There is no shortage of controversy and strong opinions over living space for livestock destined for food.

“In the last decade, several states -- Arizona, Florida, Oregon and Colorado -- have adopted statutes regulating the amount of living space required for the raising of certain kinds of farm animals,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center. “Ballot issues such as California’s Proposition 2 show that this is a constantly changing matrix that affects not only livestock producers, but also touches the legal, regulatory and education sectors to name a few.”

California’s Proposition 2 was a ballot initiative approved by voters in 2008. The statute, aimed at ensuring farm animals are not confined to spaces in which they cannot turn, stand or lie down freely, goes into effect in 2015.

The webinar will be presented by Elizabeth Rumley, a staff attorney at the center, where her primary focus is on animal agriculture. She also serves on the advisory board for the Center for Food Animal Well-Being at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

The National Agricultural Law Center, with support from the Banks Law Firm, PLLC, is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 10, that will focus on emerging legal and policy issues dealing with farm animal confinement. The webinar runs from 11 a.m. to noon (central time zone). The cost is $50 to attend.

The presentation focuses on the laws and regulations of farm animal confinement in the U.S., with special emphasis on the statutory evolution behind them.

The presentation has been approved for 60 minutes of continuing legal education credit in Arkansas, but will be useful to anyone with an interest in understanding the legal and regulatory environment of livestock living space.

Online registration here.

The National Agricultural Law Center will provide any needed materials for non-Arkansas attorneys wishing to obtain CLEs in their respective states.

The National Agricultural Law Center is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. For more information about the webinar, see here or contact Pittman at [email protected].