Animal rights groups are hitting legislative campaigns hard in 2024. Earlier this year, I wrote about some of the trends we were seeing in state legislatures that were backed by these groups and about their increased use of ballot initiatives. This tactic is continuing as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) primed its supporters with recommendations to further its reach in lobbying efforts at its annual Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) Conference earlier this summer.
This year’s TAFA conference was held in Arlington, Va., from July 19 to 22 and focused on using legislation and politics within the animal rights movement, as well how to defend “animal protection” measures that are already in place like California’s Proposition 12. Other major themes included claims that animal issues are “truly bipartisan,” arguments that legislation attempting to overturn measures like Prop 12 is “dangerous” to the movement, encouraging personal relationship-building with legislators, and emphasizing getting legislation passed at the local and state levels as those are easier change than at the federal level.
Here are some key quotes from the conference:
- “These sentient animals, they’re lined up like parked cars in a parking lot.” – on modern animal agriculture housing systems
- “[Veal calves] are virtually immobilized in veal crates and just like any other baby animal, they want to play, they want to explore, they want to interact with the world around them. But instead, they can barely move in these crates.”
- “One of the reddest states in the country now has a law banning the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens, proving that it’s possible to pass farm animal welfare laws in states with any political leaning.” – on the bipartisanship of animal issues
- “Generally speaking, a state legislature does not like it when you pass a ballot initiative because you’re completely circumventing them.”
- “We know what we’re talking about just as much or more than they do, and we usually know what we’re talking about more than they do.” – on animal rights lobbyists knowing more than the animal agriculture community when it comes to raising livestock and poultry
- “Don’t forget about those city council people . . . They’re the ones that make a lot of decisions on voting and a lot of things for animals in our cities and our towns. Lobby them, too, because they’re also very accessible.”
- “I can’t think of very many ways you can have more of an impact on the lives of individual animals on a big scale than working on state legislation.”
- “We’ve been looking at ‘How do we put more pressure on the companies?’ because they’re going to listen to investors.” – on using shareholder resolutions to pressure food brands and companies to adopt animal rights-friendly policies
The TAFA conference was used as an opportunity to indoctrinate attendees into HSUS’ beliefs and lobbying strategy before hosting a “Humane Lobby Day” on Capitol Hill following the event. As the Animal Agriculture Alliance continues to monitor legislation and ballot initiatives being spearheaded by animal rights groups, it’s imperative that the animal agriculture community stay engaged and proactive in communicating what we do and why we do it. If we don’t elevate our voices to policymakers, food brands, and consumers, the only voices they will be hearing will be those from the animal rights community.
Emily Ellis is the manager of communications and content at the Animal Agriculture Alliance. In her role, she works to execute the Alliance’s issues management and communications strategy.