ASPCA Condemns USDA’s Comments on Proposition 12 During House Agriculture Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON, DC – In a hearing before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee this week, Secretary Tom Vilsack of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivered comments that inaccurately represented the impacts of California’s Proposition 12 and similar laws across the country that millions of voters have passed to prohibit the extreme confinement of farm animals. In response, the ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) issued the following statement:

“Secretary Vilsack’s alarming comments during the House Agriculture Committee hearing further a false narrative about the impacts of Proposition 12 and similar laws across the country that set basic standards protecting farm animals from cruel confinement in cages and crates,” said Kara Shannon, director of farm animal welfare policy for the ASPCA. “Farmers and companies of all sizes have enthusiastically met the demand for more humane products, as illustrated by the successful implementation of Proposition 12 in California, and the Secretary’s suggestion that the federal government overturn the will of millions of voters is a betrayal to farmers, consumers, and animals alike. We cannot roll back decades of progress towards creating a more humane food system, and we urge Congress to reject any proposal that would jeopardize existing state and local animal welfare protections.”

For more information about the ASPCA or to join the Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.