Federal Law Regulating the Raising Conditions of Farm Animals

Furthermore, the ill conditions and mutilations that occur within factory farms are a concern for
many animal activists and politicians. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) signed in 1966 is the only federal
law that oversees the treatment of animals; however, the AWA only protects animals in biomedical
research, testing, teaching and exhibition. Farm animals used for food and fiber or for food and fiber
research are not regulated under the AWA (USDA). The only federal laws that protect farm animals are
The 28-Hour Law, which oversees the transport of farm animals, and The Humane Methods of Livestock
Slaughter Act, which requires livestock to be quickly slaughtered without pain, both of which exclude
poultry. Certain states, such as California have passed laws against gestation crates (inhumane crates that
inhibit pigs from moving for their entirety of life) and foie gras (force feeding birds to enlarge their liver
beyond normal size) (Humane Society). Although there is progress within state laws to improve the
conditions of factory farms, there is a need for a federal law that regulates how farm animals are raised. A
federal law is a more effective solution than progressively encouraging state laws, because certain states
have large productions in factory farming and are not as willing to regulate their livestock humanely. Figure
7 bellow depicts a map that shows the densities of factory farms across the nation from Food and Water
Watch, a nonprofit organization that supports the sustainability of the environment. As shown, states such
as Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas have the most numbers of factory farms. Such states are not as likely to
pass humane livestock raising laws because their economy depends on the efficiency of factory farming.
Although states laws have progressed certain regions of the US, it still leaves the majority of the farm
animals in cruel conditions. Therefore, in order to implement better conditions for animals within factory
farms there must be a federal consciences to implement such policies.