About a week ago I slammed animal rights zealots who put individual animals ahead of species survival. I promised that I would post an opinion concerning animal rights agitation I thought was justified.
A few days later I noticed the follow-up posting was never published. I don’t know what happened, but here it is:
The House of Representatives added an amendment to the farm bill to nullify a number of state laws that protect farm animals. The amendment had the support of House Republicans, many of whom trumpet their support of states’ rights.
Family farms are not the problem. Big Ag factory farms are the problem. Those are the businesses (please don’t call them farms) that used “gestation crates” that don’t allow sows to turn around when giving birth. Those are the businesses that raise calves in tine pens to produce tender veal. Those are the businesses that keep chickens in small wire cages for their entire lives.
In response to Big Ag, some states have passed laws that recognize that farm animals must be treated humanely. Now the House would override those state laws.
The Senate and the House must still reconcile their farm bill versions; maybe the Senate conferees will say no to the House amendments.
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