Program Term Archive
Farmed Animals
Twenty-Eight Hour Law
Farmed AnimalsThe very first federal animal protection statute—the Twenty-Eight Hour Law—was passed on March 3, 1873, to safeguard farmed animals from excessive suffering during long-distance transport. In its current form, the law...
Illinois Bill Introduced to Protect Public Health from Disease Risks on Fur Farms
Press ReleaseFebruary 3, 2026Farmed AnimalsThe Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) lauds today’s filing of the Finding Urgent Relief from Vectors for Infection Risk and Unchecked Spillover (FUR VIRUS) Act in Illinois, which would implement crucial...
Farmed Animal Legal Protections
Farmed AnimalsAWI prepares reports on the history and current status of laws that affect the welfare of farm animals. The content of each paper is kept updated, and all of the...
Farmed Animal Fact Sheets
Farmed AnimalsThe Animal Welfare Institute prepares brief fact sheets on a variety of topics related to the use of animals in agriculture. Each of the following fact sheets is available as...
Titus Bill Takes Aim at Inhumane Transport
Farmed AnimalsIn September, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) reintroduced the Humane Transport of Farmed Animals Act (HR 5286)—bipartisan legislation to improve transport conditions for farmed animals in the United States. The bill...
Stay Savvy on Animal Welfare Food Label Claims with AWI’s Updated Guide
Farmed AnimalsAWI recently released new and improved versions of A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare to help compassionate consumers purchase more humane food options. This guide includes definitions, and the...
NFPA Eyes Next Version of Animal Housing Fire Code
Farmed AnimalsThis fall, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Animal Housing held a “First Draft Meeting” to launch the next revision cycle for NFPA 150, Fire and Life Safety...
Farmers Flock to DC to Defend Animal Welfare Laws
Farmed AnimalsIn October, AWI assisted with a fly-in that brought over 200 farmers to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional offices in support of California’s Proposition 12, which sets minimum space...
Massachusetts Farmed Animal Protections Upheld
Farmed AnimalsIn a major victory for farmed animal welfare, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit held in early October that Massachusetts’s Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act (aka...
AVMA Shifts Policy on Housing of Mother Pigs
Farmed AnimalsAs reported in the fall 2024 AWI Quarterly, AWI submitted comments to the Animal Welfare Committee of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) regarding its policy on pregnant sow housing. Dr. Gwendy Reyes-Illg, veterinary...