Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
Despite a recent poll showing that 74 percent of North Carolina voters oppose anti-whistleblower Ag Gag bills, the state House and Senate have each passed a measure that would criminalize whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing at factory farms.
Now the bill goes to Governor Pat McCrory, who we are urging to veto this legislation.
Two previous versions of this bill failed miserably. There’s a reason for that. Despite changes in the wording of the bill, its ultimate aim remains the same: to silence whistleblowers and hide the truth from the public.
Our client, North Carolina chicken farmer-turned-whistleblower Craig Watts, explains in The News & Observer why he opposes Ag Gag bills that intend to keep factory farms hidden from the public eye. “We need more transparency, not less, if we are going to fix this broken food system.” Hence why he bravely opened up his barn doors: “to show the public the conditions of an average poultry farm and how they were being misled into thinking the situation is better than it is.”
North Carolina native and actress Bellamy Young (best known for her role as First Lady in ABC’s drama series Scandal) calls the bill “an attempt to protect criminals.” In a passionate op-ed, she quotes animal expert Dr. Temple Grandin, who said: “Ag Gag bills are the stupidest thing that ag ever did.”
Tell Gov. McCrory that it shouldn’t be a crime to expose the truth. Reach out to him on Twitter and Facebook, and urge him to listen to his constituents by vetoing this harmful Ag Gag bill!
Sarah Damian is Communications Manager for the Food Integrity Campaign.
This is the first of several videos released as part of FIC’s “Ag Gag Undercover” series to raise awareness about the controversial anti-whistleblower bills introduced in various U.S. states.
Listen to the people and not your pocket book! We will not be kept in the darkReport
Stop this ignorant bill now. We need to know what big ag is doing to US!Report
No to Ag-gag! Protect whistleblowers! Let Truth Prevail!Report
Something happens to some politicians when they are elected, they feel gods of transformation. The love money and whoever tells them to do something, they do not care for what we, the people, want. As long as the request is followed by a fat check the would kill their own mothers and keep a blessed smile on their faces while doing it. They know that they have the power to do wrong and, at this point, the law is against the little people like ourselves, they will never have to face a court of law. That is the main problem we face. There is no equality in our law. And, to a point, we are guilty, because we let them do whatever they wanted for the last 50 years, since the KENNEDYS’ assassinations. We became docile lambs that follow and support the leader wolves with our tax dollars collected every month from our work salary. Same than with the abused children by priests, have you seen any priest or bishop condemned to a life sentence or to death for sexually abusing children? Not only one child but several by each priest. This is a political system that to function needs most of the people on the tip of their toes 24/7. Consider how many of the millions in population we have takes the time to read a petition. And sign it. Sorry, but it is only the truth.Report
Veto the ag gag bill. Exposing truth isn’t a crime, the crime is what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s THAT simple- sheeshReport
Why would anyone in their right minds want to gag people from speaking out against wrong doing . .especially in a supposedly land of the free . …This is a very backward step America . ..join the rest of the free nations in the world . .don’t allow this ridiculous piece of paper become lawReport
Please don’t hesitate to kick this idiocy out . .It has no place in the 21st centuryReport
Gov. McCrory,
I believe that it shouldn’t be a crime to expose the truth. I am urging you to please listen to your constituents by vetoing this harmful Ag Gag bill! Sometimes doing the right thing is the best way to go. Also why promote cruelty?Report
Wow!!!! We’ve just took 1,000 steps back into the dark ages if this passes!! We are all Gods creatures and beings the animals are sacrificing their lives for people to eat them….the least we can do is treat them humanely until their lives are done!!!. Personally I stopped eating meat years ago and I dont miss it one bit!!!Report
So this government wants and prefer animal cruelty.Report
The truth has to be exposed on farms!Report
No ag gag, everReport
Veto this bill. Don’t allow coverups and big money to win over human health and animal welfare! If there wasn’t anything to hide why does Big Ag want a bill? Listen to your people not money.Report
If this law is passed don’t expect anyone to buy food from North Carolina.Report
The truth should always be told and exposed.Report
This is why I’m a vegetarian. These large food corporations worship profits above all and have no consciousness toward the poor animals that have a miserable existence because of factory farming practices.
Big corporations and big Ag want to hide the evil, so they stoop to disparate means to hide the evidence. Reminds me of Nazi Germany’s practices. We must stop them!Report
Please veto this bill. Factory farm abuses are not only inhumane, but also harmful to people that eat the meet. These are not the principles this country was founded on.Report
Please Veto this Bill!
Transparency is very necessary in this inhumane industry :for the environment, for worker’s rights, for animal welfare and for food safety! Please do the right Governor Pat McCrory! Thank you!Report
Veto and listen to your constituents if you want to be reelected. We are the voice of the animalsReport
It is the right of consumers to know what is going on. Veto this bill.Report
The more companies try to hide what they are doing the more people distrust them and push back against them. The time to turn it around is now. We want to know what we are eating, drinking, breathing, wearing, getting in our vaccines, etc. Please veto this bill before angry consumers show these farms their backs.Report