As Mercy For Animals’ investigators continue to bring shocking animal suffering to light, animal agribusiness is becoming increasingly desperate to conceal their facilities from public view. Senator Jim Norman (R-Tampa) recently introduced a bill focusing on photographic evidence of cruelty occurring behind the closed doors of factory farms in Florida.SB 1246 would make it a first-degree felony to photograph or videotape any farm or other property “where legitimate agriculture operations are being conducted” without first obtaining the owner’s written consent. If enacted, this legislation would effectively prevent Mercy For Animals and other nonprofit groups from conducting lifesaving undercover investigations at factory farms, hatcheries, and slaughterhouses in the state of Florida.
Condemned on constitutional grounds by free speech groups, this bill represents an underhanded attempt to silence animal advocates while keeping consumers in the dark about the harsh realities of modern animal agriculture.
Take Action:
Lawmakers should be holding animal agribusiness accountable for cruelty – not helping to prevent the public from viewing it. If you are a Florida resident, please take action to ensure that MFA’s investigations are not criminalized in Florida. Please use this page to find your state senator, and contact him/her with a polite call or email explaining why you’re opposed to SB 1246. Thank you!