A federal appeals court has reversed a lower court ruling dealing with undercover video surveillance of livestock and poultry farms. Iowa passed this law three years ago, increasing the penalties for animal rights activists who use hidden camera video to document the treatment of animals. A three-judge panel in the St. Louis district ruled this law protects privacy rights and prevents the theft of trade secrets. In a separate decision, the appeals court determined it is illegal to knowingly make false statements on job applications to gain access to the business. That would include animal rights activists lying on their job application with a plan to hurt the farm.
