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Who is next on HSUS’ list?
Now that Ohio’s livestock industry has compromised with the Humane Society of the United States, which state might be next on HSUS’ list?
Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois and Nebraska have all been mentioned as the next possible targets. In Nebraska, the executive director of the state’s pork producer association, Larry Sitzman, says livestock groups have been discussing strategy and are preparing for a fight.
“At this time I believe our minds are still ‘yes we’re going to fight it’,” says Sitzman. “That’s our policy. We feel that we are using facilities and the type of animal care that’s acceptable by the American Veterinary (Medical) Association and, yes, we probably will fight it unless something else changes our minds.”
And although Nebraska might be considered a very “agriculture-friendly” state, Sitzman says the industry won’t take anything for granted.
“So many people are now away from agriculture and don’t understand our production systems, and we need to reinitiate in people’s minds that we raise livestock, we care for those livestock and, yes, those livestock do need to be slaughtered humanely and able to feed them with protein– and the rest of the world,” says Sitzman.
In fact, Nebraska’s livestock industry is planning a fall advertising campaign to educate the non-farming public about the importance of the livestock industry to the state.
Sitzman says HSUS is currently advertising for an executive director in Nebraska, an indication that the organization may be readying itself for a ballot initiative effort in the state. “They would be able to ge ant initiative petition on the ballot in 2012. You can only do it in a general election year, so not before 2012,” Sitzman says.
Sitzman made his comments to Brownfield at a Lincoln meeting to discuss the future of the livestock industry in Nebraska.
AUDIO: Larry Sitzman (6 min MP3)
Tags: Animal Rights, animal welfare, HSUS, Livestock, Nebraska
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It’s not only livestock that are targeted by HSUS and PETA. NE just passed a new law imposing licensing, fees and inspections of our foster dog homes. It’s not as stringent as the dog and cat laws of KS and MO, but it’s a foot in the door for the animal rights wackos. The requirements will mean that more dogs will be killed in shelters because many rescue organizations simply cannot afford to meet the requirements. PETA and HSUS believe that all companion animals should be eradicated. They proposed killing all the the Vick dogs, many of whom are now rehabbed and homed thanks to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. PETA employees got caught red-handed dumping garbage bags full of cats and dogs they had just killed and were found guilty of littering, for crying out loud. People in the affected states, or not yet affected states, need to pay attention! As PETA and HSUS are successful in another states, it’s just a question of time until they come to your state with ballot initiatives and lawsuits. I live in AZ which is one of the Western states that believes in civilized treatment of cats and dogs.
(*this post has been edited by Brownfield Ag News – the last sentence has been omitted – Cyndi) -
Free range eggs contain a little something extra: pollutants
June 16, 2010 | 1:16 pm
Here’s some disconcerting news for health-conscious eaters who favor eggs from free-range hens: A Taiwanese study found that the eggs contain much higher levels of industrial pollutants than eggs laid by caged hens.The researchers focused on two types of pollutants, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (known collectively as PCCD/Fs), which are released into the environment by municipal waste incinerators, factories and other industrial sources. A report from the International Program on Chemical Safety says the chemicals have caused cancer, liver damage, problems with the skin and nervous system, reproductive problems and other undesirable effects in animals.
The researchers collected 60 free range eggs from farms in southern Taiwan and compared them with 120 eggs from caged hens that were purchased throughout the country. Then they measured the levels of 17 kinds of PCCD/Fs.
For the free range eggs, the levels ranged from 6.18 to 41.3 picograms per gram of lipid, with an average value of 17.5 pg/g. Levels for the caged eggs ranged from 2.85 to 19.8 pg/g, with an average value of 7.65.
The researchers also calculated the toxic equivalency quotient (TEQ) for both kinds of eggs using a system endorsed by the World Health Organization. The levels for the free range eggs were 5.7 times higher than the levels for the caged eggs.
In addition, 17% of the free range eggs had levels that European regulators have deemed unsafe for consumption. All of the caged eggs were easily in the safe zone, the researchers found. The results were published in the latest edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The researchers believe the free range eggs have more contaminants because they are found in the environments where free range hens roam. Studies have found the chemicals in “feedstuffs, soil, plants, worms and insects,” they wrote. Their own measurements of dirt from free range farms persuaded them that soil contamination is at least partly to blame.
The problem probably isn’t limited to Taiwan. Scientists have also found the same trend in the European Union, and one study found that about 10% of free range eggs exceeded the safety limit set by regulators there.
“The issue of contamination in free range eggs could be a global issue, and more research should be done to identify the factors from the external environment that influence and modify the PCDD/F levels in eggs from free range hens,” the authors wrote.
In case you were wondering, their research was not sponsored by the commercial egg-laying industry. The scientists had grants from the National Science Council of Taiwan and the Taiwanese Ministry of Education.
— Karen Kaplan
Photo: These free-range chickens seem to be enjoying their time outdoors, but with dioxins lurking in the environment, it may not be good for them – or us – after all. Credit: Steve Osman / Los Angeles Times
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Recently I am receiving an increased number of calls and emails from people that are repeating HSUS dialogue or defending HSUS. I believe most of this comes from a blog posting I made earlier. Anyway, I think there is a very good possibility that Oklahoma is being considered a target.
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I have an idea! If the HSUS wants to pass legislation that will change how farmers and ranchers raise their livestock, then how about the multi million dollar corperation pay the farmers to alter their barns and feed yards? Oh right, that’s too much of an inconvenience to them. A friend of mine asked an HSUS helper about horse slaughter when a horse gets old and he told her, “If you can afford a horse, you can afford a gun.” Yeah, good animal “loving” group. Bring it on! Nebraska will fight!
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I think this might be a good time for the Ag folks to plan and arrange for field trips by schools to some of the closest farms. These trips should include a detailed brochure that is provided to all the kids and teachers. The brochure needs to explain the relationship between FOOD AT THE GROCERY STORE and FARMING. Right now we have kids who think MILK and EGGS and MEAT come from the grocery store. Also, I would put in place some positive websites that are mentioned in the brochure so that the kids take this message home to parents.
This is war and it is a MEDIA war…and unless you educate those who vote, they will be voting against your interests. I have been watching the animal rights cult and their foremost activist organization, the HSUS, for over twenty years. They have initiated lawsuits against federal agencies and forced changes in regulations. They have publicized anti-animal propaganda for over 30 years and the compassionate uneducated public donate to them.