Join poultry clubs,
Homesteaders,
4-H & FFA kids,
Preservation Breeders,
Animal Rights Activists,
Rooster Rescues,
Show Breeders,
4-H Leaders,
and those who dream of someday having a flock of their own…
TO SAVE THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF ROOSTERS
- Saving rare and heritage breeds from statewide extinction
- Safeguarding our noncommercial food supply
- Protecting innocent pets
🐔 Together we can protect the next generation of chickens!
What’s the big deal?
Intro to AB 928
AB 928 is a bill that is going through the CA State Assembly right now.
It is supposed to to make it easier to prosecute cockfighting rings by fining you $2500 per rooster per day if you keep more than 3 roosters per acre on your property.
In actuality, the bill targets all chicken lovers including homesteaders, kids, show breeders, hatcheries, rooster rescues, and ethnic communities.
If you read the bill carefully, you will see that there NO EXEMPTIONS for:
- people raising food for their families
- people providing homes for unwanted roosters
- people working to preserve rare/endangered breeds
- people providing hatching eggs & chicks to their communities
Why is AB 928 a bad deal?
Groups negatively impacted by AB 928 include…
food producers
Backyard Owners
Homesteaders
This exemption only applies to those producing food for commercial sale. Those providing food for their own families are NOT EXEMPT. Full compliance with all existing & future regulations is required. Any violations are grounds for double penalization and for your flock to be euthanized or impounded.
- 50% of chicken owners are uncertain whether they are in full compliance with ALL laws and regulations
- 97% are concerned about additional fines being imposed
- Trading or selling eggs without a CA Egg Handler’s license is illegal
youth organizations
Grange
4-H, & FFA
The exemption for youth organizations requires a letter granting permission. However, there is no system in place to accommodate this and it is unclear who is able to provide those letters. Of greater concern is youth will be required to sell or euthanize their flocks when:
- They age out and go to college.
- They drop out due to health or financial circumstances
Furthermore, breeders who supply youth with poultry will legislated out of existance.
rooster rescues
non profits
Individuals
The exemption for rescues only applies to legal nonprofits. Individuals who rescue roosters will be forced to euthanize their flocks.
Nonprofit rescues are panicking because they will not be able to accommodate the influx of roosters being offloaded by breeders.
Millions of roosters will die.
poultry breeders
hobby breeders
Exhibition “Show” Breeders
There is no exemption for hobby breeders working with rare breeds or on colored egg projects.
Birds raised for show are exempt but only if the entire flock is National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) certified.
According to a recent survey, NPIP certification would be difficult to impossible for 80% of Poultry Breeders.
Over 49 rare and heritage breeds will face statewide extinction.
AB 928 also impacts
FOOD SECURITY
AB 928 jeopardizes access to noncommercial sources of chicks, eggs, and meat and makes it harder for people to raise their own food.
CULTURE & RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
Roosters are an integral part of many cultures and religious practices. Many immigrant communities consume rooster meat as their primary protein source.
YOUNG CHILDREN
AB 928 unfairly discriminates against children who are too young to participate in 4H, FFA, or Grange.
63%
of poultry breeders are on 5 acres or less
84%
of poultry breeders raise 3 or more breeds
100+
roosters are common when the whole family is involved in showing chickens
$2500
is the AB 928 fine per rooster per day
according to AB 928
cockfighting rings consist of 100s to 1000s of roosters kept on large tracts of land
But AB 928 limits the number of roosters to just three (3) per acre and no more than 25 total, targeting small flock raisers.
★★★★★
I have been raising hens for eggs, broilers, and turkeys to feed my community since I was 9 years old. I was in 4H and moved over to FFA these past 6 years.
My passion for poultry runs deep. I got my business license for Nate’s Chicks when I was 15. I got my CA Egg Handler’s license and became USDA Poultry Processing exempt.
To be told I would have to possibly get rid of my flock when I turn 19 in September is maddening!!
Nate’s Chicks
FFA Member
AB 928 provides
no exemption for pets of young children
What’s next???
What you can do to help
Stop AB 928
01
Learn
Knowledge is power. Learn:
- why the bill is bad for roosters
- how the legislative process works
- what you can do
02
Take Action
Take action by:
- submitting position letters
- contacting legislators
- showing up for hearings
03
Become an Ambassador
Participate in outreach efforts:
- contacting the media
- educating your network and getting them to take action
Join the Movement Today
Stand Up for Roosters!
Your voice matters in protecting the next generation of chickens.
Together, we can hold community leaders and our elected representatives accountable
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t this bill to prevent cockfighting?
That is what the bill states. But unintended consequences of well-meaning legislation can be very dangerous. In reality, AB 928 would cause the statewide extinction of over forty-nine (49) rare and endangered breeds of chickens and give the government authority to double penalize flock owners.
What if I breed chickens but don’t show?
There is no exemption for you. You would need to sell or destroy your flock.
I rescue roosters. Can I keep them?
Only if you have a “legitimate” nonprofit organization. If not, you would need to sell or destroy your flock.
I raise chickens for eggs. Aren’t I exempt?
Only if you have a CA Egg Handler’s License and can prove that your flock is for commercial food production.
Aren’t show chickens exempt?
The “exhibition” exemption is not an exemption at all. A recent survey found that only 12% of chicken breeders believed they could get National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) certified. The rest found this requirement difficult to impossible to accomplish.