Lunch + Legislation: Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, Animal Advocate and Member, Michigan House

“We had talked about updating the dog law…quite an expansive thing to take on. I think we need a lot more discussion about what that’s going to be but I am happy to take that on as a project for … Continued

The 103rd #1: Welcome, Members of the Michigan Legislature. The Image We Chose.

Image | Michigan State Capitol CommissionNOTE: Two years ago we began “The 102nd”, an occasional series to document interesting or little-known observations about the 2023-24 Michigan Legislature, the state’s 102nd. We’re carrying on the tradition with the first post of … Continued

Lunch + Legislation: Hendrik Faller and Tom Miller, “Dogs Are People Too” and the Influence of Film on Legislation

Movies can entertain us, get us thinking, trigger an emotional response. They can even deliver a powerful mesage that can change policy or spark legislative change. “Dogs Are People Too: A Four-Legged Civil Rights Movement” has the potential to do … Continued

Lunch + Legislation: Sarah D’Onofrio, PhD, Scholar Activist

Dr. D’Onofrio applies principles from sociology, political science, economics, and science to her on-the-ground work as an advocate for rural communities. Her research focuses on the harm caused by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (“CAFOs” or factory farms) to rural communities. … Continued

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