An initiative to prevent farm animals from being confined in spaces so small that they can't lie down, stand up or turn around has qualified for the November ballot.
The Humane Society of the United States funded the signature-gathering effort for the measure, donating more than $1.4 million to the campaign.
"Many animals on industrial farms are confined in small cages or crates, and suffer tremendously," the Humane Society argues on its Web site.
The animal-rights group is sponsoring ballot measures this year in at least three other states: Alaska, North Dakota and Massachusetts.
The California measure is expected to garner opposition from agricultural interests, which have already raised more than $600,000 to defeat the measure and hired the Woodward & McDowell campaign office to run the Californians for Sound Animal Agriculture effort.
The single largest donor against the measure so far is United Egg Producers, which gave $175,000 to beat the measure last month.
When the Humane Society announced turning in the signatures for the measure in late February, the opposition campaign released a statement warning the measure "would trigger unintended consequences which are likely to include increased farm costs, decreased in-state production and higher egg prices for California families."
The attorney general's office title and summary for the measure is below:
Treatment of Farm Animals. Statute.
Requires that an enclosure or tether confining specified farm animals allow the animals for the majority of every day to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up, and turn around. Specified animals include calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens, and pregnant pigs. Exceptions made for transportation, rodeos, fairs, 4-H programs, lawful slaughter, research and veterinary purposes. Provides misdemeanor penalties, including a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment in jail for up to 180 days. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Probably minor local and state enforcement and prosecution costs, partly offset by increased fine revenue. (Initiative 07-0041.)
You can read the three-page initiative here.
The measure is the second to qualify for the November ballot. The first, a bond to begin funding high-speed rail in California, has twice been delayed from the ballot by lawmakers.
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