While far from a new trend, animal rights activist organizations have doubled down on their efforts to use the legislative process to impact the future of animal agriculture in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last year to uphold Proposition 12. On the far (outwardly) extreme side of the spectrum, we have groups like Direct Action Everywhere and its offshoots pushing for ballot measures in Denver, Colo., and Sonoma County, Calif., that would ban processing plants (Denver) and large-scale farms (Sonoma County) in each respective jurisdiction.

Groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) usually take a different approach and attempt to position themselves as more “professional” and “moderate,” introducing legislation that might seem on the surface to be aimed at animal welfare. However, the Alliance contends that the true objective of these bills is to reduce efficiencies and drive up costs, forcing consumers to make tough choices about what they can afford to feed their families. Activist groups taking this route know that the vast majority of consumers eat meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs, and would like to continue doing so, so rather than go directly for their end goal of banning animal agriculture, they instead push for legislation that will make production more difficult but might seem more palatable on the surface to legislators or the public as part of a long-term approach.

In just a few weeks, HSUS will convene activists in Washington, D.C., to discuss their legislative efforts at its annual Taking Action for Animals conference. Much of the conversation will focus squarely on animal agriculture, with sessions on the docket such as “taking action to preserve California’s Prop 12 and similar laws.” Other sessions offer a glimpse into HSUS’ new and ongoing strategies, such as:

“Corporate campaigning: How to work with companies to make progress for animals”

“Consumer-driven change: Utilizing local ordinances through sales bans”

“Using state legislation for change for animals”

“Bills and badges: Engaging law enforcement in animal protection policy”

A two-part series on “Bridging the gap: Navigating the political divide,” which states “animal protection issues have proven to be a unifying force, transcending party lines,” and promises to teach attendees “strategies for fostering bipartisan collaboration”

Based on the content of this conference agenda, I believe we can anticipate additional activity from HSUS and its local affiliates in the near future — all the way down to the local ordinance level. It’s important for the animal agriculture community to “take action” for its future as well, and proactively engage policymakers about animal welfare and sustainability.

HSUS makes plans to 'take action for animals'

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