The "Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act," H.R. 4733, was introduced last week by United States Representatives Diane Watson and Elton Gallegly, both of California.The bill requires that all meat purchased by the federal government for the various federal feeding programs, like free and reduced-price school lunches, only come from sources where the animals are raised free from abuse and cruel treatment.As John Maday reports for Drovers online, the bill aims to achieve this goal by implementing "federal standards regulating housing and animal treatment on operations that supply food to" the government.
Maday writes that such a law would effect virtually every livestock operation in the nation because the US Department of Agriculture purchases meat products from packers and processors, not directly from farmers. "Without full traceability of every product back to its farm or ranch of origin, packers would need to require compliance from all their suppliers to continue selling meat or dairy products to the government."
Farm Futures online reports that the legislation would require that animals be raised with enough room "to stand up, lie down, turn around and stretch their limbs." Such standards are similar to the requirements the Humane Society of the United States has been successful at implementing at the state level, like in California where Proposition 2 implemented such language through a ballot initiative.
Given all that is going on in Congress at the moment, and the fact that this is an election year, it may be difficult for the California lawmakers to move their legislation. Nonetheless, it is out in the public domain for debate.
To read the Farm Futures online article on the bill, click here.
To read Maday's article in Drovers online, click here.
To check out H.R. 4733, click here.
Posted: 03/09/10
