Arkansas is one step
closer to passing a dangerous bill meant to silence animal rights activists and
sweep evidence of animal abuse under the rug.
Last evening, the state
senate confirmed HB 1665, an “ag-gag
on steroids bill that would let factory farms and other big businesses intimidate
and bankrupt whistleblowers who expose abuse and other wrongdoing in workplaces
across the state.
Although the primary
target of this legislation is animal rights activists who dare speak out
against animal cruelty, the bill is written so broadly that it could be used by
big businesses to bully almost anyone. Daycare workers who leak surveillance
footage exposing child abuse, restaurant or food processing employees who speak
out about tainted food, financial analysts who come forward with evidence
of fraud and insider trading, and even office workers who complain about
harassment or discrimination could be financially ruined—or worse,
intimidated into silence—if this bill becomes law.
MFA is calling on Governor
Hutchinson to veto this reckless and misguided piece of legislation.
Recent MFA undercover investigations of suppliers to Walmart and Tyson Foods, each
headquartered in Arkansas, have uncovered sickening animal abuse and resulted
in criminal convictions of factory farm workers and owners who were caught on
camera kicking and beating animals or impaling them with spiked clubs. These
investigations also led the nation’s largest food retailer to adopt a comprehensive animal welfare commitment designed to
help end some of the worst forms of factory farm cruelty. But the proposed
ag-gag bill aims to prevent such investigations and shield animal abusers from
public scrutiny.
Unsurprisingly, recent
polling reveals that 75 percent of Arkansas voters oppose this kind of law. So
does a broad coalition of leading state and national civil liberties, animal
protection, food safety, farmworker, environmental, and other public interest
groups and experts.
Governor Hutchinson needs
to listen to the will of the people and veto the ag-gag bill. If you live in
Arkansas, click here to leave a quick message urging the governor to veto HB 1665, which would
shield animal abuse and other wrongdoing from public scrutiny. You can also
leave a polite comment on the governor’s Facebook page.
Wherever you live, please
leave a polite comment on the Arkansas State Tourism Facebook page,
pledging that you won’t visit Arkansas if the governor signs HB 1665.
And of course, you can refuse
to support the corrupt factory farming industry by moving toward a humane
plant-based diet. Check out ChooseVeg.com
to learn how.