A referendum that would eliminate animal agriculture in Colorado has passed the initial challenges and has been approved for the collection of citizen signatures. Colorado State Ballot Initiative titled “Protect Animals from Unnecessary Suffering and Exploitation” would amend the State criminal animal cruelty statute to: define “’Natural Lifespan’ for the following species . . . : a cow lives to 20 years, a chicken lives to 8 years, a turkey lives to 10…

With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, the market for cannabis pet products has rapidly grown. As a result, broad-reaching marketing campaigns highlighting the available products and the claimed benefits have become much more prevalent. In response to the prevalence of these campaigns, the FDA and FTC have had to increase efforts to monitor and eliminate products with improper or misleading labels to protect pet owners. The FDA enforces laws that prohibit marketing and…

If you are trying to navigate the space where hemp products intersects with animal products, it can be unclear as to which authority to turn to for guidance. In the United States, FDA, FTC, DEA and USDA share governance over the cannabis and hemp animal product industry, including regulations on labeling, distribution, growing, and sales. Understanding these intersecting laws and agency policies can help companies navigate this evolving marketplace. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…

In a case arising out of a series of cattle sales gone wrong, Fox Rothschild attorneys John Haggerty, Jim Clark and Jeremy Lacks recently obtained a summary judgment award of more than $740,000 for two central Pennsylvania cattle farms. From December 2016 to July 2017, our clients, Nicholas Farms and Hottle Livestock, sold hundreds of cattle to an upstate New York cattle dealer called CAV Farms through its agent and middleman, Michael Rogers. CAV Farms, which is owned and…

A clearly misguided bill, S3402, was recently introduced in the New Jersey Senate that would prohibit veterinarians from euthanasia of animals suffering fatal disease or injuries for seven days if a cat or dog, having been seized by a law enforcement officer, places that animal in the care of a licensed veterinarian.  Specifically the bill states, whenever a certified animal control officer, municipal humane law enforcement officer, county humane law enforcement officer, or other…

For those who do not receive notifications directly from USDA APHIS, please note that the agency has just announced that it has removed its Self-Reporting Incentive Program, included in the Animal Welfare Act Inspection Guide and published in Tech Note titled, “Incentives for Identifying, Reporting, Correcting, and Preventing Noncompliance with the Animal Welfare Act.” The reason provided for this changes is that the guidance and program “is no longer representative of the current agency policy…

Well known animal rights activist, New York Assemblymember L. Rosenthal, has introduced a bill that seemingly runs afoul of federal law, that among other permissible shipments, allows the shipment of certain poultry through the mail, under specifically prescribed conditions. The language of the proposed bill would ban these and other federally lawful practices,       Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 382 to read as follows:…