Proposition 204 of 2006, or the Humane Treatment of Farm Animals Act, was a law enacted by the voters of
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
by means of the
initiative
In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a ...
process. It requires that pigs and calves used for veal on
factory farms be given enough room to turn around and fully extend their limbs. The Act was approved in a vote held as part of the
2006 Arizona state elections, held on November 7. It passed with over 62% support.
Provisions
The Act amended the
Arizona Revised Statutes by adding a new provision, Section 13-2910.07 of the Criminal Code. This states that:
:A. Notwithstanding any other provision of title 3
hich covers agricultureor title 13
he Criminal Code a person shall not tether or confine any pig during pregnancy or any calf raised for veal, on a farm, for all or the majority of any day, in a manner that prevents such animal from:
::1. Lying down and fully extending his or her limbs; or
::2.Turning around freely.
:B. This section shall not apply to:
::1. Pigs or calves during transportation.
::2. Pigs or calves in rodeo exhibitions, state or county fair exhibitions, or other similar exhibitions.
::3. The killing of pigs or calves according to the provisions of chapter 13, title 3 and other applicable law and regulations.
::4. Pigs or calves involved in lawful scientific or agricultural research.
::5. Pigs or calves while undergoing an examination, test, treatment or operation for veterinary purposes.
::6. A pig during the seven-day period prior to the pig's expected date of giving birth.
:C. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.
:D.
ome definitions of terms follow
Campaign
Proposition 204 was sponsored by Arizonans for Humane Farms, a coalition of
animal welfare organizations, including the Arizona Humane Society, the
Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animal-related cruelties of national scope. It uses strategies that are beyond the abilities of local organizations. ...
, the
Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is an American animal protection organization, founded in 1986 as an advocate for farmed animals. It was America's first shelter for farmed animals. It promotes laws and policies that support animal welfare, animal protection, a ...
, and the Animal Defense League of Arizona. It was opposed by the Campaign for Arizona Farmers and Ranchers with funding from agribusiness proponents such as the American Veal Association, the National Pork Producers Council, the AZ Cattle Feeders Association, AZ Pork Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, AZ Farm Bureau Federation, AZ Cattleman's Association, and the United Dairymen of Arizona.
The chairperson of the Yes on Proposition 204 campaign was Cheryl Naumann, president and CEO of the Arizona Humane Society. Another spokesperson was Maricopa County Sheriff
Joe Arpaio
Joseph Michael Arpaio (; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer and politician. He served as the 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone i ...
, and the campaign was also endorsed by the radio celebrity
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was an American radio broadcaster for ABC News Radio. He broadcast ''News and Comment'' on mornings and mid-days on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and also his famous '' The Rest ...
. More than 200,000 Arizonans signed petitions to place the measure on the ballot. More than 100 Arizona veterinarians endorsed Proposition 204. It was also endorsed by the ''
Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
'' the ''
Arizona Daily Star'', the ''
East Valley Tribune
The ''East Valley Tribune'' is a newspaper concentrated on cities within the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, including Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek.
Formerly a daily newspaper, the ''Tribune'' resulted from t ...
'' the ''
Scottsdale Tribune'', the ''Northwest Explorer'', and the ''
Tucson Weekly
The ''Tucson Weekly'' is an alternative newsweekly that was founded in 1984 by Douglas Biggers and Mark Goehring, and serves the Tucson, Arizona, metropolitan area of about 1,000,000 residents.
The paper is a member of the Association of Alte ...
''.
The opposition to Proposition 204 argued that the primary organizers of the initiative were anti-meat groups, and that a similar measure passed in 2002 in Florida had led to the bankruptcy of a farm in that state. However, the Florida Farm Bureau explicitly denied the claim that any farms went out of business as a result of the 2002 ballot measure in that state. In an article published the week after the 2002 election, a spokesman for the Bureau stated that "It's because of low prices, not the amendment". However, in an article the following month in the ''
St. Petersburg Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single ...
'', one of the two Florida hog farmers covered under Proposition 204 stated that he had slaughtered all of his sows because of the expense of complying with it.
''St. Petersburg Times''
/ref>
Notes
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External links
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20111101104523/http://www.azsos.gov/results/2006/general/BM204.htm Voters Pass Proposition 204 on Nov. 7, 2006
Official Campaign Web Site
Official Opposition Web Site
The Arizona Humane Society
The Humane Society of the United States
Farm Sanctuary
Animal Defense League of Arizona
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Animal welfare and rights legislation in the United States
2006 Arizona elections
2006 ballot measures
Arizona ballot measures
Initiatives in the United States
United States agricultural policy