This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

Thousands of farmed animals are unfortunately at risk of dying as a result of adverse weather events, but Congress has a chance to change their fates by passing the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Farm Animals Act. Urge your congressional representative to pass this important bill to prevent needless suffering.

Every year in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of farmed animals are tragically killed in terrifying ways by extreme weather, ranging from hurricanes and droughts to deep freezes and fires. Meanwhile, millions are spent compensating farmers and ranchers for their financial losses through federal assistance programs like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Loan Program.

However, producers aren't required to show they've taken any steps to protect animals from injury or death in order to get compensation.

The Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Farm Animals Act (H.R. 243), which was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen, would change things by requiring producers seeking aid under LIP to file a disaster preparedness plan specific to their animals and potential weather events and show the USDA how it was implemented. Those seeking help from the Emergency Loan Program would also have to have disaster preparedness plans in place.

This common-sense legislation would help protect farmed animals by providing an incentive for producers to try to keep them safe and save taxpayers from footing the bill for deaths that could have been prevented.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Subject: Protect Farmed Animals From Natural Disasters

As someone who is concerned with the welfare of farmed animals, I’m writing to urge you to support the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Farm Animals Act (H.R. 243). 
 
Every year in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of farmed animals are tragically killed by extreme weather, ranging from hurricanes and fires to droughts and deep freezes, and all the while these adverse events are becoming both more frequent and severe. 
 
Meanwhile, millions are spent compensating farmers and ranchers for the losses through federal assistance programs like the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Indemnity Program and Emergency Loan Program. However, producers aren’t required to show they’ve taken any steps to protect animals from injury or death in order to get compensation. 
 
This bill would change things by requiring producers seeking aid under LIP to file a disaster preparedness plan specific to their animals and businesses and show the USDA how it was implemented. Those seeking help from the Emergency Loan Program would also have to have disaster preparedness plans in place. 
 
These are common-sense updates to existing law that will help protect farmed animals by providing an incentive to producers to keep them safe and save taxpayers from having to pay for losses that could potentially be prevented. 
 
I sincerely hope you will support this legislation to protect farmed animals from injuries and deaths due to adverse weather. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Signed

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.