Cyndi's Two Cents

They don’t want you to eat meat.

Commentary.

Humane treatment of livestock was a core practice on the family farm where I was raised and remains a core practice on the farm my husband and I own today.  My parents led by example in practicing sustainability and stewardship of the land, air, water and livestock.  It was a natural transition to do the same on my own farm. Practicing animal welfare was from the very beginning an integral part of our philosophy for raising livestock and poultry.   It was and is an inherent part of who we are.

We raise livestock humanely and we eat meat.  I firmly believe that groups like Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) couldn’t care less about how we raise our livestock.  From everything I read and hear from HSUS, all they really care about is raking in a lot of money and getting people to stop eating meat.

In the May 6, 2016 statement released to the press announcing the formation of a National Agriculture Advisory Council, HSUS stated “HSUS advocates compassionate eating – or the Three Rs: “reducing” or “replacing” consumption of animal products, and “refining” our diets by choosing products from sources that adhere to higher animal welfare standards.”

Whether you have a small cow-calf herd and a flock of chickens like my husband and I do or you have 500 cows and 5,000 chickens, when HSUS tells people they want them to replace consumption of animal products, they are talking about your livestock and poultry; about your livelihood.  Size doesn’t matter.  The mere fact that you raise livestock and poultry for human consumption puts you at odds with the core beliefs and mission of HSUS.

I do not believe that members of state or national ag advisory councils for HSUS really want us to stop eating meat.  I do not believe they are mean-spirited or looking for revenge against those whose flocks and herds dwarf their own in numbers.  I want to believe these people have saddled up with HSUS in an effort to promote higher animal welfare standards and environmental sustainability.  Encouraging people to reduce and replace consumption of animal products isn’t in the best interest of anyone in animal agriculture even if your cattle are grass-fed and your chickens free-range.

One of the many ways HSUS is working against all animal agriculture is by campaigning to get health care facilities, corporate cafeterias, nursing homes and schools districts to reduce or eliminate meat from their menus.  Last summer, HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle praised Compass Group USA which runs the dining operations at more than ten thousand schools, hospitals, stadiums, museums, event centers, and other institutions:

“In practical terms, the company is eliminating veal from operations using crates by 2017, and is working with its suppliers to address issues with dehorning and tail docking of dairy cows, castration and tail docking of piglets, castration and disbudding of beef cattle, and the issues surrounding fast growth and poor living conditions for broiler chickens and turkeys.”

And, to HSUS’ delight, Compass is offering many meat-free options.  That is HSUS’ ultimate goal, isn’t it? I just cannot understand how anyone involved in animal agriculture could see it differently.