Ontario’s ag-gag law severely limits anyone’s ability to perform vital undercover investigations on farms.
Iowa Ag-Gag Law Declared Unconstitutional
After years of free speech suppression in Iowa, a federal court has struck down the Iowa Ag-Gag law as unconstitutional. Declared a violation of the first amendment by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, this law, which criminalizes undercover investigations in animal agribusiness–including factory farms, slaughterhouses, and puppy mills–has been in place since 2012. Since the …
Federal Court Allows Case Against North Carolina Ag-Gag Law to Proceed
This week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned the district court’s ruling dismissing a challenge to North Carolina’s ag-gag law. This dangerous law, targeting undercover investigations, first came into effect in January of 2016 after the state legislature overrode a veto by then Governor Pat McCrory. Ag-gag laws are designed to protect factory farms and …
Iowa Ag-Gag Law Challenged in Court
On the heels of triumphant news for animals, that Utah’s ag-gag law, struck down by a federal judge as unconstitutional, is officially dead, a similar law in Iowa is now being challenged in court by animal protection groups. As organizations like Compassion Over Killing have shown time and again, undercover investigations are the most vital tool we have to shed light …
New COK Hotline Empowers Factory Farm Whistleblowers
Compassion Over Killing (COK) has launched a new multi-state, multi-language campaign offering factory farm and slaughterhouse whistleblowers a safe and secure hotline to report animal cruelty, workers’ rights abuses, food safety risks, and environmental violations. Billboards featuring the confidential hotline — 1-800-65-FARM-TIPS — have already reached more than 400,000 people in top poultry-producing states Arkansas and Georgia, with additional locations …
Utah’s Ag-Gag Law, Declared Unconstitutional, Won’t Be Appealed!
In July 2017, a federal judge declared Utah’s dangerous “ag-gag” law unconstitutional, for violating the First Amendment, calling the law “perfectly tailored toward … preventing undercover investigators from exposing abuses at agricultural facilities.” Now comes another stunning victory for farmed animals, as the ruling striking down this dangerous law won’t be appealed by the state Attorney General’s Office. Utah’s ag-gag law …
Federal Judge Rules Utah’s Ag-Gag Law Is Unconstitutional
In a victory for animals and freedom of speech, a federal judge has just ruled that Utah’s ag-gag law is unconstitutional, for violating the First Amendment. Judge Robert Shelby found that the law, which he wrote is “perfectly tailored toward … preventing undercover investigators from exposing abuses at agricultural facilities,” suppresses “broad swaths of protected speech without justification.” Though the …
Chrystal’s Story: Why I Went Undercover
Chrystal Ferber didn’t grow up thinking some day she’d wear a hidden camera and risk it all by going behind the closed doors of a giant industry desperate to keep its dark and violent secrets tucked away from public view. In fact, when she watched an undercover video of factory farming for the first time, she was so horrified, she …
NC Gov. Vetoes Ag-Gag, Update: Legislature Overrides Veto
June 3, 2015 Update: Despite the Governor’s veto of this ag-gag bill, the House & Senate in North Carolina just voted to override that veto. This dangerous bill will now become law, going into effect on Jan. 1, 2016. Stay tuned for more details. North Carolina’s 2015 ag-gag bill (HB405) has officially been defeated! By vetoing this dangerous bill that …
