Missouri lawmakers are working on a bill to establish a livestock standards board – the latest state targeted by animal rights group HSUS. Several legislators told cattlemen at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Convention in Springfield that they want to set up a livestock standards board in the state – similar to Ohio’s successful ballot initiative – Issue 2. Representative Brian Munslinger – who’s also a farmer – chairs the House Agribusiness Committee and is working on the bill, “The livestock industry is the largest market for our grain crops and it’s something that helps our Missouri economy. Agriculture is the largest industry we have in the state of Missouri and this could be devastating to it.”
The goal is to preempt apparent efforts by the Humane Society of the U.S. to crack down on dog breeders – and eventually livestock practices. HSUS has filed a proposed ballot initiative in Missouri to strictly regulate dog breeders.
Senator Frank Barnitz – who serves on both the Senate Ag and Appropriations Committees – is also a producer and he believes they have influence among their legislative colleagues. “We do have, even myself, have some urban colleagues to look to me for advice in the agriculture side of things and especially in the livestock side of things. And, we do have a little bit of clout because we live that life every day,” says Barnitz.
Also working vigorously to defend animal ag is the newly formed Missouri Animal Ag Alliance. Outgoing Missouri Cattlemen’s President Steve Willard tells Brownfield they have 30 ag group represented at the table and need more people involved, “Everybody’s connected on down to the people that sell the beef right out –to the restaurants. They’ve got to get on board and get involved with it. We’ve got to have all the resources we can possibly come up with.”
Willard says the most cattlemen – and other livestock producers – love their animals, “They take care of ‘em. I’m sure there’s a lot of people that didn’t come to this convention because they’re worried about their cattle. They’re worried about it being cold and them not having enough to eat. It’s their livelihood, they take care of things. It’s like their kids.”
The Missouri lawmakers say their Livestock Standards Board bill will be introduced by Missouri’s next legislative session which begins in January.
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