Proposition 12 protections key to animal welfare and farm markets
Ahead of a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing, farmers and the ASPCA are urging Congress to defend state-level animal protection laws such as Proposition 12. These laws ban extreme confinement of animals and support humane farming. They are also critical for maintaining consumer trust and supporting markets for higher-welfare farm products.
The ASPCA and farmers warn that the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, recently renamed the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, could reverse years of progress. If passed, it would eliminate state laws like Prop 12 and lead to more animal cruelty, hurt family farms, and override states' rights.
More than 15 U.S. states have passed laws to protect farm animals from extreme confinement. Farmers producing cage-free eggs and crate-free pork say these rules give them stable markets and allow them to meet public demand for humane products.
“For our family farm, Proposition 12 isn't a burden, it's an opportunity,” shared Trisha Zachman, of Feathered Acres Farm in Belgrade, Minn. Trisha and her family raise crate-free pigs that they sell both locally and into national markets through the natural meat brand Niman Ranch. “The stable market for crate-free pork through markets like California helps farms like ours stay viable. Rolling back Proposition 12 wouldn't just hurt the animals; it would hurt farms like ours that are already meeting these humane standards.”
These farmers call the EATS Act a threat to both animal welfare and sustainable farming. The ASPCA urges the public to contact lawmakers and demand that the EATS Act stays out of the upcoming Farm Bill.
For more details, visit aspca.org/eatsact.