Animal Agriculture State Policy Trends Report
By: Emma Newton, MS, MFALP
Director of Organizing, Food, Agriculture, & Rural Economies
During the 2024-2025 State Legislative Session, policymakers in all fifty states introduced nearly 500 bills related to animal agriculture. From proactive bills designed to address rural resource extraction by CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) to bills that would expand cage-free requirements for laying hens and support farmers in transitioning to regenerative practices, many state policymakers worked alongside advocates and rural communities to rein in corporate control and protect our natural resources and animal welfare. On the flip side, some states attempted to roll back cage-free requirements due to the avian influenza outbreak, while others attempted to expand tax exemptions for biodigesters.
Our latest resource, the 2024-2025 Animal Agriculture State Policy Trends Report, examines and analyzes these legislative trends related to animal agriculture across all 50 states. It aims to highlight where legislation is advancing, acknowledge regional patterns, and identify opportunities for organizers and policymakers to develop legislation that supports public and planetary health. The project was developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) in partnership with the Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) and State Innovation Exchange (SiX).
What this resource offers and how to use this report
This report provides a high-level overview of state-level policy trends related to animal agriculture from the 2024-2025 state legislative sessions. The analysis covers 15 key issue categories, including:
- Animal Welfare
- Antitrust and Competitive Practices
- Biogas and Digesters
- Bird Flu
- Community Resources
- General - Animal Agriculture
- General - Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO)
- Labor
- Meat Processing
- Moratoriums
- Non-CAFO Practices
- Permitting and Local Control
- Procurement
- Resource Use and Quality
- Right-to-Farm
Each section of this report identifies and summarizes key trends from the broader database and can be used in conjunction with it. The accompanying database is designed to be easily searchable and customizable, allowing users to filter and explore bills of interest based on attributes such as issue areas, bill status, appropriations content, and more.
About the methodology
The findings are based on a dataset of 495 state bills identified through POLITICO Pro Legislative Compass. Bills were reviewed, categorized, and analyzed to identify cross-cutting themes. While the dataset captures a broad range of relevant legislation, it does not represent the full universe of animal agriculture-related policy activity. In addition to policy trends, the project includes a targeted review of state appropriations to better understand how funding is being directed toward animal agriculture-related programs and initiatives.
What’s next
We welcome questions and feedback, as we prepare for future iterations of this trends report and database. Please reach out to emma@stateinnovation.org for questions or more information. To download the report and database, please fill out this form.
