I think there’s a lot of potential in regulatory reform, though I’m probably more optimistic about its prospects outside the US. E.g. I think DEFRA in the UK or the European Commission are more likely to make meaningful regulatory changes than the USDA.
My top priority US regulatory reform would be to get the USDA to interpret the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to apply to birds too. Courts have held that its within the USDA’s discretion to decide this, but decades of on-and-off advocacy by HSUS and AWI have failed to get them to do so. I do think it’s worth trying again if we get a more sympathetic USDA secretary (I’m confident Vilsack wouldn’t do this).
I think the options under the other laws are more limited. My understanding is that few animals are transported for more than 28 hours anymore, so the 28 Hour Law’s protections aren’t that helpful. And I don’t think the Animal Welfare Act or Horse Protection Act could be extended to apply to farm animals (though better enforcement of the AWA could help a lot of lab animals).
Finally, we looked into the potential to move APHIS on the inhumane methods use to kill animals during disease outbreaks. Unfortunately it seemed pretty intractable at the present time.
I think there’s a lot of potential in regulatory reform, though I’m probably more optimistic about its prospects outside the US. E.g. I think DEFRA in the UK or the European Commission are more likely to make meaningful regulatory changes than the USDA.
My top priority US regulatory reform would be to get the USDA to interpret the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to apply to birds too. Courts have held that its within the USDA’s discretion to decide this, but decades of on-and-off advocacy by HSUS and AWI have failed to get them to do so. I do think it’s worth trying again if we get a more sympathetic USDA secretary (I’m confident Vilsack wouldn’t do this).
I think the options under the other laws are more limited. My understanding is that few animals are transported for more than 28 hours anymore, so the 28 Hour Law’s protections aren’t that helpful. And I don’t think the Animal Welfare Act or Horse Protection Act could be extended to apply to farm animals (though better enforcement of the AWA could help a lot of lab animals).
Finally, we looked into the potential to move APHIS on the inhumane methods use to kill animals during disease outbreaks. Unfortunately it seemed pretty intractable at the present time.