AWI Quarterly Term Archive
Quick Read
Correcting Course on Right Whales
Marine WildlifeIn February, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced the RESCUE Whales Act (HR 1213). This bill would repeal harmful language included in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus funding package that significantly...
Improving Welfare of Captive Wild Animals
Marine Wildlife, Terrestrial WildlifeIn a surprise move, the US Department of Agriculture published a notice that it was considering changes to its Animal Welfare Act regulations to improve the handling of wild and...
Update on AWI’s Support of Animal Welfare Efforts in Ukraine
Companion AnimalsWith the war in Ukraine now well into its second year, the level of destruction that continues to be inflicted upon the country’s people and animals is truly staggering. Ongoing...
Marine Mammal Protection in a Warming World
Marine WildlifeIn March, Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act (HR 1383), to protect marine mammals adversely affected by the climate crisis. Since 1972, the Marine...
Fed Credit to CAFOs Requires Environmental Assessment
Farmed AnimalsIn March, the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the US Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA)—which provides federal loans to farmers and ranchers—must assess...
Phasing Out Mink Farms
Farmed Animals, Terrestrial WildlifeAWI spearheaded the introduction in June of the Mink VIRUS Act (HR 3783), sponsored by Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). This bill would establish a one-year phaseout of mink fur farms...
Missouri Court Quashes Local Oversight of Hog Farms
Farmed AnimalsThe Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that a state law prohibiting counties from imposing regulations on industrial hog operations does not violate the Missouri Constitution. The ruling upholds a lower...
Texas Dairy Fire Kills 18,000 Cattle
Farmed AnimalsIn April, a massive fire and explosion occurred on South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas, tragically killing around 18,000 cows. This is the deadliest fire involving cattle since AWI began...
Treating Salmonella as Adulterant in Poultry
Farmed AnimalsThe US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing, for the first time, to treat Salmonella as an adulterant for purposes of the Poultry Products Inspection Act. Under...
USDA Urged to Address Misleading Label Claims
Farmed AnimalsFour US senators, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), have written to Sandra Eskin, the US Department of Agriculture’s deputy under secretary for food safety, expressing concern about the department’s...