Below: Gita is retired now at 15 years old
The Lord said, "You drink cows' milk: therefore the cow is your mother. And the bull produces grains for your maintenance; therefore he is your father. - Adi-lila 17.153 We welcome all our new friends met through ISCOWP's 2005 outreach programs. As our long term members know, this year was the first time we had the opportunity to expand our organic garden beyond ISCOWP’s needs, which involves our own sustenance and monthly produce gifts for our members. We found a welcoming local market for our produce with the potential to support the ISCOWP staff. To realize our sustainability from the land, the main goal for this coming year is to develop our garden and market. You, our members have helped us build the ISCOWP facility. We now ask you to please pray for our success in this endeavor.
Letters: Putana's Milk or Yasoda's Milk, Bitter Melon, Caring for the Elderly, Horse and Plow, Similarities Between the Horse and Ox
"Remove the Mud" Progress Report
The Future Belongs to Organic Farming
Putana's Milk or Yasoda's Milk Putana’s Milk or Yasoda’s Milk (Glossary for some words to follow): Bhagvat Dharma (The way of life according to the Vedic scripture Srimad Bhagavatam) bhajan kutir (small shelter where one can meditate) Bhaktipada (previous fallen leader of New Vrndavana) Brahminical, Brahman (priestly class) Dipavali (Vedic holy day) Grhastras (families) gosala (cow protection facility) Janmastami (Krishna’s birthday) ksatryias (management class) Puja (ceremony of offering to Krishna) Putana (evil female personage in Vedic history who tried to poison Krishna with her breast milk when He was a baby) Sri Radha Vrindaban Candra (presiding deities of new Vrindavana community) Srila Prabhupada, SP (spiritual leader of the Hare Krishna Movement) sudras (workers) vaisyas (farmers and businessmen) Varnashram Dharma, VAD (Vedic social system) Yagna (a fire ceremony blessing an occasion) Yasoda (loving mother of Krishna)
From: Krishna Design Sent: 10/23/2005 3:46:43 AM Subject: Fw: Receipt for Your Payment to the International Society for Cow Protection I recently had a discussion with my initiating guru, H.H. Bir Krishna das Goswami Maharaj, and he warned me that; "Any butter, ghee or milk bought from anyone except devotee farms (such farms protect their cows for their entire life) is supporting cow slaughter." Of course, I lived at New Raman Reti in Florida for 1 year, and almost every day I would drink fresh cow milk. But, here in Fiji that is not possible. Maharaj informs me that, "I don't think there is any devotee farm in Fiji". And not only milk, but I also purchase ghee for my puja and fire Yagna. So in order to compensate, I have reassured Maharaj that "for every dollar I spend on non-devotee farm milk, whether it be ghee, milk, yogurt, or ice cream, I will donate an equal amount to cow protection. If I spend $50 on milk, then I will also donate $50 to cow protection. That will compensate." And as I am planning a great fire Yagna with 500 candles to celebrate Dipavali next week, I recently purchased 3 bottles of ghee costing $17.96 Fijian ($10.63 USD). Therefore, in keeping with my pledge to Maharaj, I hereby donate an equal $10.63 USD. You do not have to send any gift in return for this donation. Thank you. Hare Krishna, Vrindavan dasa From: Greg Stein To: iscowp@earthlink.net;MALATIDEVI@aol.com;story108@juno.com;jayamurari@msn.com; dfintel@msn.com;rj_seward@hotmail.com;Lennyrader@cs.com;Ramaraja@aol.com; gourdmad@ovnet.com;Immac108@aol.com;NityoDita@Juno.com;Jamuna_dasi@hotmail.com Cc: Radhanath@aol.com; aniruddha.BJD@pamho.net; Janaka.Mahajana.Das@pamho.net; janaka.Mahajana.DG@pamho.net; rupanuga_d@hotmail.com; lila5291@yahoo.com; shyam@newvrindaban.com; hari-nam@hotmail.com Sent: 11/12/2005 6:55:38 PM Subject: RE: Putana's milk or Yasoda's Milk
Hare Krsna. This is a beautiful example. I love it. I have decided to do the same and will ask my dear daughter, Sarasvati (9 yrs old) to keep track of all of this and forward the money on a quarterly basis. Where should I send the money? Your servant, Gopal Bhatta das From: Madhava Gosh das To: Reply all Date: 11/12/2005 11:07:32 PM Subject: Vicarious Cow Protection (Re: Putana's milk or Yasoda's Milk)
Here is an old idea I am dusting off from 1998. I have been discouraged from using the term blood milk, so if I were to redo it, I would adapt the Putana milk term. Interest rates have changed, the stock market has been thru changes, etc. , but the basic principles remain the same and nice to see someone else has taken this up on their own. Vrindavan dasa ki jaya! Gopal Bhatta ki jaya!
From: Madhava Gosh das To:Varnasrama.development@com.bbt.se ISCOWP iscowp@earthlink.net Subject:pratical implementation of VA Date:Wed, 22 Apr 1998 09:11:05 -0400 Excuse USA centric presentation. Presentation based on calculation that protected cows milk has a true cost of $10 per gallon.( gallon = 3.5 liters) "You say we must have a gosala trust, that is our real purpose:krsi-go-raksya vanijyam, vaisya-karma svabhava-jam (Bhagavad-gita 18.44). Where there is agriculture there must be cows. That is our mission: Cow protection and agriculture and if there is excess, trade. This is a no-profit scheme. For the agriculture we want to produce our own food and we want to keep cows for our own milk. The whole idea is that we are ISKCON, a community to be independent from outside help. This farm project is especially for the devotees to grow their own food. Cotton also, to make their own clothes. And keeping cows for milk and fatty products. Our mission is to protect our devotees from unnecessary heavy work to save time for advancing in Krsna consciousness. This is our mission. So there is no question of profit, but if easily there are surplus products, then we can think of trading. Otherwise we have no such intention. We want a temple, a gosala and agriculture. A community project as in Europe and America. We are making similar attempts in India in several places. Immediately I'm going to Hyderabad to organize the farm project there. We have six hundred acres. We have the permission from the government. There is no question of ceiling." SPL to Yasomatinandana dasa, 28th November, 1976
PURPORT Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 8: Chapter Twenty-four, Text 5
PURPORT Cow protection means feeding the brahminical culture, which leads towards God consciousness, and thus perfection of human civilization is achieved. Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter Nineteen, Text 3
Following is some notes on the gosala trust (cow trust) as I see it. Of course, any one could set up a trust any way they want. This is meant to be a prototype. Individual donors may set up trusts with restricted gifts for very focused and specific purposes, such as building a barn or for the lifetime maintenance of a specific cow. With the stock market as high as it is, they are some excellent opportunities for large donors to give and get substantial tax breaks for their retirement and estate planning. Recently a donor gave a local college a $4 million dollar donation. The donation was an unrestricted gift placed in a Charitable Remainder Trust. A CRT is one where the donor gets the tax benefits of a charitable donation at the time the gift is placed in the trust ( like getting the write-off of the appreciated value of stocks or property, but with no capital gains exposure) and it is not subject to estate taxes, but the recipient of the donation doesn't take possession of the gift until after the demise of the donor. In the meantime, the donor gets the income generated by the gift to live on. Of course, the specifics will vary from country to country.
In NV I am making a specific request for a particular 280 acre parcel of land to be held for the sole purpose of the cows. This is less than 10% of the land that Bhaktipada left to the NV managers. I don't want to go out to wealthy donors as a poor man with hat in hand. I want to approach from the basis that here is an ongoing, already funded trust with great possibilities and a secure future.
This land is an integral part of the view shed for pilgrims approaching NV, and is land Srila Prabhupada physically touched with his feet. The land will also be used as a Srila Prabhupada memorial site, with little bhajan kutirs (spelling?) set up in the wooded portions of the pasture for retreats for devotees to spend time with the cows. A gazebo would be built on the site of the 1972 Janamastami celebration where SP spoke the Bhagvat Dharma. Efforts would be made to restore the temple where SP actually saw Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Candra.
PURPOSES OF TRUST Guarantee lifetime support for specific cows. Promote system of lifetime protection with natural death (no slaughtering) for cows. Promote small scale agriculture. Distribute information and educational materials appropriate to these ends.
ACTIVITIES OF TRUST Hold land in trust for the specific use of the cows. Buy and sell land or income producing properties. Buy land and place development rights in Conservation Trusts, then resell to aspiring cow protectors. Make capital improvements on existing lands.
Assist people aspiring to protect cows, including making capital improvements to their land for the purpose of facilitating cow protection. Said capital improvements to be secured by a lien on the land, with no payments due as long as protected cows are kept there, or until the land is sold. Subsidize production of cruelty-free milk Pay devotees with generated revenues to care for unproductive cows.
FUNDING FOR THE TRUST Existing farm projects place land into trust. City temples pay true cost of protected milk. Hindu guests approached for seed money; eventual interaction with Westerners, especially animal rightists and environmentalists. Fund trust initially with donations; over time fund with agricultural production. Buy income-producing properties to generate funds for trust. Buy revenue producing financial instruments. Assist well wishers with retirement.
EXAMPLE OF SUBSIDIZING PROTECTED MILK PRODUCTION Initially, blood milk is purchased by temples, but $8 for every gallon purchased goes to a farm trust fund, followed by breeding a cow every time another $10,000 is in farm trust. The proceeds maintain the calf for life. When the issue of that breeding has lived a full, natural life and passes on, another cow may be bred. In one year, the 8% return on the $10,000 in the farm's trust would provide $800, the approximate yearly maintenance cost for one cow. A portion of this $800 would help pay land costs and labor for the devotee caring for the cow. If a temple uses 3 gallons of milk @ day, that is $30 x 365 days = $10,950 per year. If temple has $136,875 in a capital fund, the interest money at 8% would purchase required milk for that temple in perpetuity @ $10 per gallon, with $8 out of the $10 going into trust fund on a farm aspiring to produce the temple's milk. In 417 days, the $10,000 figure is reached. Once the temple is purchasing actual protected milk, the $2-3 per gallon used previously could be used by the devotee milking the cow for personal expenses. The other $8 would continue to go to the project's trust fund. As the farm's trust fund becomes larger, more cows could be bred, making more milk available for sale to congregational members of the temple, including life members, grhastras and also to vegans and animal rightists in the larger community. This would not have to be sold at the full price of $10 per gallon, but would command a premium, which the temple could use to fund it's trust fund, if it was not already fully funded and the $10@ gallon was coming out of cash flow. Initial funding for the city temple's trust fund could come from a capital gifts funding drive among life members and congregational members. Large gifts may be more available than you think for such a project. Even less materially well off people could contribute. If the brahmans in the temple set a high example of purifying blood milk, people will be inspired to follow the example. If a family used 2 gallons of milk per week and donated $1 per gallon to the temple trust fund, it would take 130 families 10 years to fund the temple fund of $136, 875. Considering it is 20+ years since Srila Prabhupada said establish VAD, this is not a long time. This example will tie the city temples to the land, and help bring about the full manifestation of Varnashram Dharma. The brahmans will be known by their example of not drinking unpurified blood milk, the ksatryias will be known by their competency in administering trust assets, and the vaisyas will get access to necessary capital for developing the economic base of VAD. When the economic base is established, lots of work for sudras.
From: Diana Khan Sent: 8/1/2005 10:39:38 AM Subject: Re: Harvest Workshop (We grow Bitter Melon, also known as Kerela) in our organic garden, give it to our monthly donors, and sell it to local families) This is an update on my Bitter Melon "cure" for diabetes. I went on three meals shakes of l/2 cup of water with Bitter Melon in the blender three times a day. I lowered my sugar remarkable...and it also lowered my cholesterol/triglycerides level too. PROBLEM: I hurt my back and could not take the anti-inflammatory medication because of its side effects with the Bitter Melon. For two weeks after I stopped taking the Bitter Melon, my sugar levels were wonderful. I would eat and if my levels were at 147 to start, two hours later the levels were at 97 !!! Its been a month at least and I am starting up again with the Bitter Melon. My question to you is: Are Bitter Melon seeds edible? When you dry the Bitter Melon, how do you eat them...do you hydrate them....??? I would like to try doing my Bitter Melon regime with dried ones. Since I don't have a dehydrator, would it be possible to buy a few bags from you? If you tell me how much they are I could pay for them plus shipping. Sometimes Bitter Melons are expensive (fresh) and are hard to come by. And I was thinking this may work for me.
From: Iscowp Inc To: Diana Khan Sent: 8/30/2005 6:00:17 AM Subject: Bitter Melon
Yes, the seeds are edible. Yes, you dehydrate the bitter melon. The general rule of thumb is to put one cup of vegetables in one cup of water. They will get plump and then are ready to use. I have found that when I am adding dehydrated vegetables in a soup or wet vegetable dish I don't need to hydrate before hand- they hydrate in the soup or liquid.
Thanks for the update. I printed you information in the newsletter and people have mentioned to me that they read about the benefits of the Bitter Melon. I will put the update in the newsletter ,and I am sure the readers will be excited to read the Bitter Melon actually had an affect.
Do you like the taste of it in a blender? Even when I cook it some folks do not like the taste- it is an acquired taste.
From: Diana Khan Sent: 8/30/2005 7:22:37 AM Subject: Re: Bitter Melon Get a cup of tea, and enjoy this letter. Please send me a copy of your newsletter, who knows if that is my 15 minutes worth of fame. While I can drink them with no problem from the blender, I prefer to fry one or two Bitter Melons by cutting them in about l/8 slices and, not golden frying, but frying almost a little bit on the burnt side. Irene, it is unbelievable, you actually crave the Bitter Melon taste. Your mouth actually waters. What could be determined is that your body craves what its missing, and since the Bitter Melon enhances a "chemical" that your pancreas secretes to fight off the diabetes, there you go. Irene, I am driving from school and all I have in my mind is the Bitter Melon (Kerela). Yes, I agree it is an acquired taste for the bitterness of the Kerela (Bitter Melon), but one never gets used to the "taste of the insulin needles”. I do not want to use insulin. While I can appreciate the insulin cure, it has saved millions, I do not want to use insulin if there are other options and alternatives. Pakistanis, Indians, Malaysians, and Turkish, etc, have used Kerela for diabetes. Never mind that medications are expensive, but people would rather use natural ingredients. Also, God promised a cure for every disease. He said that there was a cure for every disease in this world. Not once did I think that with the trip to Mars, that the astronauts would be bringing a cure for diabetes. Wonder if anybody else did. I even have my father on this Kerela, otherwise they are going to put him on insulin. My thought on this is, even if it doesn't eliminate the diabetes, it can at least keep me and him from going on insulin. Because I am not doing THAT. Irene, also, what kind of a dehydrator did you tell me you used. And, for how long do you dehydrate them for? How thinly sliced do you cut them, etc? Kerela are not easy to find here. I'm getting crazy that I may not find them when I need them (winter). I am able to find the Indian version of Kerela, but they are small and I'll be cutting all day long. For these, I don't scrap anything off as most people do. I just slice them and fry them They are too small and will break my bank...they are not too expensive, but they are a pain to clean. I was wondering if people could eat the seed. It seems like such a waste of resources to throw out the seed. Irene, maybe I have been throwing out the "cure" all this time. The article did say that after one month of eating three times a day, the affects of the diabetes were not detected. If that is the case...I'm trying it out. I mean eating the seeds.
From: Iscowp Inc To: Diana Khan Sent: 9/12/2005 2:22:43 PM Subject: Re: Bitter Melon
Do you have any property that you could grow the Kerela? We could send you seeds. They have to go on a trellis when they grow. In the long run this may be less expensive. The Kerala we use is the East Indian one (Hindu). We don't peel them or remove the seeds. Just like you, we first cut them in 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch slices and fry the Kerala on both sides until golden brown. We use olive oil. I am sure I remember correctly, but don't you live in Texas? I think you could grow Kerela all year long as it is use to a warm/hot climate. So your dehydrator would not be necessary unless you have more than you can eat and you want to preserve them. We use an Excaliber dehydrator and we cut them about 1/4 inch and it takes about 8 hours. They are hard when done and I don't think they will taste good that way. It is usually 1 cup of water to 1 cup of vegetables for hydrating and you hydrate them until they turn plump. I did read on the internet, that too many of the seeds were not good for you in some cases. We have never had a problem, but we do not eat them in large quantities or everyday. You might want to do your own research on the internet to find out more. I do not remember the location of that information. If you give me your address I can send you a newsletter. All of our newsletter are published on line at www.iscowp.org. It is very interesting to read that the Kerela has helped you so much!
From: Melissa M. Contreras Sent: 10/30/2005 2:05:26 PM Subject: Re: About Nanda
This brings me to Nanda and his relation to my dad, at least for me. I don't think my mom would understand, but as I was looking at your website, I saw Nanda and read his story. I started to cry because he reminded me of my dad: an old man whose body is starting to give out. Dad had been ill for years, off and on. He had good days and bad days, and there were things he needed help with, just like Nanda needs help getting into the barn in the winter. Dad's legs had several arteries removed to replace the blocked ones going to his heart. His legs were weak from lack of circulation due to diabetes. Nanda is a living being like my Dad, and just as we would not dream of killing my dad because he had become old and could no longer pull his weight, it is unthinkable to kill Nanda or any other living creature for the same reason. If people would begin to see the relationship between all living beings, and that they all have a right to live out their natural lives, maybe this madness of factory farming and wars would end. The cow is like our mother, giving us her milk, peacefully, and without injury to any living being. The bull is like our father, and an old ox like Nanda is just like my father, once hard-working, contributing to our sustenance, now old and in need of a little help.
It became clear to me that I should adopt Nanda. Fittingly, as my Dad sent me a small monthly allowance to help with my oldest daughter's college expenses, I would now send a monthly allowance to help take care of Nanda and ensure his comfort in the autumn of his life. Most people don't care about an old man, so who cares about an old ox? I pledge to take care of Nanda, in the name of my father.
From: Melissa M. Contreras Sent: 11/1/2005 4:22:33 PM Subject: Re: About Nanda
Thank you for your reply, please take your time, I am in no rush.
I have also just adopted Vraja and Radharani.
This brings me to about $100 per month, which is what my Dad used to send me. I was surprised to see that Vraja was not adopted, since he is one of the stars of the show! He is so beautiful - my kids will be delighted to have adopted him. Radharani is now my adopted mother, and just like my mom, an older lady. If finances permit, someday I would like to adopt 5 cows/oxen, as we are 5 in the family. All glories to Krsna's cows!
From: persaud suresh <suresh_persaud@yahoo.com> To: <iscowp@earthlink.net> Date: 7/22/2005 11:22:04 AM Subject: Horse & plow
I just found an article that you might be interested in. See below:
Horse-and-Plow Farming Making a Comeback By JOSEPH B. FRAZIER, Associated Press Writer Fri Jul 22, 3:23 AM ET 2005
SISTERS, Ore. - To some, the thought of a farmer patiently working the field behind a horse and plow might evoke pangs of nostalgia for the early days of agriculture. But in fact, the practice is making a comeback.
Ol' Dobbin hasn't run the tractors out of the fields yet. But increasingly, small farmers are finding horse-powered agriculture a workable alternative to mechanization.
Lynn Miller, whose quarterly "Small Farmer's Journal" tracks horse-farming, estimates about 400,000 people depend in some measure on animal power for farming, logging and other livelihoods. He says the number is on the rise.
Many are Amish farmers in Iowa and Pennsylvania who shun mechanization, but some are farmers who have turned to horses because of the bottom line, citing soaring fuel prices and the ability of the animals to produce their own replacements.
They also say the animals are better for the soil and can be used in wet weather when a tractor often cannot.
Miller, who farms with horses on his own ranch, said the practice began spreading beyond Amish communities about 20 years ago. "When I started 31 years ago there were no companies making equipment for animal-powered agriculture," he said in his office in this central Oregon town. "Fifteen years ago I could count them. Today I have no idea how many there are."
Miller estimated that 60 percent to 70 percent of those who try horse-and-plow farming stay with it. "It takes a certain personality," he said. "It's a craft, not a science."
Miller said a farmer with horses can earn triple or more the earnings per acre than one farmed by agribusiness.
Ron VanGrunsven farms about 50 acres with horses near Council, Idaho, and has used horses for years there and in Oregon's Willamette Valley.
"They're more economical," he said. "They raise their own replacements, you can train them yourself and raise their feed."
A mare can produce a foal every year or so, and Miller says that, if properly trained, one can bring about $2,000 after two years.
A plow horse usually lasts 16 or 18 years, Miller said. He said he looks after his stable of nine carefully and veterinarian bills rarely total $200 a year.
VanGrunsven said a two-horse team and a farmer can plow about an acre and a half a day if the ground is right and that an acre usually produces more than enough hay to feed a horse for a year.
"Most of my equipment is not new," said VanGrunsven. "It is from the 1930s or earlier. It has been repaired and cleaned up. ... The older things were designed so they could be fixed if they broke. When newer things break, they have to be replaced."
Horse farming was common until the end of World War II, when the government and manufacturers started promoting mechanization to soak up the surplus industrial capacity, Miller said.
Horses could often be used as down payments for tractors, he said, "and they went to the glue factories by the hundreds of thousands."
Similarities Between the Horse and Ox From: Iscowp, Inc. To: persaud suresh <suresh_persaud@yahoo.com> Date: 11/21/2005 11:21:10 AM Subject: Re: Horse & plow
I felt your e-mail containing the Horse and Plow article would be of interest to our readers. Therefore, I wanted to publish it in our newslet ter. After reading it, I felt the need to draw the similarities between the horse and ox. In researching this point, I came across this article I felt you would find of interest.
Lines or
Goad? Horses versus Oxen Every time I set out to do some work, I have to make a
decision few people are lucky enough to be bothered with: Do I feel like
holding lines or a goad stick?
When Timber
and Jack were three months old I discovered they could do all kinds of work,
whether we were skidding small pieces of wood, fixing fence, or doing yard
work. Every task taught them a little more and I soon saw their working
future. I got lucky with teachers. My father Earl Ainsworth started to teach me the draft horse business when I was seven years old and is still teaching me. Howard VanOrd from Russell, Pennsylvania, started teaching me
the art of
ox droving a few years ago and is still teaching me. I am lucky in both
cases to have good teachers who understand animals and are willing to teach
what they know to a newcomer. A mentor who possesses both qualities is rare.
Another
difference is the simplicity of the ox yoke compared to the intricate and
expensive horse harness. Yokes, however, are not as easy to find as horse
harness and collars. Being an experienced horseman, I found it strange at first not to have a set of lines in my hands while driving. After a few months of ox droving, I became as comfortable with a goad in my hand as I am with a pair of lines. I use the oxen some days and the horses other days, and savor my luck at having the choice.
Brandt Ainsworth runs a professional logging operation in New York and is the host of the videotape Logging with Horses, Oxen and Mules. This article appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Rural Heritage.
U.S. Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection From: holycow108@earthlink.net To: iscowp@earthlink.net Sent: 6/29/2005 11:45:20 AM Subject: U.S. Seeks Source of Mad Cow Infection ABC News U.S. Hopes DNA Tests to Find Herd Where Diseased Cow Came From Can Lead to Source of Infection The U.S. Agriculture Department said Friday it has confirmed the first case of mad cow disease in United States born animal after a retest of that animal at an internationally recognized institute in Britain. By LIBBY QUAID Associated Press Writer The Associated Press WASHINGTON Jun 25, 2005 — The government hopes DNA tests to find the herd where the cow with mad cow disease came from can lead to the source of the infection, an Agriculture Department official said Saturday. The United States confirmed what may be its first homegrown case of mad cow disease on Friday, seven months after officials first suspected the animal might be infected. Pinpointing the cow's herd will help track the animal's feed and explain how it became infected. The only known way the disease spreads is through feeding infected cattle remains to other cattle, which the U.S. banned in 1997 "We're pretty confident that we have the herd, but we want to make sure," John Clifford, the department's chief veterinarian, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Testing is being done now on tissue from cows that may have been herd mates." The effort is complicated by mistakes made after the animal was killed. The cow's type of breed was accidentally mislabeled, and its tissues were mixed with tissues from other cows, Clifford said. Despite the delay in reliable results, the government says the food safeguards are working well. "The fact that this animal was blocked from entering the food supply tells us that our safeguards are working exactly as they should," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said at a news conference Friday. Still, the emergence of a native-born case could cast a shadow over the nation's 96 million cattle, the largest herd in the world. Taiwan, which imported more than $76 million in U.S. beef in 2003, announced Saturday it would immediately reimpose its ban on U.S. beef. Japan, once the largest importer of U.S. beef, still has not lifted its ban. The only previous U.S. case, confirmed in December 2003, was in a dairy cow that had been imported from Canada, where three other cases have been found. Even that 2003 case involving an imported animal prompted some 50 nations to ban U.S. beef imports. While Johanns would not say where the cow turned up, he said there was no evidence it was imported. Johanns said the new case was no surprise, given that the department is testing about 1,000 cattle a day. Since escalating its testing after the 2003 case, the government has screened about 388,000 animals. An internationally recognized laboratory in Weybridge, England, confirmed the new case Friday after U.S. tests produced conflicting results. The animal was a "downer" that could not walk and was delivered to a rendering plant for animals unfit for human consumption. The government banned downer cows from the food supply just days after the 2003 case. The ban on downer cows is one of many safeguards aimed at keeping the disease from getting into the food or feed supply. Also banned are tissues, including the brain, skull and spinal cord, from older cows believed to carry the disease. Those materials must be removed from slaughtered cows older than 30 months because it is believed that infection levels increase with age. In addition, the U.S. and Canada banned the use of cattle parts in cattle feed in 1997 following the mad cow disease outbreak in Britain. Officials have not said how old the infected U.S. cow was but said it was born before the feed ban. The feed ban has loopholes allowing cattle to be fed poultry litter, blood and restaurant leftovers, all potential pathways for mad cow disease. The new case was confirmed after a series of conflicting test results. The department did initial screening using a "rapid test," which was positive. A more detailed immunohistochemistry, or IHC test, was negative. But the department did not conduct a third round, using the Western blot, until the department's inspector general, Phyllis Fong, ordered it to do so two weeks ago. Fong has not explained why she ordered new tests. Mad cow disease medically known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE kills brain cells and leaves spongy holes behind. A form of the disease in people is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It has been linked to the consumption of contaminated meat. The disease has killed about 150 people worldwide, mostly in Britain. How Long are Calves Allowed to Suckle? From: iscowp@earthlink.net To: GraciaFaye@hotmail.com Date: 7/16/2004 4:02:24 PM Subject: how long are calves allowed to suckle ? Dear Gracia, On 4/29/04, I received a phone call from a God brother by the name of Madhusudana. He had met you at a program and you had inquired about cows and cow care according to the Krishna Philosophy. He has asked me to respond to your inquiry. The issue of milk can become a heated debate. Currently the exploitation of innocent animals commonly referred to as FACTORY FARMING has made many people into vegetarians and some into vegans. On the Krishna farms in the early days, milk was the all in all. However, after the math was done and all of the farms discovered that they had too many cows/oxen for them to take care of, the breeding of cows for milk was curtailed severely to just supply the farm community itself with its milk needs and none for sale to the city temples or outside neighbors. Each piece of land has what is called CARRYING CAPACITY. This means that only so many animals can be taken care of from that given piece of land. For example, the farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania had a carrying capacity of 1 cow per 3 acres of land and the farm in Moundsville, West Virginia was 1 cow per 5 acres of land. The farm in Pennsylvania stopped breeding, except for 3 cows every few years, in 1985. At that time, there were 157 cows/oxen. Now there are 24 cows/oxen on that farm. In the Krishna philosophy there is no question of killing the cows. The cow and bull are considered as one of the sets of Mother and Father and respected as such. The term LIFE TIME PROTECTION is what we follow, and it must be quality care. According to the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, cows’ milk is a perfect food in a material sense and in a spiritual sense; cows' milk is referred to as liquid religiosity. The four legs of the cow represent the four pillars of religious life: TRUTHFULLNESS, CLEANLINESS, MERCY (COMPASSION), and AUSTERITY. By killing the cow, the four legs of religious life are destroyed within society. When the cow has a calf, the western dairyman takes the calf away immediately and feeds the calf by bottle (with commercial milk replacer) so the mother cow can get back into the milking herd and produce milk for $$$$$$. The bull calves either go into veal operations or are allowed to grow to about 2 years of age and then sent to slaughter. The first 2 years are the main growth years of a cow and they will reach upwards of 1000-1200 lbs. according to breed. The eastern practice is different. After the calf is born and the mother has cleaned the calf and the calf has suckled its first milk from the mother the calf is then separated from the mother. However, the calf and mother are kept within site of each other. If the calf is left with the mother, the possibility of the calf taking to much milk is a constant concern. The problem of a calf taking to much milk is commonly called scours, which is severe diarrhea that can dehydrate the calf and actually kill it. So, the calves do need separated but not in the way of the western dairy mentality. At milking time, the calf is brought to its mother and allowed to suckle which helps the mother let her milk down. When the cow relaxes her milk, the calf is brought close to the head of the mother so they can lick each other and the milkman can milk the mother. However, the milkman does not take all of the milk. If the mother is a big milker, the calf is left 1teat or 1/4 of the cow’s milk. If the cow is a small milker then the calf is left 2 teats or 1/2 of the cow’s milk for its nourishment. After milking (usually about 1/2 hr.), the calf and mother are again separated until the next milking. The concern is for the calf having enough milk for nourishment but not enough to cause scours. The calf and mother interact this way for 12-16 weeks at which time the calf is weaned if in the West and longer in India as it is more of a cultural thing and the cows are reluctant to let their milk down without the calf coming to suckle. In speaking with many vegans we ask them if they could get cruelty free milk from lifetime protected cows would they take dairy products as part of their diet. About 95% said that they would take dairy products if they could get cruelty free lifetime protected dairy products They don't want to support the factory farming by buying commercial dairy products or as some people say BLOOD MILK. July We have dried kale, basil, and canned chard, and beans. The Bitter Melon (Kerela) is slowly offering its fruits and in about 10 days, we should be able to pick enough to start drying them. The first planting of green snap beans called Grenoble, have been picked and canned twice. The third picking we will leave on the plants until the beans are dry. We will use this third picking for soups and for planting seed in next year’s garden. The second planting of green snap beans is a different variety called E-Z PICK. So far, we have picked and canned them once. We daily pick cilantro, kale, and chard for our meals. Tomatoes are just starting to ripen, and within a week, we should be picking them in quantity. Most of the four types of winter squash are progressing nicely and starting to vine out. After the vines start growing, flowers will appear and from them the squash will be produced.
Mr. Prasad (picture above to the right), Secretary of Godhan Development Society from Hyderabad, India came to visit the ISCOWP farm on July 21. He found out about us from our web page. The Godhan Society is connected with many persons in India and the United States who are supportive of cow protection. The purpose of the organi zation is to promote cow-based rural development. This picture was taken in the ISCOWP garden: Kerela growing on the left and tomatoes growing on the right. Lemon cucumbers are starting to flower so we should have cucumbers soon. We were given a type of zucchini and we were not told that it is a vine variety and not a bush variety. It is proceeding to seriously vine out and flower and is now starting to produce nice looking squash. The eggplants are producing their first set of long slender fruit and Lakshmi is looking forward to them becoming a nice addition to the menu. The Jerusalem Artichokes are now about 6 feet tall and we are waiting for them to bloom. They are in the sunflower family so when that crop blooms it should be quite pretty. The part of the plant that is used is the tuber that is growing underground. In the fall we harvest it. The tamatillos are progressing nicely and should be ready with the tomatoes for salsa. The peppers are producing but were blown over by a big storm we had last night. To prevent further damage they will most likely need to be staked or caged. All of the flowers planted are producing nicely and give splashes of color throughout the garden. It has been very hot and humid and it seems that what storms have been in our area the last 3 weeks have given us very little rainfall. The storm last night was a welcome relief and gave the garden about an inch of rain. The potatoes will welcome this moisture in their last stages of development.
August Many of the crops we spoke of in the last monthly letter as just beginning to produce, have done just that.
The tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, the zucchini vine variety have produced to such an extent that we are able to sell the excess to the surrounding community. In the beginning of the year, we stated that one of our goals this year was to sell our produce to begin to gain income from the land instead of having to go away to the mall each winter to earn enough income to live on. We are happy to report that we have been selling produce to eleven families and occasionally the temple in the last 2 weeks. Our goal next year is to begin selling the produce sooner and to more families. There is the potential of 30-40 families within a five-mile radius. Now that the families are getting a taste of the fresh organic produce and are reordering we know that next year they will be interested in buying from us. “Word of mouth” has already been in action.
We have also sold some produce in Pittsburgh to members of an Indian community introduced to us by Mr. Prasad. They. are interested in buying from us next year. We showed the slideshow to this group with Balabhadra narrating and we could see what a great tool it was for us to present our activities. Some of the members are coming to visit soon.
We have made blackberry jam from the wild black berries on the property. Very tasty. Next fruit crop will be apples.
Roma tomatoes are producing in full force and we are drying 24 hours a day. The Bitter Melon (Kerela) has produced well and we are drying in full force plus selling (a favorite with the Indian community).
The peppers, greens, squash, and Jerusalem artichokes will grow till frost but the rest of the produce will be finished by the end of September.
September At this point, we are mostly selling our produce to the temple and local families since we have an excess of what we need for members and ourselves. We have not developed the garden for fall production because we must leave in October for the mall to earn our personal income.
sold the last of the tomatoes and removed and stacked the tomato cages. The potatoes are all dug up and what remained of them stored in the root cellar. Our wild apple tree produced apples this year and we made applesauce and dried apples.
The total of canned goods is as follows: 460 quarts, 18 half pints, and 68 pints with a total of 546 canned goods for this year. We also dried more produce this year and have 816 Ziplock sandwich bags of dried produce. Most of it is tomatoes and Bitter Melon (Kerela) along with kale, chard, and apples. We would like to give special thanks to Shelda Bloomingdale, Jessie Hansen, David, and Laura for helping to harvest the remains of the garden.
By Lakshmi D. Dove
Veda was born on the ISCOWP farm. He was 5 years old when he passed away. When I went to check the cows Saturday morning (December 3), the first thing I noticed was that Balaram, Gouravani, Visaka, and Radha Shyama were out eating hay in the hay barn and grass in the driveway. As I looked for the break in the fence where they got out, I looked up and saw a cow lying down and not moving in the barn. I cried out to Krsna and started praying that whoever was down was just sleeping. When a cow is dying, we like to give them some holy water and have a tape of Srila Prabhupada singing spiritual songs 24/7. I did not have time to do either. I am also very attached to all the cows. I rushed into the new barn where the cow was down and discovered it is Veda and he is barely alive. This spring the vet said that Veda had a wasting disease called Johne's disease and it would just be a matter of time before his demise. The vet knows we do not put any of our animals down, but I thought he would last longer then he did. The day before he seemed okay, not well but ok, not at death's door. I started singing to him the Nrsringa prayers (prayers for protection) and checked to make sure that he was not stuck, in fact was actually down, and nothing else was stopping him from getting up. At this stage, he was also very weak and could not lift his head. I went and got bedding to make him more comfortable and also hay and water to see if he would eat or drink which he did not. There was nothing else I could do at that moment. After I did this I gave Vraja his medicine for his arthritis, fed the cows in the loafing shed and old barn, went back outside to fix the fence, and put the four cows back inside. After calling my parents to find out where the CD player and blankets were, I collected these items and I covered Veda with the blankets and turned on the CD player to continuous play. As I was doing this, I noticed that Krishna and Visaka were sniffing Veda and then they each went to stand on either side of Veda and stand guard. I had to run back to the house to get the Yamuna water (holy water) and a calf’s milk bottle to help me get water into Veda. As I approached the barn, I noticed a crowd around Veda, some were just standing there and others were smelling him. My first thought was that he was dead, but then I saw that he had just taken a breath and I was relieved like you would not believe. I gave Veda Yamuna (holy water) water of which he only took a few tablespoons. While talking to him, I looked up and noticed that the gate on the loafing barn was hanging strangely. I went to the loafing barn and discovered that the gate was indeed on the ground, the inside gate was also broken, and all the cows with medical problems were not there but down below the barn hanging with some of the other cows. At this point, I freaked cause I knew I could not move Veda to a better spot since that would kill him, and I knew that I could not fix the gate and get the cows back inside by myself. I contacted my brother and he agreed to come early the next morning since he was already traveling too far away to come right then. I went back to the new barn and spent time with Veda. At this time, he had about 8 cows surrounding him so I went and starting feeding out more hay. About 20 minutes later Ujala started mooing strangely at Veda. I dropped what I was doing to see what was going on. Ujala and Krishna were trying to get Veda up. Unfortunately it did not work. I spent some more time with them and then finished my chores in the barn. The next morning we had a coating of ice on everything, about 1/2 inch, and it was extremely cold like it has been for the last week (we have been in the teens). I suited up and went to the barn. As I walked to the barn, I noticed that Yamuna was standing awkwardly and was acting strangely. I went down to the lower barnyard, before I checked everyone in the barn, and helped her get into a better spot. I tried to get her moving towards the barn hoping to get her up by the silo so once the gate was fixed it would be easier to get her into the loafing barn. She did not want to go up there but kept on going towards my house. At this time I went up into the barn to check on Veda and discovered that he had passed in the night, he was cold to the touch. I covered his face, turned around, and saw his mother watching me with a sorrowful look on her face. I went over to her and told her how sorry I was about her son. Throughout the day she was always within 10 feet of him. At this time, I noticed that the whole herd was also sad so I took the time to talk with them and to walk around and pet everyone. While I was doing this, the cows kept on checking on him by smelling him and trying to uncover him. While I was waiting for my brother, I did my normal chores of feeding everyone and giving Vraja his grain and meds and Gita his grain. Now Gita was not that happy that Vraja was in the barn with him and pushed him down while Vraja was walking by. This really scared me since Vraja has bad arthritis in one of his back legs and he was recovering from an injury in the other back leg. Somehow, I managed to separate the two of them and get Vraja temporally locked back into the loafing barn which was not yet that secure. I then heard a vehicle coming and it was my brother Baladeva. I explained what had happened and showed him what the damage was and then we decided what we were going to fix and how. While we were doing this and gathering the tools we needed, Asha got it in her head that she wanted back into the loafing barn where Vraja was, and she was going to get in there all by herself, thank you very much! When Bala and I got back to the barn after gathering our tools, we discovered that Asha was with Vraja and they were both happy with that. Asha was born with bad hips and walks sideways down hills. We fixed the loafing barn to where it would be really hard for them to take down the gate, now we had to get the cows back in the barn. Now you have to remember everything had about half an inch of ice on it so it was difficult to walk and do anything but we managed. Getting the cows back in is always the hardest part because you do not want everyone in, only a select few. This took us about an hour but they were all happy once they realized what we were up to, but they only realized that once they were in the barn. It takes at least a tractor or backhoe to move a dead cow and a backhoe to bury her or him in the cow burial area on the farm. We do not have a tractor or backhoe but the temple sends one with Ray who has been doing the temple farm work for over 10 years. He was not available on Sunday but came up the following morning on Monday. When Ray came up on the tractor, we removed Veda from the barn and took him to the burial spot. We realized it was too slippery for the backhoe to come up, so we talked about it and he believed that he could bury him with the tractor. At this time we decided to restock the barns since he already had the attachment he needed to do that already on the tractor and in order to bury him he would have to go back to the barn and get a different attachment . We restocked and it took us about 4 hours. It was like 3 o'clock and he would not have enough time to go back to the barn, come back up, and bury him before dark. It was decided he would do it the next day. Also by this time, I was freezing since I had been at the barn since 9:30 am and it was only about 20 degrees, not counting the wind. We buried Veda today, December 6, may he rest in peace and have fun playing with Krishna and the cowherd boys.
July We rotate the cows to the opposite sides of the farm every 27-30 days so that each side gets a rest. As I was taking Rudra for his walk we came across the cows in the forest. It is much cooler there and the trees offer scratching posts and resting areas. It was a lovely site to see them content in the woods where there is plenty of greenery to eat. The vet came up a little while ago and diagnosed some cows we thought might be having problems. So now, we are giving aspirin to Vraja who has arthritis and Dwadasi who has laminitis, sore feet. Saraswati has a growth on the side of her face that usually drains but has grown larger this year. This is called lumpy jaw and is not uncommon. There is no remedy and we are just hoping that it stays stable. Ujvala has mastitis. This usually happens in a milking cow but can happen in a dry cow like Ujvala. We have been instructed by the vet to milk the infection out of her udder once a week for 3 weeks. After each milking, we inject medicine into each of her teats. There is an improvement already. August The cows moved to the other side of the farm again on August 18. Today it is a cool rainy day but the rest of the month has been hot and humid with little rain. Seasonally we are approaching Fall with the hope that we are leaving the hot weather behind. An update on the cow health report: Saraswati’s growth on the side of her face has drained through a new hole that appeared naturally and she is breathing very well without discomfit. This does not mean that all is well but that at least for now the growth is less and she is more comfortable. Vraja and Dwadasi’s condition has not changed but their conditions were not expected to change. Ujala’s mastitis has not improved with the treatment advised and now we will begin a different treatment. The rest of the herd are in good health and still enjoying the pastures. However, there has been little rain to produce new growth so unless we begin to get some substantial rain we expect to be feeding out hay in the barn sooner than later. September We are feeding out hay in the barns but not a lot as there is still some grass in the pastures. The lack of rain has produced little growth on the hillsides. Most of the herd is in good health except for a second time, Ujala’s mastitis has not improved with the treatment advised, and we will again consult with the vet for another approach. We welcome three new adopters: Radhika and Uday from Pittsburgh adopted Balaram, Shelda Bloomingdale adopted Dwadasi, and Anuradha Tsitsishvili adopted Jaya.
October The vet said that after the last treatment, there is no other treatment for Ujala’s mastitis other than amputation. Since she appears to be able to keep up with the herd and in no great pain he recommends leaving it alone. The vet and we agree that amputation is the last resort and only necessary if Ujala is in pain and cannot function due to her swelled udder. Even though Ujala’s udder appears to be larger than normal, it is not full of liquid and tight as before the treatment. We noticed that Yamuna was having trouble walking. She gingerly placed weight on her right foot. Yamuna kept having a difficult time keeping up with the herd for a few weeks. We decided to confine her in the loafing shed and call the vet. The vet diagnosed that she had an injury to her left hip that was causing her to walk slowly. The technical term is “STIFFEL”. The problem arises from ligaments, tendons, and joints being damaged. In addition, he treated a cut on her right foot. By confining her and limiting her need to walk a lot, it will heal. Therefore, we are keeping her in the loafing shed for the winter. The best medicine for Yamuna and her condition is rest so the healing process can take place. Another member of the loafing shed is Vraja, the king of the herd. He was diagnosed with arthritis this year and has difficulty getting up after sitting down. When he dragged himself across the new barn’s floor to get to some grain we decided to confine him in the loafing shed. Although the barn floor in the new barn is bedded with layers of manure and hay, the floor underneath is smooth cement. The cement floor in the loafing shed is somewhat rough being less professionally done. However, it has proven to be good because the roughness creates traction for Vraja and anyone else who has a hard time getting up. Even though there is ample bedding the roughness of the cement floor does not allow the bedding to slip and gives the cows better traction when getting to their feet. So far he has not had a problem with being confined and has been able to get up and down a little easier. We plan to keep him in the loafing shed for the winter. Other members of the herd that will be in the loafing shed for the winter are Dwadasi, Radharani, and No Name, now being called Nandini, (both diagnosed to be between 18 and 20 years old). We are very thankful to you, our members who donated to the building of the loafing shed. It has become a very useful facility for the older and handicapped members of the herd during the winter months. The rest of the herd is spending their time between the pastures and the barn. It is still not cold enough for them to spend all their time in the barn. However, we got our first winter snowstorm a few days ago. Winter weather will soon be with us. Everyone else in the herd is doing well.
November All the cows are now in the barn. Vraja is doing better. The swelling that was apparent on his legs appears to have decreased greatly. We have been trying some homeopathy and Glucosamine. Presently, Saraswati is also receiving homeopathy and we are waiting to see what the results will be. In the past, we have not always been successful with homeopathy. More will follow In the next newsletter.
From: Rosalie Malik To: balabhadra.iscowp@earthlink.net Sent: 11/11/2005 8:44:37 PM Subject: Press Note-on SC Judgment cow slaughter ban-29-10-05 VINIYOG PARIVAR TRUST B-2/104, VAIBHAV, JAMBLI GALI, BORIVLI (WEST), MUMBAI-400 092 Telefax: 2898 0749 / 2899 1781 - Email : vinyog@vsnl.com 28th Oct., 2005 PRESS NOTE A Historic Judgment of the Supreme Court regarding total ban on slaughter of cow progeny in Gujarat State. A 47 year old Impediment removed The Bombay Animal Preservation Act, 1954 is in force in the State of Gujarat. Under this Act, as per the situation prevailing till 1994, there was a total ban on slaughter of cows in the State, whereas bulls and bullocks above the age of 16 years could be slaughtered. In 1994 the Gujarat Government first promulgated an ordinance and thereafter passed a law in the Assembly and imposed total ban on slaughter of entire cow progeny. Incidentally, Viniyog Parivar had helped in drafting the relevant Bill at that time. This amendment in the Law was challenged by butchers’ organization from Ahmedabad, Surat and Bharuch in Gujarat High Court. The Gujarat High Court struck down the Law in 1998 based on an earlier verdict of a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in the year 1958. In 1958 a Five Judge Constitution Bench had ruled that prohibition on slaughter of cows is clearly mentioned in the Constitution and hence cows cannot be slaughtered. However, bulls and bullocks can be slaughtered if they have surpassed the age of usefulness. Subsequent to the 1958 judgment whenever any State enacted a law to impose total ban on slaughter of cow progeny, such laws were struck down relying on the 1958 verdict. The Gujarat State, Viniyog Parivar Trust (through its associate organization Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh) and an NGO from Gujarat namely Ahimsa Army Manav Kalyan JDC Trust had filed Appeals in 1998 against Gujarat High Court Judgment and the matter was referred to a Seven Judges Constitution Bench as it involved reconsideration of the 1958 judgment. The matter was heard by a Seven Judges Bench continuously for five days in the month of August, 2005 and the Judgment was reserved which was pronounced on 26-10-2005. Though copy of the detailed Judgment which reportedly runs into 142 pages is yet to be released, the Judgment has allowed the appeals and thus total prohibition on slaughter of entire cow progeny has come into force from the date of the Judgment in the State of Gujarat. The amended law of Gujarat has been held as intra vires (within the purview of the constitution). With this Judgment, a 47 year old impediment has been overcome and now any State which wants to enact a law to impose prohibition on slaughter of entire cow progeny will be able to do so. The famous jurist and former High Commissioner in U.K. Shri L.M. Singhvi argued in these appeals on behalf of the Gujarat State. Shri Shirish Dholakia, Senior Counsel appeared on behalf of Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh and Shri Soli Sorabjee, Former Attorney General appeared on behalf of Ahimsa Army Manav Kalyan JDC Trust. Shri G.L. Sanghi appeared on behalf of the butchers’ organization. By misusing the provision based on the criteria of age, crores(100x 100,000) of younger bulls and bullocks were slaughtered in the country for almost half a century. In the guise of bulls and bullocks even cows were slaughtered. In this context this judgment is extremely important. It may be mentioned here that the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra had also passed a law in 1995 imposing total ban on slaughter of entire cow progeny. However, because of the 1958 Supreme Court Judgment this law could not get the assent of the President so far. Now that 1958 Judgment is overruled, the Maharashtra Government should take up this issue with the Central Government and obtain assent of the President so that in Maharashtra also there can be a total ban on slaughter of entire cow progeny. With this impediment removed, other States where there is partial ban on slaughter of cow progeny and who wish to impose a total ban can now impose such total ban by amending their respective local law without fear of such law being challenged and struck down. From: Rosalie Malik To: Cow (Protection and related issues) Cc: balabhadra.iscowp@earthlink.net Sent: 11/24/2005 3:54:02 PM Subject: prevention of illegal slaughter
The Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh has won a judgment in the High Court, Bombay in a Public Interest Litigation against the State of Maharastra on 6th Oct 2005, for not preventing large scale illegal slaughtering of animals.
The Judges ordered a Committee to be appointed to monitor the implementation of the animal welfare laws and ensure total prevention of illegal slaughtering, The Committee should constitute special squads to prevent it and the Home ministry and Police Dept will ensure the instructions are carried out. The state government will fund it and educate animal husbandry dept officials and police in different parts of the state and Goshalas and Panjrapoles will be established as Government infirmaries. This is in brief. Our friend and trustee Mr RK, a lawyer, is a member of this Committee. |
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