New Iowa Law Makes It Harder For Activists to Show What Truly Happens on Farms

Note: Many of the links in this post show graphic cruelty to animals. Even more disturbing than watching this footage is that this rampant mistreatment is happening in the first place, and making you aware is one way we can do something about it.

For more than a decade, animal advocacy organizations such as Compassion Over Killing (COK), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Mercy For Animals (MFA), and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have conducted dozens of undercover investigations revealing horrific cruelty to animals on factory farms. No federal laws provide protection to animals during their lives on farms, and if not for these investigations most people would be unaware that the meat, dairy, and eggs they eat has come from animals mutilated without painkillers, kept in cages so small they can barely turn around, and living in their own filth.

These investigations have earned an enormous amount of attention in the media, with stories in thousands of publications and TV stations, giving millions of people reason to reconsider their purchase of meat, dairy, and eggs. Some investigations have led to workers being convicted of animal cruelty, while another led to the largest beef recall in the country for food safety concerns exposed by the investigations.

This week, the state of Iowa passed a law to take a stand on this issue. Iowa is the largest producer of pork and eggs in the whole country, so this is a big deal. Does the law require better treatment of animals? Or further investigations of farms in the state? No, it most certainly does not. Nicknamed “ag gag,” the law makes it illegal to lie on a job application if applying for a job at a farm, making it illegal for an undercover investigator to get a job in Iowa, and making it next to impossible for consumers to learn what is happening on farms in Iowa.

There are many things we can do to oppose industries that profit from harming animals, the planet, or people. One thing we can do everyday is boycott them. Every time you choose a vegan meal, you can choose compassion over cruelty. You can also share some of the videos linked above on your Facebook so other people can become aware. By following the above organizations on Facebook and joining their email lists, you can be kept posted on their important work and help publicize their past and future investigations so more people can make informed choices about their food.

Comment below to let us know what you think of this law, the videos linked above, or how you want to help.