The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are both applauding the Florida Legislature for throwing out a measure that would make it a crime for someone to take pictures on a farm without the owner’s permission.
A state House criminal justice committee unanimously voted for an amendment today that would strike the controversial “Ag Gag” measure from an omnibus agriculture bill.
During a state Senate agriculture committee today, a measure created to stop animal rights activists from taking pictures of farming operations in Florida was asked to be amended before receiving a vote.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar yesterday announced that the federal government will ban the trade of Burmese pythons, the notorious reptiles that have made their mark on the Everglades by swallowing whole rabbits, deer and even alligators. The move was lauded by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who has been fighting for more action to be taken against exotic creatures that are all but taking over parts of South Florida.
An omnibus agriculture bill containing a provision written to stop animal rights activists and food justice advocates from taking pictures of farming operations in Florida passed through an agriculture committee this week.
A group of Florida lawmakers is urging the White House to stop delaying action on a rule that would ban the import of tens of thousands of large constricting snakes — snakes that have caused major problems for South Florida.
State Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, has reintroduced legislation to stop animal rights activists from obtaining photographic records of farming operations in Florida.
Gov. Rick Scott has made some interesting environmental appointments lately. His choice for an appointee to the state’s wildlife commission was a former paving contractor who has tangled with environmental regulators in the past, and on Thursday, Scott tapped an ex-chemical exec to sit on the board of the St. Johns River Water Management District.
While Sen. Jim Norman’s controversial farm-photo bill may have died in the Florida Legislature, animal rights advocates are cautiously acknowledging the victory is a temporary one whose significance may ultimately be thwarted by laws currently pending in Iowa and Minnesota.
The bill, which would have created penalties for taking pictures on farms, drew a firestorm of opposition from animal rights groups who felt it would hamper whistleblowers’ efforts to expose inhumane farming conditions.
Pending legislation in several states — including Florida — that would criminalize the act of filming agricultural operations without the consent of the farm owner came up last week on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, with one analyst making the claim that conditions animals are subjected to by American industrial agriculture operations amount to “institutionalized torture.”
rss