Idaho 'ag gag' law overturned

Sunday, October 4, 2015

The ruling by a U.S. federal judge allowing the secret filming of animal abuse at agricultural facilities is causing shock waves around the globe.

Judge B. Lynn Winmill found Idaho's so-called "ag gag" law violated the First Amendment of the American Constitution. so it will likely apply to other state laws as well. It was aimed at spying on Idaho's US$2.5 billion dairy industry after farmers complained a 2012 Mercy For Animals video unfairly hurt their business.

A similar law has been introduced into Australia's federal Parliament, according to the Sydney Herald newspaper. The Aussie attorney-general's office was reviewing the ruling. Australian animal rights groups claim "spying" is necessary. One example they cite is a story about a whistleblower who told The Daily Advertiser that 500 pigs died when a cooling system failed at a piggery in Grong Grong on a hot February weekend. BF