Michigan legislation to pre-empt HSUS initiatives

A package of bills has been introduced into the Michigan Legislature to establish a standard for farm animal care. The plan placed before the House Agriculture Committee will define the authority of the Department of Agriculture and the Agriculture Commission as the sole authority to regulate livestock health and welfare.
This action follows similar legislation in Oklahoma. Standards for animal care to be implemented by 2020 will be based on scientific knowledge. An Animal Care Advisory Council will make recommendations for changes to standards and a third party auditing system will be created to oversee the program.
In a similar measure, the Ohio House and Senate Agriculture Committees have passed a joint resolution empowering the Livestock Care Standards Board to regulate housing and welfare of livestock.
The HSUS which has threatened to mount a 2008-style Proposition 2 initiative opposed this action which will be placed before the electorate in November 2009.