Past Event

Ag-gag laws: protecting our farms or making Americans sick?

Mikael Nielsen, Eastern outreach coordinator with Mercy for Animals, will be participating in this discussion.

From The International: “The Future of ‘Ag-Gag’ Laws: Activism Versus Industry” by Kylie Schultz

“In 2008, an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) found egregious animal cruelty at Hallmark Westland Meat Company where, among other violations, ‘downer’ cows – sick or injured cows unable to get up and walk on their own – were being forced into pens for slaugter….Following the investigation by the HSUS, 143 millon pounds of meat from the company were recalled, one of the largest meat recalls in US History. Hallmark Westland represents just one such recent whistle-blowing occurrence. But lately many states have begun to propose and implement farm protection laws designed to curtail these activists, labeled by activists as ‘ag-gag’ laws, ‘ag’ being short for agriculture. These laws prohibit the taking of photographs or the recording of actions or sounds that might ‘interfere’ with slaughterhouse operations and require that any animal abuse be reported immediately, within 24-48 hours of the incident.”

Questions for Consideration

What do we know about factory farms and where our food comes from? What do farmers and businesses stand to gain or lose from the documentation of their operations? Who do ag-gag bills protect? How would ag-gag bills affect whistle-blowing practices?

Want to learn more?

Free and open to the public. For more information please call 312.422.5580.

If you need a sign interpreter or require other arrangements to fully participate, please call 312.422.5580. For parking locations near the facility, please visit ChicagoParkingMap.com.