Will New York legislators put an end to mail order chick

Earlier this month, New York state legislators introduced a bill to end the shipment of live animals by mail within the state. Since 1918, the United States Postal Service has been shipping chicks in the mail. Up until last summer, only a small group of people spoke out against the practice. In August, a viral article from the Portland Press Herald circulated, detailing how nearly 4,800 chicks had died en route to farms in Maine. Delays and budget cuts at USPS were largely at fault, but the issue sparked the attention of lawmakers. Since USPS is a federal agency, state bans can’t override federal law, according to a spokesperson from the postal service, meaning legislation in New York may ultimately be toothless. Additionally, many small farmers heavily rely on the shipment of chicks. Modern Farmer has the story.