Lunch + Legislation: Kara Shannon, Director of Farm Animal Welfare Policy, ASPCA, “Farm Bill Update”

A massive piece of legislation that dictates what our public dollars are going to support in agriculture. It’s… our opportunity — instead of propping up factory farming (which…has been done for decades) to…seeing those billions of dollars… supporting meaningfully higher … Continued

Focusing on the Farm Bill

Image: Scott Bayer, USDA “The farm bill is an omnibus, multiyear law that governs an array of agricultural and food programs. It provides an opportunity for policymakers to comprehensively and periodically address agricultural and food issues.”[i] This massive piece of … Continued

Lunch + Legislation: Rep. Veronica Paiz and How Bills Evolve to Focus on Service Animals, Artist as Advocate

Something that would have people more mindful, more considerate of their behavior or actions … Rep. Veronica Paiz, Lunch + Legislation, Saturday, June 8, 2024 Rep. Paiz spoke of HB 5525, a bill that would create civil liability for death … Continued

Defeat EATS Coalition Fights On: 5/28/24 Update

Margo Miller, board secretary, is AFA’s representative to the nation-wide coalition. Here’s her report. On May 21, 2024, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson introduced H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, which was slated … Continued

Help Put Farm System Reform into the Farm Bill

It’s been said that the Farm Bill should be called “The Food Bill” because not everyone farms, but everyone eats. It’s misleading to call it the “Farm” Bill because most people do not think of CAFOs (factory farms) when they … Continued

The Farm Bill and Animals: Challenge and Opportunity

Every five years or so, Congress debates and passes a Farm Bill that will steer the course of farm, food, rural, nutrition, and agricultural policies in this country for half a decade. If you live in the United States, the … Continued

So … What’s the Rush?

We’ve scratched our heads and asked this question several times over years of following the Michigan Legislature; but lately we’ve seen more and more of this tactic. Those of you who work on legislative matters know that things can happen … Continued