On Thursday, the U.S. Senate voted against an amendment to the Farm Bill that would have allowed states to decide if they wanted to require labels on genetically modified foods. Senate Amendment 965 was sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Sanders said the amendment was intended to protect states from lawsuits by companies that manufacture the engineered seeds. Other amendments to mandate labeling of genetically engineered foods are still pending in Congress. Today, Senator Barbara Milkulski (D-MD) said she was cosponsoring the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, that would require the FDA to clearly label GMO foods "so that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat." That bill was introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and is also cosponsored by Lisa … [Read more...]
House Farm Amendment BIll Would Strike Down Anti-Cruelty Laws
An amendment sponsored by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) would prohibit states from enacting laws that prevent animal cruelty on farms. The bill would stop state governments from placing conditions on means of production for food that is produced in other states but sold in their own state. King said the amendment would "shut down the Humane Society of the United States, PETA, and other radical organizations from creating a network of restrictive state laws that will slowly push agriculture production towards the demise." The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is denouncing this bill, saying it would weaken state animal cruelty laws across the country. The organization said that "this dangerous provision, which passed on a voice vote, would prevent states from … [Read more...]
Tennessee Governor Haslam Vetoes Ag Gag Bill
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has vetoed the so-called ag gag bill that had passed the legislature in his state. That bill had been opposed by the Humane Society and other groups since it criminalizes whistleblowers who seek to expose animal abuse. Governor Haslam released a statment regarding HB 1191/SB 1248 that said in part, "our office has spent a great deal of time considering this legislation. We've had a lot of input from people on all sides of the issue. After careful consideration, I am going to veto the legislation. I have a number of concerns. First, the Attorney General says the law is constitutionally suspect. Second, it appears to repeal parts of Tennessee's Shield Law without saying so. If that is the case, it should say so. Third, there are concerns from some district … [Read more...]
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Antimicrobial Data Collection Act
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation yesterday aimed at combating antimicrobial drug resistance. The Antimicrobial Data Collection Act calls for increased data collection by the FDA, enhanced transparency and public awareness of antimicrobial drug use in agriculture, and strengthened FDA accountability regarding unsafe antimicrobial drug use. The CDC estimates that antimicrobial resistance costs taxpayers $20 billion every year in excessive healthcare. Resistance also results in more severe illnesses and a greater risk of death. There are at least six major human pathogens that are multidrug resistant. Senator Gillibrand said, "antimicrobial resistance is a public health concern that needs to be adequately … [Read more...]
Illinois Changing Rules for On-Farm Unpasteurized Milk Sales
The state of Illinois published a rule change for on-farm unpasteurized milk sales in January. Now raw milk advocates are objecting to three requirements in the proposed change. The changes include limiting on-farm sales to 100 gallons per month per farm. The dairies that sell raw milk must purchase equipment so their product meets Grade A certification requirements. And dairy farms would have to keep a log of customer names and numbers. The changes would also prohibit herd-sharing. In Illinois, the sale of raw milk is outlawed except directly to consumers on the farm under certain production regulations. The Illinois Department of Public Health has published a paper titled "Risks Associated with Consumption of Unpasteurized Dairy Products". In its Healthbeat newsletter, public … [Read more...]
Missouri Bill Would Exempt Non-Profit Dinners from Regulation
In the Missouri Senate, SB 432 was passed last week. The measure would allow non-profit organizations to prepare food without regulation, pre-empting local food codes. The bill now goes to the House, where it is being discussed in the Professional Registration and Licensing Committee. The bill would require organizations to post signs stating that the food being served is not inspected or regulated. According to the language in the bill, "the nonprofit organization shall inform the consumer by placing a clearly visible placard at the serving location that the food was prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the regulatory authority." Republican Senator Mike Cunningham is sponsoring the bill, claiming that inspectors are acting as "food Nazis" by … [Read more...]
Animal Rights Groups Oppose Feinstein’s Egg Bill
Animal rights groups, including the Humane Farming Association, Friends of Animals, and SAFE, are opposing the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2013 sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein. Referred to as the "Rotten Egg Bill" by opponents, the measure would make a deal between the United Egg Producers and the Humane Society of the United States the law of the land. Bradley Miller, National Director of the Humane Farming Association (HFA) said, "the egg industry wants to establish egg factory cages as a national standard that could never be challenged or changed by state law or public vote. The American public overwhelmingly supports the banning of egg factory cages, not measures such as this which would ban the outlawing of cages. This bill would be disastrous for laying hens … [Read more...]
Ag Gag Bill Fails in Indiana
The Indiana legislature failed to pass S.B. 373, a bill which would have criminalized whistleblowers who expose animal abuse. These so-called "ag gag" laws have been introduced and passed in several states in the past year, after exposes by groups such as the Humane Society have informed the public about animal cruelty and unsafe working conditions. The bill passed in the Senate on Friday, April 26, 2013, but when the measure was sent to the House, Democrats said that the Senate version was a "gag all" bill. Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma pulled the bill from the calendar and did not allow another vote. That evening, Senator David Long said that the Senate would not vote on "ag gag" in 2013, killing the bill. The Senate version also made it a crime for someone to text damaging … [Read more...]
Raw Milk Bill Defeated in Montana
Last week the Montana state Senate killed a bill that would have legalized raw milk sales. HB 574 would have allowed farmers with small herds to sell raw milk directly to consumers. Currently, it's illegal to sell unpasteurized milk in that state. The Montana House passed the bill last month with a vote of 96-3. However, the Agriculture Committee in the Senate made big changes to the bill. The raw milk would have had to meet the "Grade A" standards and consumers would have had to participate in a cow share plan. Most importantly, anyone sickened by the raw milk could not hold the state liable for costs of their illness. That last change meant the bill had to pass by a 2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate, required whenever a law includes anything about government liability. … [Read more...]
Humane Society Urges Tennessee Governor to Veto Ag Gag Bill
The Humane Society of the United States is urging Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to veto that state's ag gag bill. SB 1248 would make it a crime for reputable non-profit organizations and journalists to document and expose unethical and illegal activity at horse stables and industrial agriculture facilities. The bill narrowly passed the Tennessee House. Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO, sent a letter to the governor stating that "the bill appears to be an attempt to enact a policy of covering up abuses, and keeping the public from learning of them. If it is signed into law, it may indeed backfire, and result in more public mistrust and skepticism about the workings of the Tennessee walking horse industry at a time when it is already suffering a drastic decline in popularity due to … [Read more...]
