Animal Care

Issue:
Legislative, regulatory and legal attempts by animal rights activists to restrict livestock and poultry production and processing are increasingly dedicated and sophisticated. An administrative petition was filed in July 2005 to force USDA to apply the so-called “28-hour rule,” an 1873 law governing the “humane” movement of cattle by train, to all species and contemporary transportation. A lawsuit, filed in Nov. 2005, seeks to force USDA to apply the same standards of humane slaughter to poultry as exist for cattle, swine and other species under the federal Humane Slaughter Act. During the Nov. 2006 general elections, several states saw animal production-related ballot initiatives, most dealing with confinement production practices. Arizona adopted a measure aimed at swine gestation stalls. This year, California and Colorado are both expected to have ballot initiatives designed to end the use of gestation stalls, veal crates, and cages that protect egg-laying hens.

Legislative Status:
Legislation has been introduced in the House (H.R. 503) and Senate (S. 311) to make illegal the processing of horses for human consumption and the export of horses for slaughter. Legislation (H.R. 661/S. 394) has also been introduced to ban all non-ambulatory livestock from the human food supply. Additionally, an attempt may be made to restriction production practices. The Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act (H.R. 1726) would establish arbitrary animal welfare standards, including minimum space requirements and open production systems, for all producers supplying meat, milk or eggs to any Federal food program – such as the Department of Defense, correctional facilities, and the School Lunch Program.

Farm Bureau Policy:
We support the right of farmers to raise livestock in accordance with commonly accepted agricultural practices. We support vigorous enforcement fines and/or reimbursement for animal research lost and all costs and damage incurred, when farms or research facilities are willfully damaged. We oppose legislation and regulations which would prohibit or unduly restrict the use of animals in research. We are opposed to the concept of animal rights and oppose the expenditure of public funds to promote the concept of animal rights. We support the proper treatment of animals. We oppose laws or regulations elevating the well-being of animals to a similar status as the rights of people. We oppose initiatives, referendums or legislation that create standards above sound veterinary science and best management standards. We oppose legislation that would give animal rights organizations the right to establish standards for the raising, marketing, handling, feeding, housing or transportation of livestock, horses, poultry, aquaculture, fur-bearing and canine animals. We oppose any laws which would mandate specific farming practices in livestock production. We support legislation and rulings that allow the sale, possession and transport of horses intended for processing; domestic ownership, control and location of equine processing facilities; and funding for Food Safety and Inspection Service inspectors in facilities that slaughter horses. We oppose the passage of the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act or similar legislation, and any regulations that prohibit the harvest of equines.

Legislative Request:
Farm Bureau members urge Congress to oppose the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311), the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act (H.R. 661/S.394) and the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act (H.R. 1726).