The Hoosier Environmental Council  announces its third of four monthly, statewide online legislative seminars at 12 p.m. EST Friday, March 29.

The hour-long webinar will focus on highly controversial legislation that would significantly limit the ability to hold polluting industrial livestock operations accountable. The webinar will feature HEC senior policy staff.

HEC will discuss the most up-to-date information regarding Senate Joint Resolution 7, known as the Right to Hunt, Fish and Farm. This proposed constitutional amendment would protect the right to hunt and fish in the state constitution. But what’s more concerning is that this proposed amendment also provides unprecedented protection to a specific industry – commercial meat producers.

If the resolution passes this year, it will head to the public for a statewide vote, where it will become very difficult to ensure all voters are making an informed choice about the risks of approving the resolution.

Most concerning is that this constitutional amendment would make it difficult – if not impossible – for state legislators, regulators, and local elected officials to ensure that there are appropriate safety, environmental and labor safeguards at these large-scale hog, dairy and chicken operations.

“Enshrining a right to commercially produce meat, dairy and poultry products in our state constitution will have broad reaching impacts on our food supply, environment and quality of life for many Hoosiers,” said Kim Ferraro, director of water and agriculture policy for the Hoosier Environmental Council. “By participating in our upcoming webinar, attendees will understand these impacts and the steps they must take to make a difference on this critical issue.”

The HEC will also update webinar participants on the latest details about Senate Bill 373, the so-called Ag Gag bill, which would criminalize the on-site documentation of industrial livestock operation abuses in situations where the documentation is given to the media.

HEC’s webinar series is designed to help citizens, policymakers, organizational partners and the media be better informed on environmental public policy. The webinars feature senior policy staff and lawmakers working on efforts to clean our air, land, and water. The webinars are free and open to everyone. Participants only need to register to participate.

Register free HERE.