Ontario's livestock industry no fan of 'ag-gag' laws

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

by MATT MCINTOSH

Secretly filming farms is a criminal offence in certain parts of the United States, but representatives from Ontario's agricultural sector say enacting similar laws here would be ineffective, and run contrary to the industry's commitment to transparency.

Canadian agriculture, they say, should be both farmer and public friendly.

Over the past few years, states like Utah, Iowa, and Arkansas have adopted laws that make it illegal for employees, or anyone else, to film farm operations without the owner's permission.

These were enacted to discourage a common investigative tactic used by animal rights groups like Mercy For Animals (MFA): activists working for animal rights organizations acquire a job as a farm labourer and use a hidden camera to gather evidence of animal abuse.

A MFA press release from March of 2012 maintains these “ag-gag laws” – a term coined in a New York Times article – will "perpetuate animal abuse" and are detrimental to the public, who deserve more "transparency in the food system."

That effect on industry openness is why people like Crystal Mackay, executive director of Farm Food Care Ontario, also do not support such laws.

"While we appreciate the sentiment of these laws, the concept behind them is not good," says Mackay. "The Canadian agriculture sector is strongly committed to opening the barn door, not closing it, and ‘ag-gag' laws like those seen in parts of the United States would contradict that commitment."

Bill Mitchell, director of public affairs at Egg Farmers of Ontario, shares a similar point of view.

"Our advertising tries to promote transparency and connect consumers with producers," he says. "It's the whole reason we have things like the 'Who Made Your Eggs Today' campaign. Besides, maximizing animal health is in the farmers’ best interest; it's their livelihood after all."

Mackay says ag-gag laws may also be ineffective because of the determination of animal rights activists.

"It's important to remember the overall goal of organizations like MFA is to get rid of animal agriculture all together," says Mackay. "They're very determined, and I can't see these laws keeping them from making more videos."

Still, Mackay stresses that a balance needs to be found between farmer livelihoods, the law, and public opinion.

On the farmer's part, that balance could be found, she says, by keeping the barn doors open, and making sure that everyone involved in the farm's operation follows a strict animal welfare code-of-conduct.

For groups like MFA and their Canadian counterpart, Mackay says releasing all recorded footage instead of short, edited video clips would be a start.

"In Canada last year, for instance, MFA produced a short clip showing the inhumane treatment of pigs on a Manitoba farm. Both Manitoba's chief veterinarian and an independent panel asked MFA for the entire video when conducting their investigation, but were refused," she says. Correction: The video was supplied to the chief veterinarian but not to the expert panel. End of correction. "This happens all the time; MFA also needs to be open about their work."

Clarification: Anna Pippus, Mercy for Animals Canada's Director of Legal Advocacy, says the organization only received a request for full footage from Manitoba's chief veterinarian.

The Manitoba Pork Council, says its chair Karl Kynoch, requested but did not receive full footage from reporters with W5, a news program on Canadian broadcaster CTV. The reporters were covering the issue and had shown the board an edited version of the video while seeking comment. Kynoch says the board did not contact MFA directly for the footage. End of Clarification

The most recent example of the undercover method comes from Alberta, where an agent working for Mercy For Animals Canada found employment at two large, conventional egg farms.

While there, the agent gathered footage, in secret, of unethical farming practices. That footage was later compiled, edited and sent to W5, a news program on Canadian broadcaster CTV, which featured the video on Oct. 19. BF