
Demanding the USDA Regulate the Mass Disposal of Farmed Animals During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Petition to the USDA submitted in June 2020
The Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ban the mass burial and on-site incineration of animals on factory farms during the COVID-19 pandemic
Status
Next Step
Pushing USDA to Regulate Mass Killing
In response to slaughterhouses reducing production during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, factory farms across the United States are killing and discarding the bodies of millions of farmed animals with reckless disregard for their welfare or the environment.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition of environmental justice and public health groups in filing a legal petition calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ban the dangerous on-site incineration and mass burial of these animals. The petition also calls for the creation of a public, online database that tracks federal funding for the disposal of animals, as well as disposal locations, and empowers people living in surrounding communities to protect themselves from the ensuing pollution.
Burning and burying so many animals at once creates significant air and water pollution. The mass burial of animals in unlined pits has been known to leach dangerous pollutants, including nitrates, ammonia, and chloride, as well as disease-causing agents and antibiotics, into the soil and nearby waterways. The impact of water contamination is particularly acute for rural communities that tend to rely on groundwater for their drinking water. Burning animals’ bodies releases air pollution, as well as potentially contaminated ash, and worsens water quality through downstream effects.
The USDA has acknowledged that unlined burial and incineration are among the most dangerous disposal methods for both public health and the environment. It is critical that the USDA immediately institute commonsense regulations to protect at-risk communities and our air and water.
Sign Up!
Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund's email list to stay up to date on lawsuits, legislation, and regulations affecting animals.
Recent News
-
Lawsuit Filed Against FDA Over Drug Approval of Experior
The drug is a beta-agonist — the same class as ractopamine and other drugs known to cause significant health effects in pigs.June 4, 2020 Press Release -
New White Paper Offers Policy Recommendations to Combat Zoonotic Diseases and Pandemic Risk from Factory Farming
The Animal Legal Defense Fund released the second in a series of white papers — COVID-19 and Factory Farming —providing policy recommendations to address industrial animal agriculture’s role in our heightened risk for zoonotic diseases outbreaks, like COVID-19, and its potential to be the source of the next global pandemic.November 19, 2020 Press Release -
Tell Craigslist to Shut Down Animal Sales
Though Craigslist has officially banned the sale of animals, animals are routinely sold on its platform. Farmed animals including pigs to dogs and cats to lizards and snakes continue to be advertised and purchased on Craigslist under the guise of “re-homing.”
Related Cases
-
Challenging FDA Approval of Experior
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Food and Drug Administration
-
Challenging the Cruel Treatment of Cows and Calves at Dick Van Dam Dairy
Caru SPCA v. Dick Van Dam Dairy
-
Challenging CEQ’s CAFO Exemptions Under NEPA
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement v. Council on Environmental Quality
Looking for case and legal resources? View Resources
See More