May 23, 2012

Ag-Gag Bills and Whistleblower Suppression

Bills aim to keep Americans in the dark

In recent years, whistleblowing employees have repeatedly exposed animal abuse, unsafe working conditions, and environmental problems on industrial factory farms. The agribusiness industry’s response to these exposés has not been to prevent the abuses, but rather to try to prevent the American people from finding out about the abuses in the first place.

What exactly are ag-gag bills?

The industry has introduced “ag-gag” bills in numerous states aimed at making whistle-blowing on factory farms essentially impossible. Some of the bills would criminalize photo-taking at factory farms, while others would make it a crime for whistle-blowers to gain employment at an agricultural operation. Some would impose unreasonable and impossible reporting requirements intended to silence potential whistle-blowers.

These bills aim to ban critical whistle-blowing investigations such as The HSUS’ exposés of unacceptable and callous animal cruelty at a Vermont slaughter plant leading to its closure and a felony criminal conviction—as well as our investigation of a cow slaughter plant in California which prompted the largest meat recall in U.S. history and led to a new federal regulation that banned the slaughter of adult downer cattle.

These ag-gag bills raise the question, “What does animal agriculture have to hide?”

The industry certainly doesn't want to face evidence like the video below, from an investigation of two major pork producers.

Who opposes these dangerous ag-gag bills?

A diverse coalition of groups oppose these dangerous pieces of legislation.

The Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, Mercy for Animals, Compassion Over Killing, In Defense of Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Farm Sanctuary, Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Government Accountability Project, National Freedom of Information Coalition, Whistleblower Support Fund, Center for Food Safety, Natural Resources Defense Council, Farmworker Justice, Food Empowerment Project, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the National District Attorneys Association.

Which states have ag-gag bills pending?

Despite the varying language, every ag-gag bill has the same intent: shield animal agribusiness from public scrutiny by punishing whistleblowers and protecting animal abusers.

Ag-gag bills range from banning taking a photo or video of a factory farm without permission, to even banning possession and distribution of such photos or videos. Some of the bills seek to accomplish the same goal by essentially making it a crime for an undercover investigator to gain employment at a factory farm or require mandatory reporting with impossibly short timelines. All of the bills go so far that they would essentially prevent whistleblowers from exposing animal cruelty, food safety issues, poor working conditions and more.

In 2011, four states (Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and New York) introduced ag-gag bills. Not a single one passed due to public outrage over the serious threat they pose to constitutional freedoms, food safety, animal welfare, and worker rights. In 2012, 10 states have introduced these dangerous ag-gag bills:

• Florida – bill died
• Illinois – bill died
• Indiana – bill died
• Iowa – Unfortunately, Gov. Branstad signed this bill into law on March 2, 2012
• Minnesota – bill died
• Missouri – bill pending
• Nebraska – bill died
• New York – bill died
• Tennessee - bill died
• Utah – Unfortunately, Gov. Herbert signed this bill into law on March 20, 2012