Force the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reveal how animal cruelty penalties are calculated.

Six years ago, the USDA acknowledged it had created guidelines to calculate penalties for animal cruelty. This is an excellent step, but the Department has so far refused to provide information about these guidelines to members of the Senate and House, or through Freedom of Information requests.

In an effort to achieve transparency, Congressman Rod Blum has introduced H.R.3136, the Enforcement Transparency Act. This legislation would require the USDA to release its penalty calculation guidelines for Animal Welfare Act breaches. Although the Animal Welfare Act legalizes farmed animal suffering instead of protecting against it, we must demand transparency within animal agriculture when it comes to the cruel treatment of animals. We, the public, have a right to know how punishments are calculated and if they are consistent.

As we battle ag-gag laws to protect whistleblowers who expose animal cruelty, it is equally important that we take action to ensure that gross acts of animal cruelty are being punished consistently without room for corruption through secrecy and uncertainty.

Please contact your member of Congress today and urge him or her to cosponsor and support this important legislation.

Click here to take action.