Brooks Animal Law Digest

House Resolution 598, the “Earth Act to Stop Climate Pollution by 2030,” would require several changes by the animal agriculture industry to mitigate climate change and improve animal welfare. The bill would require regenerative agriculture by 2030, and prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in animal agriculture for non-therapeutic purposes. It also would prohibit “forms of physical mutilation including debeaking, beak or bill trimming, declawing, pinioning, wattle trimming, desnooding, detoeing, nose rings, and tusk removal” and would ensure that animals used for agricultural purposes live in “a condition that allows the animal to socialize naturally, to engage in natural behaviors, to have freedom of movement, and to be reared with a mother and weaned at a natural time[.]” The bill also would allow public access to livestream videos of noncompliant facilities. The bill was introduced by Representative Adriano Espaillat and has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

Senate Bill 549, the “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act (DAIRY PRIDE Act) of 2023,” would prohibit non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae from using terms such as “milk,” “yogurt” or “cheese.” Earlier versions of the bill were introduced in 2017, 2019, and 2021, and the measure now runs counter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent draft guidance allowing nut, oat, soy, and other non-dairy products to be labeled as "milk.” The bill was introduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin, Jim Risch, Susan Collins, and Peter Welch (D-VT) and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Texas House Bill 2827 would amend the state’s Water Code to exempt factory farm operators from training on animal waste management but would require such operators to provide soil testing results at the request of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Environmental Regulation.

Arkansas Senate Bill 339 would prohibit localities from enacting ordinances that ban or limit the use of animals for agriculture, entertainment, hunting, transportation, or other animal enterprises. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development which returned the bill on March 14, 2023, with a “do pass” recommendation.

Missouri Senate Bill 666 would create the criminal offense of “interference with the transportation of livestock,” punishable as a felony. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Texas Senate Bill 1421 would prohibit nuisance actions against agricultural operations that have been in operation for at least a year. The bill also would eliminate an existing provision that requires new dates of operation for each expansion to an existing agricultural operation, so all dates of operation would revert to the original facility beginning date regardless of the number or size of subsequent expansions. The bill also would limit the ability of incorporated cities to pass ordinances regulating agricultural facilities. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Iowa House File 572 would criminalize the use of drones and “remotely piloted aircraft” over feedlots or other properties “used to maintain agricultural animals” and would provide enhanced criminal penalties for use of drones equipped with cameras or other surveillance equipment. The bill has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

Minnesota House File 2420 would establish a pilot program for plant-based food research and development and a scholarship program to assist in meeting the workforce demand for the plant-based food industry in Minnesota. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy.

New York Assembly Bill 5109 would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human or animal consumption and would prohibit the export or sale of horses for slaughter for human or animal consumption. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

New York Assembly Bill 5192 would establish the felony crime of “causing the death of an animal,” during commission of another crime. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

Maine Legislative Document 1084 would require public schools to offer a course in firearm and hunting safety no later than ninth grade and would condition secondary school graduation upon successful completion of the course. The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

The City of Indianapolis, Indiana enacted an ordinance banning the retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits. The ordinance may be short-lived if the state enacts pending legislation that would prohibit incorporated localities from restricting retail pet sales.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed consent decree that would settle litigation alleging the agency failed to perform duties mandated by the Clean Water Act to revise the effluent limitations guidelines and promulgate pretreatment standards for the Meat and Poultry Products industrial category. EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed consent decree through March 31, 2023.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced withdrawal of a proposed rule to amend refuge-specific regulations for Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that would have allowed the killing of brown bears at bait stations and trapping without a federal permit.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $43 million in meat and poultry processing research, innovation, and expansion. This investment is funded through the American Rescue Plan and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

House Resolution 598, the “Earth Act to Stop Climate Pollution by 2030,” would require several changes by the animal agriculture industry to mitigate climate change and improve animal welfare. The bill would require regenerative agriculture by 2030, and prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in animal agriculture for non-therapeutic purposes. It also would prohibit “forms of physical mutilation including debeaking, beak or bill trimming, declawing, pinioning, wattle trimming, desnooding, detoeing, nose rings, and tusk removal” and would ensure that animals used for agricultural purposes live in “a condition that allows the animal to socialize naturally, to engage in natural behaviors, to have freedom of movement, and to be reared with a mother and weaned at a natural time[.]” The bill also would allow public access to livestream videos of noncompliant facilities. The bill was introduced by Representative Adriano Espaillat and has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

House Resolution 1245 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a final rule relating to removing the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife. It was introduced by Representative Harriet Hageman. Representative Matt Rosendale introduced a similar bill, House Resolution 1364, which additionally would require removal of Endangered Species Act protections for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem population of grizzly bears. Both bills have been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. The text of both bills is not yet publicly available.

Senate Bill 555, the Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act, would improve the effectiveness and timeliness of multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to assist producers of livestock, honey bees, and farmed fish during adverse weather events. The legislation also would provide USDA with direction to help improve the accuracy of the U.S. Drought Monitor, which triggers certain disaster programs. The bill was introduced by Senators John Thune and Ben Ray Luján, and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Senate Bill 549, the “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act (DAIRY PRIDE Act) of 2023,” would prohibit non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae from using terms such as “milk,” “yogurt” or “cheese.” Earlier versions of the bill were introduced in 2017, 2019, and 2021, and the measure now runs counter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent draft guidance allowing nut, oat, soy, and other non-dairy products to be labeled as "milk.” The bill was introduced by Senators Tammy Baldwin, Jim Risch, Susan Collins, and Peter Welch (D-VT) and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

House Resolution 1335 would streamline approval for onshore and offshore oil and gas drilling projects. This would be accomplished by measure that include requiring the Secretary of the Interior to authorize oil and gas activities on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf within thirty days of receipt of a complete application and to deem any such applications compliant with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The bill was introduced by Representative Bruce Westerman and has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

House Resolution 1383 would amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act by requiring the Secretary of Commerce to establish a climate impact management plan for the conservation of certain marine mammal species. The bill was introduced by Representative Julia Brownley and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill text is not yet publicly available.

House Resolution 1437 would authorize livestock producers to take black vultures without a Migratory Bird Depredation Permit if they believe the vultures will cause injury or death to livestock. The bill was introduced by Representatives John Rose and Darren Soto and has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill text is not yet publicly available.

Senate Bill 707 would amend the federal Animal Welfare Act to allow for the retirement of certain animals used in experiments. The bill was introduced by Senator Susan Collins and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The bill text is not yet publicly available.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 164, which revises laws and penalties associated with companion animal cruelty and prohibits shelters from using gas chambers to kill animals. The bill becomes effective on April 3, 2023.

Iowa House File 434 would establish professional standards for certified veterinary technicians. The bill has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

Key terms: veterinary practice

Texas House Bill 2827 would amend the state’s Water Code to exempt factory farm operators from training on animal waste management but would require such operators to provide soil testing results at the request of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Environmental Regulation.

Arkansas Senate Bill 339 would prohibit localities from enacting ordinances that ban or limit the use of animals for agriculture, entertainment, hunting, transportation, or other animal enterprises. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development which returned the bill on March 14, 2023, with a “do pass” recommendation.

Missouri Senate Bill 666 would create the criminal offense of “interference with the transportation of livestock,” punishable as a felony. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

New Jersey Assembly Bill 5237, the “Kangaroo Protection Act of 2022,” would prohibit the sale or barter or offering for sale or barter of dead kangaroos or any products made from kangaroos. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Food Security.

Connecticut Senate Bill 1148 would authorize the killing of bears who damage crops or cause certain types of harm, establish an annual bear hunt season in Litchfield County, and prohibit the intentional and unintentional feeding of bobcats, coyotes, foxes, and bears. The bill has been referred to the Joint Environment Committee.

Florida Senate Bill 1298 and its companion, House Bill 1229, would direct the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) to protect certain imperiled species regardless of their federal listing status and would prohibit FWCC from considering certain costs when designating a species as either threatened or endangered. Senate Bill 1298 has been referred to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee and House Bill 1229 has been referred to the House Infrastructure Strategies Committee.

Key terms: aquatic animals, exotic animals, wildlife

South Carolina Assembly Bill 4047 would prohibit the state’s Department of Natural Resources from releasing records that contain site-specific information about the location of federal- or state-listed imperiled species. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environmental Affairs.

Vermont House Bill 410 would require proof of rabies vaccination for ownership of dogs or wolf-dog hybrids. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry.

Wisconsin Assembly Bill 75 would amend the definition of animal cruelty to exempt injuries sustained by dogs during hunting or certain training practices. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on the Judiciary.

Iowa Senate File 476 would prohibit localities from enacting or enforcing legislation that discriminates against dog ownership based on breed. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on State Government, which approved the bill on March 1, 2023.

Rhode Island House Bill 5864 would prohibit captive hunting. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Rhode Island House Bill 5919 would include animal cruelty or abandonment of animals in the definition of domestic violence. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Rhode Island House Bill 5879 would prohibit the sales of cosmetics that have been developed or manufactured using animal testing. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services.

Texas Senate Bill 1421 would prohibit nuisance actions against agricultural operations that have been in operation for at least a year. The bill also would eliminate an existing provision that requires new dates of operation for each expansion to an existing agricultural operation, so all dates of operation would revert to the original facility beginning date regardless of the number or size of subsequent expansions. The bill also would limit the ability of incorporated cities to pass ordinances regulating agricultural facilities. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Florida Senate Bill 1492 would require dog breeders to be licensed and inspected by the state and would empower the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish regulations for better oversight of dog breeders. The bill has been referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Florida Senate Bill 1494 would require dog breeders to pay annual registration fees. The bill has been referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Iowa House File 580 would establish a “dairy innovation fund” to provide financial support to Iowa-based dairy businesses for purposes of improving or expanding. The bill has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Iowa House File 572 would criminalize the use of drones and “remotely piloted aircraft” over feedlots or other properties “used to maintain agricultural animals” and would provide enhanced criminal penalties for use of drones equipped with cameras or other surveillance equipment. The bill has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee.

Minnesota House File 2420 would establish a pilot program for plant-based food research and development and a scholarship program to assist in meeting the workforce demand for the plant-based food industry in Minnesota. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy.

New York Senate Bill 5325 would remove the existing two-year maximum prison sentence for aggravated cruelty to animals. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

New York Assembly Bill 5109 would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human or animal consumption and would prohibit the export or sale of horses for slaughter for human or animal consumption. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

New York Senate Bill 5432 would require veterinarians to disclose companion animal causes of death to the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Higher Education.

New York Assembly Bill 5184 and Assembly Bill 5177 would expand the definition of aggravated cruelty to animals and a companion bill, Assembly Bill 5179, would broaden the application of aggravated cruelty beyond companion animals. The bills have been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

Key terms: companion animals, criminal law

New York Assembly Bill 5168 and Assembly Bill 5170 would amend state oversight of owner surrender and shelter hold periods prior to offering animals for adoption. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

New York Assembly Bill 5192 would establish the felony crime of “causing the death of an animal,” during commission of another crime. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

New York Assembly Bill 5160 would amend the cruelty code to provide enhanced penalties for repeat animal cruelty offenders. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

New York Senate Bill 5435 would amend the penal code by criminalizing the misrepresentation of a companion animal as a service animal for “personal benefit,” which includes “obtaining any rights or privileges afforded to a person with a disability requiring the assistance of a service animal.” The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Codes.

Texas House Bill 3482 would restrict private ownership of venomous snakes and limit the circumstances under which certificates of registration may be issued for ownership of dangerous wild animals. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Florida House Bill 1587 would authorize the use of lethal force to take bears to protect oneself or one’s property. The bill has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Iowa House File 651 would clarify the circumstances under which law enforcement officers and civilians may legally kill dogs. The bill additionally would prohibit counties and municipalities from discriminating against dog ownership based on breed and similarly prevent insurance companies from discriminating based on breed for homeowner’s or renter’s policies. The bill has been assigned to the House Committee on State Government.

Maine Legislative Document 1068 would criminalize the hunting of animals in enclosed areas. The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry.

Michigan Senate Bill 148 would impose certain reporting requirements on facilities that perform animal experiments and allow assessment of administrative fines for certain violations. The bill has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee.

North Carolina Senate Bill 207 would establish the bottlenose dolphin as the State Marine Mammal. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations.

Texas House Bill 3854 would make it a crime for certain animal cruelty offenders to be in possession of an animal. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Nevada Senate Bill 229 would exempt certain individuals who perform dental services on equine animals and livestock from veterinary practice regulations. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor.

Pennsylvania House Bill 222 would amend the definition of cruelty to animals by including ear-cropping by anyone other than a licensed veterinarian. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Texas House Bill 4197, the “Research Animal Retirement Act,” would set requirements for the retirement and rehoming of animals formerly used in experiments. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Texas House Bill 4164 would impose civil penalties for the misrepresentation of an animal as a service animal. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Maine Legislative Document 1084 would require public schools to offer a course in firearm and hunting safety no later than ninth grade and would condition secondary school graduation upon successful completion of the course. The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

Texas Senate Bill 2036 would exempt from public disclosure records held by the Texas Animal Health Commission that relate to biosecurity data or plans, food supply, or emergency preparedness. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

The City of Indianapolis, Indiana enacted an ordinance banning the retail sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits. The ordinance may be short-lived if the state enacts pending legislation that would prohibit incorporated localities from restricting retail pet sales.

The New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, Spur Lake Cattle Co., Nelson Shirley, individually, Allen Campbell, individually, and the Humane Farming Association filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), challenging the agency’s approval of the “mass slaughter of as many as 150 ‘unauthorized’ cattle in Gila National Forest.” Plaintiffs allege that the Forest Service has approved a project that would authorize APHIS to shoot cattle with high-powered rifles from a helicopter and leave their carcasses throughout New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness. Plaintiffs allege that the Forest Service has no legal authority to carry out the slaughter and are seeking declaratory judgment and injunctive relief.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida approved a $33 million price-fixing settlement between a proposed class of indirect salmon purchasers and Norwegian salmon-farming companies, ending an ongoing dispute between the parties over alleged coordinated price hikes by the commercial salmon farms. The settlement covers roughly 400,000 businesses that bought salmon for resale from April 10, 2013, to the date of approval on Monday.

A group of consumers has filed a class-action consumer protection complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California asserting that a certification logo from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) that Bumble Bee Foods, LLC features on its product labels misleads consumers into believing that the company’s fish-harvesting practices are sustainable. Plaintiffs allege that MSC-certified fisheries are allowed to harm dolphins, sea turtles, and whales caught in nets and exploit the labor of migrant workers on fishing boats. The complaint further claims that Bumble Bee’s practices are not sustainable because the company uses purse seiners, gillnets, and longlines to catch fish, and “no reasonable consumer would deem these fishing practices sustainable.”

A group of Massachusetts-based lobster fishers filed a class action lawsuit against the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The suit alleges there is “minimal evidence” to support Monterey Bay Aquarium’s statements that lobster fishing in the Gulf of Maine is unsustainable due to its harm to endangered North Atlantic right whales. Those statements prompted MSC to drop the American Lobster from its list of sustainable foods, citing the danger to right whales, which in turn triggered Whole Foods, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron to eliminate Gulf of Maine lobsters from their retail offerings. Plaintiffs are seeking class certification and monetary damages.

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, alleging the agency violated the Endangered Species Act by delaying a listing decision to protect Utah’s least chub and Nevada’s Fish Lake Valley tui chub. The lawsuit also challenges the agency’s failure to issue final rules to protect three species of imperiled turtles and two species of rare crayfish. CBD is seeking declaratory judgment and injunctive relief.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced it is reopening the public comment period on the proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta distinct population segment of longfin smelt. FWS will accept comments through March 29, 2023, and held a public hearing on March 14, 2023, via Zoom.

The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced a proposed rule under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act that would establish regulations for hunting and trapping seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means related to taking of wildlife for subsistence uses during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 regulatory years. The agencies will accept public comments through April 4, 2023, and will hold a series of public hearings between September 19 and November 1, 2023.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received a request from the City of Santa Cruz for Marine Mammal Protection Act authorization to take marine mammals incidental to two years of construction activities associated with the Murray St. Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project in Santa Cruz, California. NMFS will accept public comments through March 29, 2023.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed consent decree that would settle litigation alleging the agency failed to perform duties mandated by the Clean Water Act to revise the effluent limitations guidelines and promulgate pretreatment standards for the Meat and Poultry Products industrial category. EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed consent decree through March 31, 2023.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a final rule that protects a population of frecklebelly madtom in the Upper Coosa River of Georgia and Tennessee as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The agency also proposed to designate 134 miles of the Etowah and Conasauga rivers as protected critical habitat for the imperiled catfish, but the proposal still would allow logging to continue. The rule becomes effective on April 3, 2023.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced bovine tuberculosis classifications for eight Mexican regions. The changes in recognized disease status are effective March 3, 2023.

The Western Watersheds Project, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, and Defenders of Wildlife submitted a petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requesting protection of pygmy rabbits under the Endangered Species Act. The petition states that the rabbits depend on the sagebrush steppe ecosystems of the Sagebrush Sea for their survival and are at risk of extinction because of habitat loss and disease.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is initiating a five-year review under the Endangered Species Act for the Virginia big-eared bat. FWS will accept public comments on the review through April 5, 2023.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the comment period for its advance notice of proposed rulemaking on its plan to strengthen regulations regarding the handling of wild and exotic animals for exhibition, as well as the training of personnel involved in the handling of wild and exotic animals, and to establish standards addressing environmental enrichment for all regulated animals. The USDA will accept public comments through April 10, 2023.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced withdrawal of a proposed rule to amend refuge-specific regulations for Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that would have allowed the killing of brown bears at bait stations and trapping without a federal permit.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listed the round hickorynut and longsolid freshwater mussels as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The agency also set aside 2,136 river miles of critical habitat for the imperiled mollusks from Pennsylvania to Mississippi. The rule becomes effective April 10, 2023.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $43 million in meat and poultry processing research, innovation, and expansion. This investment is funded through the American Rescue Plan and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced that it issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to Shell Offshore Inc. for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico. The LOA is effective from March 7, 2023, through March 31, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a proposal to amend regulations defining the conditions under which the labeling of meat, poultry, and egg products, as well as voluntarily-inspected products, may bear voluntary label claims indicating that the product is of United States origin. Under the proposed rule, two specific voluntary U.S.-origin label claims, “Made in the USA” and “Product of USA,” would be generically approved for use on FSIS-regulated products derived from animals “born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.” Under current regulations, meat, poultry, and egg products from animals born, raised, and slaughtered in countries such as Brazil still can carry US country of origin labels if they merely are processed and packaged in the United States. It is unclear if this new rule also would prevent US-produced cultivated meat and poultry products from using “Made in the USA” and “Product of USA” labels in the future given that those meat products may not involve the birth or slaughter of an animal. FSIS is accepting public comments through May 12, 2023.

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the Secretary of the Environment and Forest Department to ensure that there are no more acquisitions of elephants by private individuals or temples in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state in India. The court also ordered inspections of all privately-owned and temple-owned elephants.

After almost two decades of discussion, United Nations member countries finalized a multilateral treaty to ensure conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in international waters. The “High Seas Treaty” will provide a legal framework that will put more money into marine conservation and the use of marine genetic resources to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

The Australian government announced the first step towards phasing out the live export trade, forming a panel of experts who will help determine how and when to end the trade. The phase-out is expected to take at least five years.

Italy is considering legislation that would ban plant-based foods from using terms like “burger,” “bacon,” and “sausage.” France became the first country in the European Union to impose such a ban when its plant-based labeling law became effective in October 2022. 

Nike and Puma both announced they no longer will use kangaroo skins to make soccer cleats or any other products. The announcements follow introduction of US federal legislation and multiple state bills that would prohibit the import or sales of kangaroo-based products.

©