What Lawmakers Did for Farm Animals in 2025

In March, we told you about a concerning trend of lawmakers rolling back laws that establish basic animal welfare standards, environmental policies and more.

Many states’ legislative sessions have ended for the year.* Here are some of the major developments you don’t want to miss:

1. Confinement Bans Took Effect in Colorado and Michigan

Laws banning the use of battery cages and the sale of eggs from hens confined in battery cages went into effect in Colorado and Michigan, benefiting over 12 million birds [PDF] annually. Similar bills were introduced this year in Maryland, New York, Tennessee and Vermont [PDF] — the momentum is building!

2. States Suspended or Delayed Confinement Bans, Blaming Avian Flu

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs issued an executive order delaying implementation of its cage-free egg law from early 2025 to 2034, citing egg shortages caused by the bird flu outbreak. Some lawmakers still wanted to use the bird flu crisis to eliminate Arizona’s confinement ban and passed Senate Bill 1721 [PDF], completely eliminating the state’s law. Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill, preserving the confinement ban and affirming that it will be implemented in 2034.

The Nevada Legislature passed a law allowing for the temporary suspension of its cage-free sales ban, reversing animal welfare requirements during “times of emergency” like the current bird flu epidemic.

Fortunately, similar “repeal” bills in Colorado [PDF] and Michigan [PDF] failed to gain any traction.

3. Wisconsin Tried Boosting Higher-Welfare Pasture-Based Farms

Wisconsin lawmakers attempted to create a grant program providing up to $40,000 to farmers to implement grazing practices that benefit soil health, animal welfare and water quality. The bipartisan bill was making progress at the committee level but did not pass this year.

A bill supporting higher-welfare and pasture-based farmers was introduced in Oregon, sowing the seeds for a more humane and sustainable farming system.

4. Industrial Ag Pivoted

With the Farm Bill still stalled in Congress, industrial agribusinesses turned to states where they have historically been successful in capturing power and building policies that benefit the factory farm system.

This routinely takes the form of ag-gag and right-to-farm legislation, which reduce accountability for factory farms both in the public eye and with their neighbors. This session, lawmakers in South Dakota and North Dakota [PDF] passed ag-ag bills, and right-to-farm legislation passed in Vermont [PDF].

Lawmakers in Michigan introduced a bill to eliminate local control of animal agriculture, while various bills introduced in Missouri, Nebraska and New Mexico attempted to limit transparency and access to information about factory farms. We’re happy to report that these bills did not pass this year.

5. States and Animal Advocates Continue Pushing for More Humane Farming System

Numerous good bills were introduced this year, from incentivizing more humane food in public institutions in Illinois and New York, to increasing local control over the location and zoning [PDF] of factory farms, and bills that would require meat processing plants to better protect farm animals and farm workers [PDF].

What You Can Do

You can help advance bills that protect farm animals and fight bills that don’t. Please join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to receive urgent alerts and breaking news that impacts animals in your community and beyond.

*Several states’ legislatures meet year-round. To see if there are current issues pending in your state, visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center.