Conference report omits King amendment, includes animal fighting measure
January 27, 2014 | 09:13 PM
The farm bill conference report does not include the controversial amendment sponsored by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, to forbid states from banning the sale of an agricultural product because there are objections to production methods.
King aimed the amendment at a California law that restricts the sale of eggs if they are not produced in cages the size required there for egg-laying hens, but critics said it would apply to a wide range of state laws regulating the sale of agricultural products throughout the country.
The report does includes a provision making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child under the age of 16 to an animal-fighting event.
The Humane Society of the United States praised both actions and urged passage of the bill.
“The conference committee produced a farm bill that will fortify the federal law against organized and barbaric dogfighting and cockfighting rings, and thankfully jettisoned the dangerous and overreaching King amendment which threatened so many state and local laws on agriculture and animal welfare,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society.
“The farm bill contains a dizzying number of provisions, but based on the outcome of these two critical issues on animal welfare, we will urge lawmakers to enact it,” Pacelle said.
King aimed the amendment at a California law that restricts the sale of eggs if they are not produced in cages the size required there for egg-laying hens, but critics said it would apply to a wide range of state laws regulating the sale of agricultural products throughout the country.
The report does includes a provision making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child under the age of 16 to an animal-fighting event.
The Humane Society of the United States praised both actions and urged passage of the bill.
“The conference committee produced a farm bill that will fortify the federal law against organized and barbaric dogfighting and cockfighting rings, and thankfully jettisoned the dangerous and overreaching King amendment which threatened so many state and local laws on agriculture and animal welfare,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society.
“The farm bill contains a dizzying number of provisions, but based on the outcome of these two critical issues on animal welfare, we will urge lawmakers to enact it,” Pacelle said.
