Do Iowa Farms Have Something to Hide?
As conservative Iowa lawmakers make an end-of-session push for the bill that would criminalize undercover investigations of cruelty to farmed animals, national Republican political consultant Mary Matalin has entered the fray—on PETA’s behalf! Yesterday, she sent a personal appeal to Republican leaders in the state.
In her open letter to legislators, which has made news across the state, Matalin says:
Lawmakers and consumers from across the political spectrum have found that while promoting agriculture is of prime importance, so is making sure that workers at farms and slaughterhouses adhere to anti-cruelty laws. … If House File 589 succeeds, it may well single out Iowa as the state with something to hide, which I know can’t be the case.
If House File 589 passes, PETA would not be able to conduct investigations in Iowa like that of a Hormel Foods supplier that led to the Greene County Sheriff filing 22 livestock neglect and abuse charges. You can e-mail Iowa Governor Terry Branstad asking that he veto House File 589 if it makes it to his desk.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
