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Over the last few years, gruesome undercover videos taken in factory farms have proven powerful contributors to food recalls, public outrage and subsequent changes in the public and private sector. This includes McDonald’s pledge last month to stop using producers who cage sows in gestation crates.

But those videos may also have contributed to a raft of so called “ag-gag” bills that have popped up around the nation again criminalizing unauthorized entrance and photography in industrial livestock operations.

Efforts to stop the bills has been fairly successful in the past, which may be why so many were caught off guard by the swift passage of House File 589, through the Iowa legislature this week. The bill is now on Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s desk waiting for a signature.

But activists have moved quickly, too. Thursday, Chicago-based Mercy For Animals, which has carried out a number of such undercover investigations, organized a protest at the State House in Des Moines where dozens of gagged and blindfolded protesters stood with signs depicting caged livestock.

Governor Branstad’s office told the Tribune it is still “reviewing the bill but was encouraged by the broad bi-partisan support it received in both the House and Senate.”

Animal rights and sustainable ag advocates are anxiously awaiting Brandstad’s decision as similar bills are pending in eight states, including Illinois.

“This flawed and misdirected legislation could set a dangerous precedent nationwide by throwing shut the doors to industrial factory farms and allowing animal abuse, environmental violations, and food contamination issues to flourish undetected, unchallenged, and unaddressed,” said Nathan Runkle, Mercy For Animal’s executive director. “This bill is bad for consumers, who want more, not less, transparency in production of their food.”

But the bill’s supporters in Iowa say it’s about preventing entrance to a business on false pretenses.

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“It’s about misrepresentation of character,” said Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President and livestock farmer Craig Hill in a statement. “In a post 9/11 world, transparency is important for farmers and consumers alike. Responsible farmers take good care of their land and livestock and want to employ honest, hardworking people that have the welfare of their livestock as their top priority.”

But Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames told the the Brownfield Ag News that the bill would put a taint on all meat from Iowa.

“Passing the bill would put a big red question mark stamped on every pork chop, every chicken wing, every steak, every egg produced in this state,” he said, “because it will raise the question of ‘what have you got to hide.'”

In Illinois the bill is called the Animal Facility Bill (HB5143) and it was proposed by Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pecatonica). The legislation would make it a felony to go undercover in a livestock facility and to create or possess a visual or sound recording of occurrences at the facility without the consent of the owner. Violators would be subject to penalties, damages, court costs, and attorneys fees.

The recent spate of such bills, according to Runkle, “is a testament to just how effective undercover investigation have been to spur change.” Both MFA and the Humane Society of the U.S. have taken videos showing sick and abused animals during such investigations and they fear that the bills are meant to put an end to such to such exposure.

“The intent of this bill is simple: shield animal agribusiness from public scrutiny by punishing whistleblowers and protecting animal abusers,” Pacelle wrote in an letter to Gov. Branstad, urging him to veto the bill. “By signing this bill into law, animal agribusiness will have unbridled and unchecked power over worker safety, public health and animal welfare.”

Rep. Sacia could not be reached for comment on Thursday or Friday but his Illinois Animal Facility Bill will be heard by the Civil Law Committee in Springfield on Wednesday, at which time the public can also offer comment, pro or con. Those who can’t make the hearing but want their support or opposition noted during the meeting can submit it online using the new General Assembly “Witness Slip” program.

Submissions will not be taken until Monday March 5, but can be submitted at that time here.