[ SHOWGSD-L ] When Will Animal Activists Take on Indiana Laws?
- From: "Ginger Cleary" <cleary1414@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Showgsd-L@Freelists. Org" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 13:20:27 -0400
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When Will Animal Activists Take on Indiana Laws?
Tom J Bechman tbechman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
May 2, 2008
Wes Jamison warned it was coming. He's the university of Florida
professor who studies animal rights groups and their impact on
agriculture. He brought a stern message to Indiana livestock producers
at a summit in Indianapolis late last year. Terry Etherton, a Penn
State University, outspoken animal scientist also warned it was coming
when he visited the state's first joint meeting of dairy, forage and
beef groups in February.
What did they warn about? That animal rights and environmentalist
groups, some well-meaning, some not, are thriving, and will continue to
attempt to get a foothold wherever they can. The remedy, both experts
say, is for farmers to quit being ashamed of what they do, which
includes raise animals for slaughter, and instead step forward proudly
and tell the buying consumer public how they go about raising a
wholesome product for each of them to consume.
First, sow crate bans were implemented in Florida. That was easy
because there was only one large hog operation in the entire state.
Next, the anti-animal crowd got Arizona voters to pass similar
legislation, suing a well-known, well-meaning, colorful local sheriff
as a spokesperson for their cause. Then it was on to Oregon. Now comes
word that the Colorado legislature has passed a bill which bans use of
certain types of sow crates. The governor of the Rocky Mountain state
is expected to sign the bill, reports Jane Ade Stevens, head of GINA,
an acronym for Growing Indiana Agriculture. Technically employed by the
Indiana Soybean Growers, Ade Stevens works to compile information for
livestock producers that helps them stay abreast of changes in the
industry and impending threats. Her marching orders come fro the
Indiana Soybean leaders, who feel that livestock producers are such
good customers that they need to support them with this effort to tell
the truth about livestock production in Indiana.
The Colorado law also apparently banned use of veal crates. However,
that's a moot point, sources say, since there are no veal operations
using the crates in Colorado now. Don't let that point get by you,
experts caution. While organizers claim it's a pre-emptive strike to
get in front of the issue should veal operations someday develop in the
state, others see it as picking on the weak. Without a veal industry,
who would step forward and tell the other side of the story?
In the Colorado case, it appears that both sides reached a settlement
in the legislature rather than let more radical animal activists take
the measure to the public for a referendum vote because some feared
that the referendum would also include language about banning certain
types of ways poultry are handled.
Florida, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado- certainly not big hog states by any
stretch of the imagination,. But both Jamison and Etherton warn that
it's part of the anti-animal crowd's strategy, Pick up victories where
they know they can, build support, then parlay that in the future into
real dogfights ins states where it does matter, including, for hogs,
Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
The best advice Jamison and Etherton offer is to be aware of who's
behind what movement in your area at all times. Are there ulterior
motives to things happening in your industry in your locality? If you
believe there are, maybe you need to accept the state challenge to
farmers issued by both Jamison and Etherton when they visited the
Hoosier state. Step up now and be counted for your industry!
Permission to crosspost
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Ginger Cleary
"... more harm and misery have been caused by men determined to use coercion
to stamp out a moral evil than by men intent on doing evil."-- Fredrich v
Hayek
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