How’s this for irony? “ABC News” reports that Kentucky’s notorious ag-gag provision has been “snuck” into a bill that was originally supposed to raise animal welfare standards.
House Bill 222, sponsored by Kentucky state representative Joni Jenkins, would eliminate the use of gas in animal shelters as a means of euthanasia. Jenkins told ABC: “Kentucky gets such a terrible rating about the way we deal with our animals. House Bill 222 was an attempt to raise this up a little bit.”
But now an ag-gag provision has been added to HB 222 that would make it illegal to film inside farming operations, criminalizing undercover investigations.
If anything, farmers should be more transparent in their practices not less. . Just take a look at this undercover video of a Kentucky pig farm released last month by The Humane Society of the United States:
Consumers have a right to know how animals are treated before they reach their plates. Dangerous ag-gag laws keep people in the dark and shroud abusive farming practices under a veil of secrecy.
To learn more about what you can do to help stop the spread of shameful ag-gag laws, sign up for MFA’s email list here. If you live in Kentucky, visit this website and urge your elected officials to take a stand against ag-gag.
