FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Farm Bill Strengthens Animal Fighting Law, Omits Dangerous King Amendment
 
HSUS and HSLF Applaud Conference Report and Urge Congress to Support Farm Bill
 
The Farm Bill conference report released today by the House-Senate conference committee includes two major wins on animal welfare issues, and was applauded by The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.  The compromise bill includes a provision making it a federal crime to attend or bring a child under the age of 16 to an animal fighting event, and omits a controversial House-passed provision seeking to nullify state laws setting standards for agricultural production.
 
“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 HSUS. “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.”
 
----
 
Media Contact: Anna West: 240-751-2669; [email protected]