The town’s Animal Action Committee has unanimously endorsed a state bill (House 441) (Livestock Care and Standards Bill) that would create a Livestock Care and Standards Board. The matter was headed for this week’s Board of Selectmen meeting with the committee’s recommendation.

Supporters, among them the Massachusetts Association of Agricultural Commissions, say the measure would provide additional layers of protection for farm animals.

But opponents, including some animal rights groups, say it was actually created to accomplish the opposite.

“The board is designed to give the illusion that the welfare of farm animals is being seriously considered, while blocking protections and maintaining the status quo,” stated a coalition of animal welfare groups. “Livestock board proposals have been rejected by state legislatures across the country and repeatedly by Massachusetts lawmakers.

Rules impacting farm animal care would need to pass the committee by a two-thirds majority but “Only two of the thirteen seats have been allotted to animal welfare organizations while the majority was reserved for those likely to have direct or indirect financial ties to agribusiness.”

The groups go on to say that the committee has been proposed in reaction to the approval, by wide margin statewide, of Question 3 that banned use of cages so small that animals cannot turn around.

At the Animal Action Committee’s last meeting on May 8, resident Constance Gee questioned the endorsement, saying, “I’m afraid it is the fox getting into the hen house” and takes “an end run around what was passed last year … Is this truly something you want to recommend.”

“That Question 3 was the fox getting into the hen house,” countered committee member Jay Tripp. “That is HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) getting into the hen house. Massachusetts doesn’t have gestation crates, doesn’t have veal crates.”

Committee Chairwoman Shana Shufelt said that legislation typically evolves as it moves to passage and added that state Rep. Paul Schmid supports the measure.

Bill H 441 would add sections to state law including:

“The Commissioner shall establish a Livestock Care and Standards Board consisting of 13 members, of which the Commissioner, or his designee, shall be a member and chair. Additional members shall include: a representative of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medicine Association, appointed by the Board of Directors of that organization, who is experienced in the care and keeping of livestock; a large animal veterinarian, appointed by the Governor, who is experienced in the care and keeping of livestock,; a representative of the Department of Public Health, assigned by the Commissioner of Public Health, who is knowledgeable in the areas of zoonotic disease and food safety; a representative of a Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; a representative of the Animal Rescue League of Boston; a representative of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation; a representative of the Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association; representative of a family farm involved in the raising of poultry, appointed by the Commissioner; two representatives of a family farms involved in the rearing of cows, swine, goats, sheep and/or horses, appointed by the Commissioner; a representative of one of the Buy Local organizations, or equivalent organizations identified by the Commissioner, provided that terms shall rotate between different Buy Local groups; and a representative of the Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, as appointed by the Dean.”

Training for inspectors

In other action at that meeting, the Animal Action Committee discussed whether to pursue legislation on several fronts.

While there has been discussion of creating a Westport farm site registry listing local farms and the animals they keep, Ms. Shufelt asked whether the town should also ask the state to provide such information that it already has.

There was also discussion about obtaining better training for animal inspectors — “It doesn’t appear that inspectors have to show that they know anything about it,” a member said.

Animal Control Officer Donna Lambert said the town now has three new assistant animal inspectors who need some sort of training here — rather than wait for the state to act.