Farm Animals
Spotlights
Humane Treatment of Farm Animals: Overview and Issues (PDF | 65 KB)
The Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Provides information on laws and proposals in Congress relating to farm animal welfare.
Humane Methods of Slaughter ActThis Act requires the proper treatment and humane handling of all food animals slaughtered in USDA inspected slaughter plants. It does not apply to chickens or other birds.
This page ncludes the text of the law as well as factsheets from USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the agency that enforces the law. Also provides links to Congressional Research Service (CRS) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports related to humane slaughter.
States' Animal Cruelty StatutesNational Agricultural Law Center.
Provides a clickable map of the United States with information on each state's animal cruelty laws.
States' Farm Animal Welfare StatutesNational Agricultural Law Center.
Provides easy and free access to the farm animal welfare statutes in each state. On the map, just click the state you want to learn about!
State Humane Slaughter LawsMichigan State University College of Law. Animal Legal & Historical Center.
In addition to the Federal Humane Slaughter Act, many states have instituted humane slaughter laws.
Twenty-Eight Hour LawThis law requires that animals being transported across state lines (by truck, rail carrier, express carrier, or common carrier (except by air or water)) may not be confined for more than 28 consecutive hours without being unloaded for food, water, and rest.
The Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals and Farm Animal Worker Training ProgramsFederation for Animal Science Societies
This site contains the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching (Ag Guide), and species-specific educational modules for livestock, poultry, and horses. The Ag Guide can also be ordered in a print version.
United States Farm BillsNational Agricultural Law Center.
Full text for all farm bills and agriculture acts from 1933 to the present. Also provides links to research articles, analysis papers, glossaries, commentaries and other related resources for the farms bills of 1996, 2002 and 2008.
Horse TransportUSDA. APHIS. Animal Care.
Links to a brochure about transporting horses and owner/shipper cerficates.
ARS Animal Care and Use PoliciesUSDA. Research, Education, and Economics.
Policies and procedures for animal care at ARS facilities.
Commercial Transportation of Equines to SlaughterCommercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter. (7 U.S.C. 1901, Sect. 901-905). 9C.F.R., Chapter I, Subchapter C, Parts 70 and 88. Provides regulations for the humane transportation of horses to slaughter.