It’s official. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed a compromise animal welfare bill into law on Monday. By forming a compromise with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), agricultural groups and lawmakers were able to secure ‘“modest yet meaningful”’ animal protections.The new law essentially “requires that certain farm animals have enough room to stand up and turn around and extend their limbs. It phases out veal crates for calves within three years, and battery cages for laying hens and gestation crates for breeding sows within ten years,” according to the reporting by Hoosier Ag Today online.
HSUS has been very successful as of late in getting states to change their laws regarding agricultural animals. Much of the legislation the HSUS has gotten passed is similar to the Michigan bill. But unlike in other states, like California, HSUS did not have to use a ballot initiative to achieve its goal.
This issue is also a hot agriculture topic in Ohio where Issue 2 is a showdown between agricultural organizations and the HSUS. The agricultural organizations would like to create a panel of stakeholders to meet and determine animal welfare regulations. The HSUS wants what it got in California and Michigan. And like with Prop 2 in California, they are willing to go the ballot initiative route.
To read previous U.S. Agriculture & Food Law and Policy Blog posts on this subject click here and scroll down.
To read the Hoosier Ag Today story click here.
Posted: 10/13/09
