Keeping chickens in battery cages and pigs in sow stalls will attract fines under an Australia-first ban on factory farming to be introduced by the ACT Assembly today. In 2007 a bill introduced by ACT Greens MLA, Dr Deb Foskey, to ban the production of battery hen eggs failed to attract the support of the ACT Government. (Dr Foskey sought and received the advice of the Panel on whether her bill would be a valid law if enacted: for lawyers, the memorandum of advice from Panel counsel is posted as an attachment to our Intensive Livestock Production page under ‘Current Issues’.) In September 2007 the ACT Government instead announced industry assistance of some $1 million to Pace Farms as the only major producer to convert from battery hen egg production to a barn laid method. Read more here: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/assembly-poised-to-ban-inhumane-farm-practices-on-animals-20130918-2u003.html