The top issue at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association convention is one that resonates with every animal ag producer in the nation. At the Missouri Cattlemen’s Convention in Springfield, Missouri, the group’s Executive Vice President Jeff Windett tells Brownfield that Missouri is the next state in the sights of the Humane Society of the U.S. – and it is ready to fight. Just before Thanksgiving, the HSUS filed a ballot initiative – a proposal to crack down on Missouri puppy breeders, “We realize even though this might be directed mostly at dogs right now, this will not stop HSUS. The time to stop is right now. And animal agriculture as we know it in the state is paramount. And we want to provide that unified front that says they are NOT welcome here.” Windett says every major ag commodity and farm organization in the state is part of the Missouri Animal Ag Coalition – which has been meeting weekly and has decided to formalize –realizing it will take outside funding and resources to fight this threat to animal agriculture. Windett says dog breeders are also at the table.
Looking over this past year, Windett says the group has responded to more national and state issues than ever before and he doesn’t see it letting up any time soon. He says they’ve got some very critical issues dealing with animal ag and agriculture in general. And, he says they’re trying to address those and address the livelihood of a lot of their producers.
Jeff Windett, Executive Vice President, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
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Fantastic news! Now, you must expand to include all other AG producers affected by their agenda: hog producers, poultry & egg producers, dairymen, beekeepers, etc. Build yourselves a nice, noisy coalition and show the rest of the 49 states how to get things done in your legislature!
This WONDERFUL news! I actually got teary eyed. We so have to work together and you all are on the right track. I will be pulling for you all from afar! Godspeed.
I think agriculture has shot themselves in the foot. Why on earth would the beef industry be concerned about the puppy mill issue, this allows the HSUS to vilify farmers for something they have nothing to do with, and show that agriculture is simply against animal welfare improvements. Instead agriculture should take leadership such as they did in Ohio, to take charge of their own destiny, and move to regulate agriculture standards themselves with the department of agriculture, to ensure that the 1% of farmers who make the rest of the industry look bad is cleaned up.
To the above statement please read the ballot initiative before you choose to slander the industry as a whole. Politely put some of the requirements they are asking for are all ready required. Others will be harmful to the animals. The HSUS goal is to do away with animal agriculture all together and this is just the first step to get their foot in the door. They are counting on uninformed people such as yourself to sign and vote in their favor on this. Due to people such as yourself I along with many others will be having to work at informing people about the ballot and the laws all ready in place until next Nov. Rest assured we have been spreading the word for weeks through our vet clinics, feed stores and farming communities!
If you think it is only the so called factory farms (large farms) you may want to see what happened in N.C. after a week of snow, sleet and rain in Waltonsburg, N.C. Anonymous call, animals taken, probably no charges brought and 31 hogs disappear. This is how easy it is for HSUS to take animals “due to weather”!
HSUS is not animal welfare, it is about animal rights. There is quite a big difference.
hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2010/01/nc-rescue.html
I have been watching this issue unfold. I came to the sad realization in the last few days that few Missourians know what is at stake here. Many are believing the HSUS hipe that is continuously on TV. The petition is out. It can be viewed by googling it. All animal agriculture had better take a close look at one of the #9′s toward the back. It gives the definition of Pet. This is very vague. It sias Pet means any domesticated animal normaly maintained in or near the household of the owner thereof. If you google cow, chicken and so on you will find that they are considered a domesticated animal. For those of you in other agricultural areas who thought this was no concern to you now would probably be the time to take notice. I spoke to a elected official today. I was shocked to hear that if we had the nov election tomorrow HSUS would win. The last poll showed that 85% of Mo support this. I find this to be amazing since agriculture is one of our largest industries. We all have local forums for our towns. Many people can be reached posting on these. Please spread the word. Get out to the feed stores, vet clinics, sale barns, meat processing plants and spread the word. We have got to educate or Mo animal agriculture is in big trouble. Now is the time to take action.