Commentary

I’ve just gotten word from the Missouri Cattlemen’s Assn. that HSUS filed the necessary paperwork yesterday with the state attorney general to mount a statewide referendum. The question now is, what’s the goal? Word is Paul Shapiro, the 30-something self-styled HSUS farm animal guru, says the initiative will be focused on puppy mills. Time will tell, I guess.

However, the filing of papers in Missouri begs the question as to whether Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president, will make good on his threat to take a similar path in Ohio in hopes of overturning the recent election victory in that state which created a state livestock standards committee. He vowed he’d not let the voters’ of Ohio get in the way of the HSUS agenda. Again, time will tell.

Let’s hope it’s puppy mills and HSUS has decided it can’t afford to fight a two-front war against legitimate animal users. However, I’m a big believer in forewarned is forearmed.

What this development does in spades is make it crystal clear that we must renew our efforts to put the public on notice that we’re the folks who feed them. Especially at this time of year, let’s take the effort to impress upon our brethren in the cities that without farmers and ranchers, Thanksgiving is less about thanks and a whole lot about hoping someone is giving.

We’ve had too many stupid incidences in the last month to ignore the need to rebuild relationships with our customers. We’ve had undercover video in New York and Vermont exposing idiocy; we’ve had four separate farmers whacked by the feds for illegal drug use in their animals, and we’ve had at least one farmer caught illegally discharging waste into a waterway.

All of these are separate distinct incidences and can be brushed aside as just a really bad coincidence. That’s reality. But reality and perception are two wholly distinct things. Our enemies revel in our mistakes, taking them, exaggerating them and marketing them to the public as the standard operating procedure of our operations.

Start building alliances. State ag groups need to sit down NOW and begin to plan for how they can market their people and their processes to the public. Talk to feed companies, animal drug companies, equipment companies — any company which makes its living off selling to farmers. We need to look beyond ag’s traditional allies and cultivate new friends.

Check them out, and if they seem approachable, sit down with the local, county and state humane societies and animal welfare groups — keeping in mind they’re not affiliated with HSUS for the most part. Ohio enjoyed the support of the American Humane Assn., which in the media is invaluable and steals a whole lot of HSUS’s holier-than-thou status.

Talk with reporters who cover ag and then branch out to those who cover business, those who write food sections, ande those who write about consumers and “lifestyle” issues. Educate these people as to process, product, economic contribution, etc., but impress upon them that the people who grow food in your state are good people.

Talk with legislators — the message is the same, but you’d be surprised how many “friendly” state house folks can run for cover when threatened with awkward headlines and ugly campaigns. Show them you’ll be their ally.

Talk to your processors and the retailers. Make sure they won’t stand silently by if ag is attacked. Again, make sure they understand and appreciate you’re the good guys and will stand with them or in front of them when — not if — they’re attacked.

The message here is simple — prepare now! If you wait until the barn is on fire, you’re simply going to have to build a new — and very different — barn, and one likely not nearly as nice as the one you enjoy today.