Every day, there are multiple petitions filed protesting the treatment of animals in the food production industry. The difficulty in effecting any significant change in the food production industry is, in significant part, because most animal welfare statutes relating to food production are enacted at the state level.

So, for example it is worthwhile to petition Gov. Chris Christie to improve the cages of pigs grown for food in New Jersey, but that doesn't change the situation for pigs anywhere else. Likewise, animal producers are happy to pat themselves on the back for creating voluntary "guidelines" for the humane treatment of livestock and fowl, but the guidelines are only voluntary and there are no consequences for  producers who fail to follow them.

Pigs raised in New Jersey are eaten all over the United States. Chickens and turkeys grown in one state are consumed in every state. Inhumane treatment of animals does not become more humane because it happens somewhere else.

This petition asks the House of Representatives--the part of government which is most supposed to reflect our values--to enact national animal welfare in food production statutes. The voluntary guidelines of major animal food production councils should be made mandatory and become the law of the land. The Commerce Clause grants Congress the power to enact such laws, and Congress needs to do so..

Please take a moment to sign this petition calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to enact national animal welfare in food production standards.

Thank You