Times haven’t been that good for factory farming interests lately. Retailers are demanding better treatment of farm animals, consumers are eating less meat, ag-gag bills are failing while new whistleblowing exposés come to light, courts are upholding important farm animal welfare laws, and more. Well, the largest paper in perhaps the biggest factory farming state in the country—Iowa—editorialized this week slamming big ag’s sordid animal welfare track record, saying that “the nation’s agricultural producers need to spend less time listening to their lawyers and more time listening to consumers.”
This week also marked the death of the final ag-gag bill of 2014 (in Pennsylvania). My colleague Matt Dominguez offers some insights on why the meat and dairy industries continue to self-inflict such wounds.
In other legislative news, lots of A-list celebs are calling on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to sign the gestation crate ban on his desk right now, including Bill Maher, Danny DeVito, Martha Stewart, Edie Falco, and more. The state’s largest newspaper is doing the same, noting new polling showing that Iowa GOP caucus-goers would view the governor and potential presidential candidate more favorably if he signs it.
Finally, you may recall that the gunman arrested in July trying to get inside the U.S. Capitol with a loaded semi-automatic gun is the president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council. This week he pled guilty to two charges.
Paul Shapiro
Vice President, Farm Animal Protection
The Humane Society of the United States
Follow at http://twitter.com/pshapiro
P.S. Video of the week: Do you like it when farm animals hang out with dogs and cats?