March 28th – On the heels of major animal welfare policy announcements by giants in the food industry—including Burger King, Wolfgang Puck, and Smithfield Foods—today Congressmen Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) introduced the Farm Animal Stewardship Purchasing Act. The bill requires animal producers supplying federal programs with meat, dairy, and eggs to comply with a moderate set of animal welfare standards. The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, praised the proposal and encouraged Congress to act swiftly to pass the bill.
The bill outlines the most basic animal welfare principles and would require that producers supplying the federal government provide farm animals with enough space to engage in simple movement, supply them with daily access to food and water without force-feeding or starvation, and treat or humanely euthanize sick or injured animals. While there are federal laws dealing with treatment of farm animals during transport and slaughter, there are no laws dealing with the treatment of animals in modern factory farms for nearly their entire lives.
"Increasingly, Americans are demanding we curb the most abusive factory farming practices," Rep. DeFazio said. "As a significant buyer of farm animal products, the federal government can and should help lead the way, encouraging better practices within the industry. I look forward to working with Rep. Shays and HSUS on building support for this legislation."
"The way a society treats its animals speaks to the core values and priorities of its citizens," Rep. Shays said. "Our government can have a tremendous impact in encouraging improved treatment of animals by requiring producers to meet basic federal animal welfare requirements." Shays is Co-Chair of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus.
"We are grateful to Congressmen DeFazio and Shays for introducing this important legislation, which would meaningfully improve the lives of the millions of animals being raised for the meat, eggs, and dairy products that the federal government purchases," commented Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "Congress decided nearly a half century ago with the passage of the first humane slaughter law that farm animals deserve legal protection at the time of their slaughter. Now it's time to give them some legal protection during the longest portion of their lives, as well."
In addition to Reps. DeFazio and Shays, original cosponsors of the bill include Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), Jim Moran (D-Va.), and Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.).
Facts
- The HSUS has nearly 10 million supporters nationwide.
- Each year, the federal government spends more than 1 billion dollars purchasing animal products for a variety of programs and agencies, including the National School Lunch Program, the Armed Services, and the Bureau of Prisons.
- While consumers are demanding better animal welfare standards, and many national retailers have stopped selling eggs from hens kept in battery cages and adopted other reforms, the DeFazio-Shays legislation would help move the market in this direction and provide an incentive for producers who don't subject animals to some of the worst factory farming abuses.
- In the United States, many companies including McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace have raised standards for suppliers in recent years. Across the Atlantic, the entire European Union is mandating welfare improvements for suppliers as well.
- A 2003 Gallup poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans "support passing strict laws concerning the treatment of farm animals." And a 2003 Zogby poll found that nearly 70 percent of Americans find it "unacceptable" that farm animals have no federal protection from abuse while on the farm.
Timeline
March 2007—Burger King announces that it has started phasing in the use of cage-free eggs and pork from producers that don't confine pigs in gestation crates.
March 2007—Wolfgang Puck announces the implementation of a wide-ranging program to improve animal welfare in his supply chain, including not using foie gras, battery cage eggs, or pork or veal from crated sows and calves.
January 2007—Smithfield Foods and Maple Leaf Foods announce that they are phasing out their use of gestation crates to confine breeding pigs.
January 2007—Strauss Veal and Marcho Farms announce that they are phasing out their use of veal crates to confine calves.
November 2006—In a landslide, Arizona voters pass an HSUS-led initiative banning gestation crates and veal crates in the state (effective 2013).
September 2006—In response to an HSUS-led campaign, Ben & Jerry's announces that it is phasing out the use of eggs from caged hens in its ice creams.
April 2006—Chicago city council bans the sale of foie gras, effective August 2006.
May 2005—Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace announce that they have ended sales of eggs from caged hens.
August 2004—California bans the production and sale of foie gras, effective 2012.
November 2002—Florida voters overwhelmingly approve an HSUS-led measure banning gestation crates in the state (effective 2008).
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