The new farm bill should reflect “Americans’ concerns and compassion for animals and the environment” by banning new factory farms and encouraging more attention to animal welfare, said the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Public dollars should not support a cruel, polluting factory farm system that harms animals, the environment, workers, farmers and rural communities alike.”
The ASPCA, which describes itself as one of the largest animal welfare groups in the world, was the latest in a chorus of groups advocating fundamental change in U.S. food and agriculture policy in the 2023 farm bill. Activist farm groups, for example, say the farm bill “must explicitly empower farmers to tackle climate change.”
Meanwhile, the farm and ranch groups with the largest memberships are focused on winning higher support prices or more protection through the federally subsidized crop insurance program in the farm bill.
“We urge Congress to pass a farm bill that instead holds industrial agriculture companies accountable, invests in the transition to and growth of higher-welfare farming and creates a more transparent marketplace where consumers can recognize and purchase food that aligns with their values,” said the ASPCA in its farm bill platform, adding, “the farm bill has the power to shape what farming looks like in this country.”
It advocated a moratorium building or expanding concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that can hold thousands of cattle, hogs or poultry. It also called for a prohibition against USDA cost-share support, through programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, of CAFOs or biogas projects at CAFOs, and restricting the use of “the cruelest methods of depopulation,” including ventilation shut-down of livestock barns.
The platform also said the farm bill should provide funding for farmers to transition from CAFOs to higher-welfare practices or to expand the capacity of higher-welfare or welfare-certified farms. In addition, it said meatpackers should prepare disaster mitigation plans and pay for the cost of cleanup. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democratic member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, filed similar legislation last year.
Farm bills are written by lawmakers predominantly from agricultural areas and who listen most closely to the largest farm groups. Animal welfare groups have had a small voice with them.
To read the ASPCA farm bill platform, click here.