Bad day at the office for animal welfare legislation

Wayne Pacelle

The caput of the Humane Society of the USA has defendant the House Republican leadership of disregarding beast welfare, subsequently 3 amendments were voted downward past times the Rules Committee.

The society’s president in addition to primary executive, Wayne Pacelle, said the actions of the committee, led past times Representative Pete Sessions, denied the total House the chance to debate 3 critical bipartisan amendments: to codify a national understanding to approve the welfare of egg-laying hens inwards battery cages, to terminate the shameful slaughter of salubrious American horses for human consumption, in addition to to cleft downward on Equus caballus soring.

The Rules Committee approved to a greater extent than than 100 amendments for consideration, but non 1 beast welfare amendment, Pacelle noted inwards his blog, H5N1 Humane Nation.

“The members chose to include amendments for flooring debate on advertisement in addition to inquiry on natural stone, Christmas tree taxes, in addition to on the spiny dogfish, but could non observe their agency to allowing debate on policies to assist hundreds of millions of animals suffering correct now.

“Mind you, the egg manufacture reform neb was a compromise mensurate amid all the primal stakeholders – producers, beast welfare groups, consumers in addition to scientists. It was non going to necessitate an human activeness of courage to ratify it, but simply a sensible execution of their authority.

“But the beef in addition to pork lobbies, in addition to the Farm Bureau, demanded its demise.

“Maybe nosotros would hear to these people if cows in addition to pigs set eggs, but they practice not,” Pacelle said.

“These special interests simply desire to obstruct whatever progress on beast welfare, in addition to no decent-minded lawmakers should hear their reckless demands.

“Their globe stance is that that we’ve reached the end-point of beast welfare policy-making, or to a greater extent than honestly, that in that location should endure no policy-making at all for farm animals.”

Pacelle said House Speaker John Boehner had announced prior to the Rules Committee hearing: “The Leader [Representative Eric Cantor] in addition to I volition encourage the Rules Committee to provide a fair procedure that volition let for a vigorous in addition to opened upwards debate – the sort of procedure I pledged nosotros would stimulate got to a greater extent than of inwards the House when I became speaker.”

Pacelle labelled the comments hollow-speak.

“You cannot brand such claims in addition to and therefore exactly let amendments you lot concord with. This is an abuse of ability in addition to an abuse of the process.

“There’s no ground that all beast welfare amendments should stimulate got been denied consideration, particularly since they were all authored past times respected, mainstream Republican lawmakers alongside bipartisan cosponsors.”

Pacelle said it was critical that beast advocates contact their lawmakers in addition to urge them to defeat the Farm Bill, H.R. 1947.

His concerns midpoint on the so-called King amendment, introduced past times Representative Steve King (R-Iowa), that would necessitate states alongside tougher beast welfare laws to lower their standards for agricultural merchandise across terra firma borders.

“The House Agriculture Committee, which impedes beast welfare at nearly every plow in addition to has fought positive actions to assist animals inwards many ways, had previously allowed the King amendment to endure inserted into the Farm Bill, fifty-fifty though in that location was no underlying neb to examine, no hearings, in addition to no assessment of its sweeping touching on on terra firma law.

“This reckless mensurate seeks to nullify terra firma laws in addition to rules that impose whatever measure of status on agricultural products.

“That could sweep upwards in addition to nullify a one-half dozen terra firma anti-horse slaughter laws, 10 terra firma laws to restrain extreme confinement of pigs in addition to laying hens, in addition to to a greater extent than than a one-half dozen bans on the sale of shark fins for soup. And that’s exactly the start.

“It’s the lowest mutual denominator approach to policy-making, in addition to puts all states at the mercy of 1 or a handful of states”

Under the King amendment,introduced past times Representative Steve King (R-Iowa), states alongside tougher beast welfare laws would stimulate got to lower their standards for agricultural merchandise across terra firma borders.

US executive manager of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Anne Lieberman, blogging on the website thehill.com, argued the King amendment should endure defeated.

“Animal welfare is no longer a niche market. It is 1 of the top 3 most of import issues for eating theatre patrons – outranking organics in addition to buying local past times broad margins.

“Increasingly, states are introducing ballot initiatives in addition to passing regulations that necessitate higher beast welfare inwards nutrient production.

“Some states stimulate got every bit good passed laws requiring all producers selling inwards the terra firma to run across the same requirements. King’s amendment, packaged every bit the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA), would protect out-of-state producers from having to run across the regulations of the terra firma inwards which they are selling their products.

“The possible number of PICA is clear. Consider California’s Prop 2, which provides farm animals the liberty to displace around, prevarication down, stand upwards up in addition to extend their limbs. Follow-up legislation requires all eggs sold inwards the terra firma to run across that same production standard. Under King’s amendment, California, every bit good every bit the nine other states alongside like laws, would stimulate got to cut back their ain standards every bit a requirement for agricultural merchandise across terra firma borders.”

The King amendment ignored the rising trends that encourage producers to growth welfare standards, she said.

“With consumer involvement in addition to purchasing on the rise, why is King attempting to legislate a setback for animals in addition to consumers?

“The King amendment non alone turns dorsum the clock on beast protection, but jeopardizes nutrient safety, environmental protection in addition to to a greater extent than – all issues that consumers attention about.

In the absence of King’s amendment, states are certain to maintain to innovate to a greater extent than protective legislation. Let’s displace forrard alongside laws that assist animals in addition to people.”

 

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