From Animal To Meat

Don’t kill the messenger March 19, 2012

I’ve complained more than once on this blog that the agriculture industry’s response to revelations of animal mistreatment is heavy on defensiveness and light on regret. Or shame, or sorrow, or any of the emotions that one might think would well up when farmers realize that one of their own has abused the animals in his care.

Well, it’s time to complain again. Over the past few years the ag industry has tried to push “ag gag” bills through state legislatures that criminalize the undercover investigations that expose cruelty to farm animals. The bills in my old home state of Minnesota and others never made it into law, but there’s one trickling through Utah’s legislature right now that would criminalize filming on a farm without permission – which basically makes it impossible for undercover agents to provide hard evidence for the violations they witness. Worse, according to this report, Iowa actually got an ag gag bill into law that makes presenting false information on a job application for a farm job a serious misdemeanor.  Since undercover investigators obviously can’t be completely truthful on their job applications (try applying for a job at Tyson with “Most recent employer: Mercy for Animals” on your form) that means Iowan producers don’t have to worry that their customers might actually find out how their food is being made.

Let’s say it all together, now: the problem isn’t undercover investigators, the problem is what they’re undercovering.