California Lawmaker Backs More Factory Farm Transparency

As the Zoe Rosenberg “Chicken Rescue Trial” exposes conflicting depictions of animal treatment, Assemblymember Ash Kalra expressed a willingness to “look into” UnchainedTV’s call for a bold new law requiring live cameras inside California’s industrialized agriculture facilities to achieve more factory farm transparency

Los Angeles, California, October 25th, 2025 — The high-profile trial of animal rights activist Zoe Rosenberg has opened a moral and political debate reaching far beyond the Sonoma County, California courtroom. What began as a case over the rescue of four chickens from a slaughterhouse has become a referendum on transparency in industrialized animal agriculture.

A New Call for Transparency

Now, California Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D–San Jose) says it’s time to bring light into the darkness. At an Assembly Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation at UCLA, UnchainedTV President Jane Velez-Mitchell asked the lawmaker what he thought of UnchainedTV’s recent editorial calling for LIVE, public cameras inside California factory farms and slaughterhouses.  Kalra responded, “I personally support the ability for us to have more transparency. I think that we’ve dramatically underfunded – intentionally – especially at the federal level, food inspections and oversight and I think a lot of lobbying has a lot to do with that.”

The lawmaker added that it would require a public movement, but that he was willing to look into the camera idea. “We would contend with a lot of lobbying here, if we push for legislation that pushes for any kind of transparency, but especially cameras, but it’s definitely something that I’m certainly willing to look into.” His remark was greeted with a burst of cheers from the audience, to which he added a note of caution. “I think it’s something that would require a movement because I think that it would require a lot of folks to be able to speak up on behalf of the animals beyond those that are already doing it by trying to expose these industries.” Kalra then went further, noting, “This industry does need to be exposed because there’s a reason why they don’t want us to see.”

WATCH THE COURT COVERAGE, SEE KALRA’S ENTIRE STATEMENT

The Trial That Sparked the Movement

The urgency comes as the Chicken Rescue Trial of Zoe Rosenberg enters its final phase. Rosenberg, a 23-year-old UC Berkeley student and member of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), faces felony and misdemeanor charges for rescuing four chickens from a Sonoma County slaughterhouse in 2023.

Defense witnesses allege that the birds were sick, unable to stand, and caked in feces. One witness testified that one of the animals appeared to have a bacterial infection and another an injured toe. But, the company disputes these claims, insisting it maintains the highest animal welfare standards and denies any cruelty.

For UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell, who has covered every day of the trial, this clash of narratives points to a simple solution: truth through visibility. “If industries object to undercover cameras,” she said, “then let’s install official ones—live cameras in slaughterhouses and factory farms—so everyone can see the truth in real time.”

Rosenberg’s decision to act came after viewing footage filmed inside the slaughterhouse that she alleges shows chickens flailing on the kill line. The defendant has maintained there is evidence that some of the birds were  scalded alive. Again, the company disputes this and is always invited on UnchainedTV to share its perspective. The prosecution calls her actions criminal trespass; her defense calls them a moral rescue. For millions watching UnchainedTV’s coverage, the deeper question is one of accountability: how can the public judge what it cannot see?

Turning Conflict Into Clarity

The push for cameras is not without precedent. Nations such as England, Scotland, Spain, and Israel already require CCTV surveillance cameras in slaughterhouses. In Israel, every feed is reportedly transmitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, which can intervene in real time if cruelty occurs.

Velez-Mitchell argues that California, the world’s fifth-largest economy, could lead the United States in adopting similar reforms—but with a crucial difference. “Just videotaping isn’t enough,” she said. “The video must be LIVE and broadcast to the public so everyone can see for themselves. Transparency is the key.”

Assemblymember Kalra opined, “They don’t hide how they harvest the corn or the tomatoes… they don’t need to hide that…it’s a matter of what’s happening inside, in the darkness.” UnchainedTV’s editorial campaign argues that live-streaming from factory farms and slaughterhouses could provide an objective record—eliminating the need for undercover investigations, protecting whistleblowers, and ensuring fair enforcement of existing animal welfare laws.

A Moment for Moral Leadership

The Rosenberg trial, now entering its 7th week, has become a microcosm of a larger cultural reckoning. Supporters view Rosenberg as part of a long tradition of civil disobedience that challenges injustice; critics see her actions as unlawful interference with private business.

But across this divide, the idea of transparency is gaining traction. From courtroom testimony to statehouse discussions, more Californians are asking why industrial agriculture operates in the shadows.

“Cameras are not the enemy—they are a neutral witness,” said Velez-Mitchell. “If the industry has nothing to hide, then cameras should not threaten it.”

For Kalra, this moment could spark meaningful change. He concluded his answer by saying, “Whenever you can bring light to the darkness, that’s a good thing, so I would support that.”

As UnchainedTV continues its gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial, its broader campaign—calling for legislation mandating live cameras inside slaughterhouses and factory farms—is resonating with viewers across the nation.

If transparency truly is the hallmark of modern ethics, California has an opportunity to set a global standard. From barns to slaughterhouses to courtrooms, the demand is growing louder: let the public see.