Current Legislation
Recent articles:
Support PAMTA
H.R. 1549, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, or PAMTA, is proposed federal legislation that seeks to phase out the routine use of nontherapeutic antibiotics in farm animals – a common practice to promote growth and compensate for overcrowded, stressful, unsanitary conditions on factory farms – in order to maintain the effectiveness of antibiotics for treating sick people and animals.
Check out our feature about antibiotics in agriculture to learn more, and check out saveantibiotics.org to take action in support of this important legislation.
Legislative Victories
- In 2002, Florida voters approved a ballot initiative in banning hog gestation crates. This was the first time in history that any state had prohibited an intensive method of production due to animal welfare concerns.
- In 2006, Arizona voters approved (by a 62 percent margin) an initiative to ban veal crates and gestation crates for pigs throughout the state.
- Oregon followed Florida and Arizona’s example and banned gestation crates in 2007. This time it wasn’t a ballot initiative but the state legislature itself that made the ban possible.
- In May 2008, Colorado enacted legislation to permanently phase out both gestation crates and veal crates. The state government worked with HSUS and Farm Forward Board Member Professor Bernard Rollin to make this landmark bill a reality.
- In November 2008, Prop 2 passes in California: A landmark victory for farm animals.
- In May 2009, Maine becomes sixth U.S. state to ban extreme confinement of farm animals.
- In October 2009, Michigan passes historic legislation to protect farm animals.
- In June 2010, an imminent ballot measure was preempted by an agreement that enacted a long list of animal welfare regulations.
