Dear Animal Advocates,

With concerns about food safety abounding following the pet food recall, Congress should be increasing food safety efforts, not decreasing them. However, a few weeks ago, federal lawmakers amended the 2007 Farm Bill to include a sweeping provision that would wipe out state and local authority to protect food safety, the environment, and humane animal treatment.

This overreaching provision (Section 123 of Title 1) would prevent states from passing laws to prohibit the sale or use of products that the USDA has already approved or determined to be of non-regulated status. It could even prevent local health inspectors from condemning adulterated meat if it has already been inspected and passed by the USDA!

Section 123 would also prohibit states from passing certain animal welfare laws, like the law passed this year in Illinois to put an end to the slaughter of horses for human consumption. In fact, unless this amendment is removed, all state laws banning this practice are in danger of being overturned.

What You Can Do

Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center, where you can email a letter to your representative urging him or her to oppose/delete Section 123 of Title 1 from the 2007 Farm Bill.

While there, you can also read more about how this amendment to the 2007 Farm Bill actually weakens efforts to make our food safer.

Thank you for supporting the ASPCA.