Group of US House members oppose bill that would overturn California animal welfare law

Source: Reuters

Group of US House members oppose bill that would overturn California animal welfare law

By Leah Douglas
August 21, 2023 3:34 PM EDT Updated 2 hours ago

Aug 21 (Reuters) - A significant minority of members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday said they opposed a federal bill that would overturn a California animal welfare law, arguing it infringes on states' rights.

The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act would curb states' ability to regulate agricultural products sold within their borders and is in part aimed at California's Proposition 12, which sets housing standards for animals used for pork, veal, and eggs sold in the state.

But the bill could also threaten numerous state laws related to food safety and public health and represents an overreach of the federal government, 171 members of the House of Representatives said in a letter sent on Monday to House Agriculture Committee chair G.T. Thompson and ranking member David Scott.

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The National Pork Producers Council, which lost a Supreme Court challenge to Proposition 12 in May, supports the EATS Act but some large pork companies that have already spent money to comply with the California law are opposed to the bill.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-members-oppose-bill-that-would-overturn-california-animal-welfare-law-2023-08-21/

Non-paywalled link: https://news.yahoo.com/us-house-members-oppose-bill-185241399.html