Celebrating the USDA’s move on Aug. 5 to reinstate organic animal welfare standards, organic advocates are hailing this as a “resounding victory” for organic farmers, their livestock, and organic consumers.
As such, it reverses the withdrawal by the Trump Administration in 2018 of the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry rule.
Continue Reading USDA wants to reinstate organic welfare standards; could benefit food safetyPerdue has agreed to remove the “humanely raised” claim from the labels on its Harvestland chicken packaging. 
In exchange, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will drop two class-action lawsuits filed against the company in 2010 and 2013 in which the plaintiffs argued that the claim was a
Continue Reading Perdue Will Remove Its ‘Humanely Raised’ Label to Settle HSUS Lawsuits
Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and a bipartisan group of seven other senators introduced a bill late last week to set federal housing standards for egg-laying hens, again sparking protest from both pork and beef producers, as well as other animal rights activists who are now calling it the “rotten egg
There’s growing pressure for animal agriculture to change its practices, whether it be utilizing gestation crates or feeding antibiotics, but a new paper cautions that these changes may negatively impact food safety.
The discussion paper released by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology — a research group that includes
Continue Reading Exploring the Link Between Animal Health and Food Safety
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is appropriately handling industry appeals of its humane handling enforcement actions, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The audit — which was requested by the Office of Food Safety to “ensure that
Continue Reading Inspector General Gives Positive Report on FSIS Humane Handling Enforcement
Meat inspectors at federally regulated plants that slaughter animals got new instructions for humane treatment of animals.
Announced Monday by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the instructions come in the form of a new 40-page directive. The rules go into effect on Sept. 15.
The directive on
Continue Reading Meat Inspectors Get Clout to Stop Inhumane Slaughter
Last week, the Humane Society of the United States held an unusual press conference. The group announced an agreement with its long-time adversary, the United Egg Producers, to jointly seek federal legislation that would improve the housing conditions of egg-laying hens.
As a result, HSUS is calling off its recent
Continue Reading Who Really Benefits from the Egg Industry Deal?
The Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers — bitter rivals on animal welfare issues — Thursday took the food and agriculture community by surprise. The two groups joined forces to announce a new, unprecedented agreement to push for federal legislation to mandate animal welfare standards
Continue Reading Egg Industry, Humane Society Strike Landmark Deal
After the Chino slaughterhouse was caught on video kicking, dragging, shocking and ramming nonambulatory cows, the California Legislature responded by making it illegal for the meat industry to butcher so called “downer” animals.
The National Meat Association (NMA) went to court, challenging that law and gaining an injunction against its
Continue Reading California's Chino Law Makes It to Supremes
Non-ambulatory disabled veal calves and other animals that cannot walk on their own on to the kill floor should be “humanely euthanized,” two animal welfare groups say.
A comment period just ended for petitions filed last year with USDA’s Food Safety and inspection Service by two organizations — Farm Sanctuary
