Obama Administration Announces Ban on Slaughter of Downed Calves

Well, friends, it’s official: get ready to hear “YES on 3!” for the next four months. After Massachusetts’ Supreme Court ruled to allow our farm animal protection measure to proceed to the ballot, the Secretary of State officially declared us to be Question 3.

In other big news this week, the Obama administration announced—in the wake of two HSUS investigations and a legal petition—a major new federal rule banning the slaughter of downer calves.

And in even more political news, bipartisanship may be in short supply in Congress, but there’s one issue bringing folks together: reforming the repulsively corrupt checkoff programs that enrich the factory farming lobby. Well, that’s just what Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and tea party Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation this week to do.

And speaking of factory farms: a major egg company we’ve investigated twice in the last year declared this week that it’s abandoning cage confinement entirely.

Finally, wondering how social progress for farm animals happens? Wayne Pacelle’s got a new piece out explaining just that.

 Video of the week: When your pig walks your cat for you.