Summary
This proposed bill from the Indian parliament would regulate factory farming in India. The act begins by outlining the scope of the law, which includes any operation run privately or by the state in the entirety of India. The bill goes on to define some key terms.The bill then outlines requirements and regulations for factory farms, such as: phasing out “harmful antibiotics,” transporting nonhuman animals in a particular way, and binding these operations to the requirements put forth in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The bill outlines legal responsibility, holding factory farms accountable for any action taken by or on behalf of the operation and requiring inspections of these operations whenever they seek to introduce new factory farming technologies. The Board is given the authority to cease production under certain circumstances, and facilities are to undergo an annual audit. Factory farms must also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure animal welfare, and uphold adequate conditions for workers, among other requirements.
The bill also outlines the creation of the Animal Factory Farming Regulatory Board of India, grants the prospective board certain regulatory powers, and sets requirements for the constitution of the board. The bill closes by setting punishments for violating the bill’s provisions at “50 lakh rupees” (this equates to roughly $60,000 USD as of May 2023) or two percent of the company’s global profits, whichever is higher. Failure to produce a report or properly correspond with the Board may carry a penalty of “20 lakh rupees” (this equates to roughly $24,000 USD as of May 2023).
This summary is prepared from an original text document provided by the Coller Animal Law Forum.