ETHICS 180s: Political & Ethical Economy of Food: Law

"The health of the American soil, the purity of its water, the biodiversity and the very look of its landscape owe in no small part to impenetrable titles, programs and formulae buried deep in the farm bill." --Michael Pollan

• Animal Welfare Act: The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. While its original intent was to regulate the care and use of animals in the laboratory, it has become the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers.
  

• Human Methods of Slaughter Act: Originally passed in 1958, the law that is enforced today by theUSDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was passed as the Humane Slaughter Act of 1978. This Act requires the proper treatment and humane handling of all food animals slaughtered in USDA inspected slaughter plants.
  

• Twenty-eight Hour Law:  Requires that animals being transported across state lines (by truck, rail carrier, express carrier, or common carrier) may not be confined for more than 28 consecutive hours without being unloaded for food, water, and rest. The law is also known as the "Cruelty to Animals Act," the "Live Stock Transportation Act," and the "Food and Rest Law."

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• Blatt, H. (2011). America's environmental report card: Are we making the grade?. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

• Curtis, P. A. (2005). Guide to food laws and regulations. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Pub.

• Food and drug law and regulation. (2008). Adams D. G. and Food and Drug Law Institute (Eds.) Washington, D.C.: FDLI.

• Fortin, N. D. (2009). Food regulation: Law, science, policy, and practice. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.

• Governing food security: Law, politics, and the right to food (2010). Hadiprayitno I. and Hospes O. (Eds.) Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Pub.

• O'Sullivan, S. (2012). Animals, equality and democracy. NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

• Santilli, J. (2011). Agrobiodiversity and the law regulating genetic resources, food security and cultural diversity. Earthscan/James & James. 

• Schneider, S. A. (2011). Food, farming, and sustainability: Readings in agricultural law. Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press.

• Vapnek, J. (2005). Perspectives and guidelines on food legislation: With a new model food law. Spreij M. (Eds.) Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N.

• Archibald, C. J. (2008). "Forbidden by the WTO? Discrimination against a Product When Its Creation Causes Harm to the Environment or Animal Welfare." Natural Resources Journal 48(1): 15-51.
• Bryant, T. L., R. J. Huss, et al. (2008). Animal law and the courts : a reader. St. Paul, Minn., Thomson/West.        
• D'Silva, J. and J. Webster (2010). The meat crisis : developing more sustainable production and consumption. London ; Washington, DC, Earthscan.          
• Schaffner, J. (2011). An introduction to animals and the law. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York, NY, Palgrave Macmillan.
• Schneider, S. A. (2011). Food, farming, and sustainability : readings in agricultural law. Durham, N.C., Carolina Academic Press.   

 The following federal legislation is documented in the National Library of Agriculture's section on Government and Professional Resources.

• Animal Welfare Act: The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. While its original intent was to regulate the care and use of animals in the laboratory, it has become the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Other laws, policies, and guidelines may include additional species coverage or specifications for animal care and use, but all refer to the Animal Welfare Act as the minimum acceptable standard." NLA/AGRICOLA
• Human Methods of Slaughter Act: "Originally passed in 1958, the law that is enforced today by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was passed as the Humane Slaughter Act of 1978. This 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." NLA/AGRICOLA
• Twenty-eight Hour Law: "Originally enacted in 1873 and 1906, the law was repealed and reenacted in 1994 by PL 103-272. This 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 law is also known as the "Cruelty to Animals Act," the "Live Stock Transportation Act," and the "Food and Rest Law." NLA/AGRICOLA