"Ag-Gag" Laws: Evolution, Resurgence, and Public Health Implications. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ceryes, Caitlin A.; Heaney, Christopher D.
• Other Names: Sullivan John guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: New solutions. Volume 28:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 664
• Page End: 682
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: animal feeding operations -- worker health and safety -- agricultural worker health -- environmental justice -- industrial food animal production -- community-based participatory research; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Government policy -- United States -- Periodicals; Industrial hygiene -- Periodicals; Industrial hygiene -- Government policy -- United States -- Periodicals; 613.62
• DOI: 10.1177/1048291118808788
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1048-2911

Abstract

The term "ag-gag" refers to state laws that intentionally limit public access to information about agricultural production practices, particularly livestock production. Originally created in the 1990s, these laws have recently experienced a resurgence in state legislatures. We discuss the recent history of ag-gag laws in the United States and question whether such ag-gag laws create a "chilling effect" on reporting and investigation of occupational health, community health, and food safety concerns related to industrial food animal production. We conclude with a discussion of the role of environmental and occupational health professionals to encourage critical evaluation of how ag-gag laws might influence the health, safety, and interests of day-to-day agricultural laborers and the public living proximal to industrial food animal production.