Do not allow rollback of animal protections

The failed Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, better known as the EATS Act, was recently reintroduced as the Food Security and Farm Protection Act on April 8. This legislation is a direct attack on state laws that uphold basic standards for animal welfare, environmental safety, and agricultural accountability.

To date, 15 states have passed ballot measures, regulations, or legislation that in some manner protect farm animals from egregious cruelty in the factory farming industry, such as gestation crates for pigs, battery cages for egg-laying hens, and veal crates for calves. If passed, the Food Security and Farm Protection Act would override this array of critical laws across the country that ban the sale of meat and eggs produced using extreme and inhumane methods.

Additionally, the bill would prevent states from passing new laws regulating agricultural products (i.e., since it prohibits any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction) and could jeopardize other state laws that protect dogs from the cruelty of puppy mills, promote food safety, protect rural communities, and preserve the environment.

We cannot afford to roll back over a decade of progress that we’ve made in protecting each other, animals, the environment, and independent farmers against industrial agriculture. As such, I urge my lawmakers, Rep. Sean Casten and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, to oppose the Food Security and Farm Protection Act and any other attempts to undo state laws that protect animals from extreme cruelty.

Ashton Tunk

Lombard