News

MO Farmers Union says NeFU deal not for them

The Missouri Farmers Union, which agreed with other Missouri ag groups in their battle against the HSUS dog breeder ballot initiative last year, is not willing to work with the HSUS like the Nebraska Farmers Union is doing.

Missouri Farmers Union President Richard Oswald says he understands where Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen is coming from – forming an Ag Council with the HSUS to promote humanely raised livestock in exchange for HSUS “promising” not to file any animal welfare ballot initiatives in Nebraska. Oswald says the people Farmers Union groups represent – family farmers – ‘haven’t been winning any battles lately’…

“You know we haven’t gotten the GIPSA rules passed even though the Obama administration said they favored those. We’ve seen continued consolidation and market domination by a lot of big corporate interests but I don’t think we’re ready to join hands with HSUS either because I just don’t believe that’s the way our board would want to go.”

Oswald says some Missouri Farmers Union members want to have access to those markets for meat from humanely raised animals.

“I think HSUS, if I understand correctly what John Hansen (NE Farmers Union President) said, I think HSUS is willing to partner with them and help promote that because that is sort of down the line of what HSUS wants.”

But, Oswald says he doesn’t work with groups that don’t have their policies in writing.

“I have to see it written down and HSUS may have that but HSUS is not a group like Missouri Farmers Union and they can construct whatever policy they want to construct at any moment of any day. I can’t do that.”

Oswald says unlike the HSUS, Missouri Farmers Union has meetings and votes on policies, in writing, and abides by those policies.

Missouri lawmakers were able to change that voter-approved HSUS dog breeding measure, removing broad language that ag interests say could have led to unreasonable restrictions on livestock operations.

 Brownfield – HSUS tries new approach in Nebraska

AUDIO: Richard Oswald (9:00 mp3)

 

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!