State Legislators’ Roll-Call Votes on Farm Animal Protection Bills: The Agricultural Connection

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 501-522
Author(s):  
Steven Tauber
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Political Party ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Interaction Model ◽  
State Legislators ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Protection ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
On Farm

AbstractNonhuman animal studies scholars have extensively investigated attitudes on animal welfare in general and farm animal welfare in particular. Thus far, this research has focused mainly on public opinion, but there has been minimal research seeking to explain the influences on actual policymakers when they vote on farm animal welfare legislation. This paper contributes to this literature by quantitatively analyzing 216 state legislators’ votes on two farm animal welfare bills. It hypothesizes that the representatives’ personal and representational connections with agriculture best explain their votes on these farm animal protection bills. This research also includes three control variables: each legislator’s gender, race/ethnicity, and political party. Logistic regression revealed that the legislators’ personal and representational connections with agriculture are significant, but political party is the strongest independent variable explaining state legislators’ farm animal welfare votes. An interaction model revealed mixed evidence that political party moderates the influence of agriculture.

scholarly journals Market-Based Governance in Farm Animal Welfare—A Comparative Analysis of Public and Private Policies in Germany and France

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colette S. Vogeler
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Animal Protection ◽  
Agricultural Restructuring ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Private Actors ◽  
Different Levels

The intensification of livestock production and the focus on economic gains of agricultural policy have resulted in animal welfare related challenges. In many countries the societal concern for the welfare of farmed animals is increasing. Whereas policymakers on the European Union’s level and in EU member states have passed specific farm animal protection laws, the existing policies do not always guarantee the welfare of farmed animals. At the same time, the engagement of market actors in the field is increasing. This article explores the development of public and private policies in two countries with very different levels of regulation. By conducting a comparative analysis of public and private policies in Germany and France, the findings illustrate that, although they have different starting points, retailers in both countries are getting increasingly involved in farm animal welfare. In addition, there is evidence that governmental policies are shifting from regulatory to voluntary approaches in cooperation with the private sector. Given that in both countries these dynamics are a very recent development, it remains to be seen whether governmental actors will (re-)assume the lead in the field, whether they will engage in cooperation with private actors, or whether they will leave the task of agricultural restructuring to the market.

Policy on farm animal welfare

1991 ◽  
Vol 129 (16) ◽  
pp. 367-367
Author(s):  
C. Spedding
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
On Farm
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document