Inside D.C.

HSUS comes clean — sort of

It’s time to out the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS).

For years, HSUS officials have dodged the question about HSUS as a vegetarian animal rights group.  The response is generally something like, “A lot of our members are meat eaters, so…”  However, in just the last couple of weeks, HSUS has essentially come out of the closet and presented itself for what it is, namely the world’s largest animal rights group with the ultimate goal of taking meat out of the human diet.

A couple of weeks ago, HSUS proudly and loudly announced formation of its “National Agriculture Advisory Council.”  This group – nine “farmers and agriculturists” from eight states – is built from 11 “state agriculture advisory councils” set up by HSUS in the last four years.  Most of these state councils have one or two members, all participants have drunk HSUS’s particular brand of fruit punch, some may actually believe the dogma preached by HSUS; others may be on board because they believe they look that much better than their competitors to the Whole Foods of the world.

No matter, the inescapable truth of this gang is this:  Those nine council members are as representative of U.S. animal agriculture as I am of the U.S. animal rights movement.  I say we set up 50 state humane farm animal care councils, then our own national humane farm animal care advisory committee.

This is one cynical move by this particular animal rights giant.  First, because it creates out of whole cloth an entity which exists for no other reason than to talk to and about itself, obviously designed to be an in-house rubber stamp for the HSUS brand of “welfare.” A group to be quoted to corporate targets and the media.  The council will no doubt be trotted out by the Humane Legislative Action Fund (HLAF) whenever it’s on Capitol Hill.  I’m pretty sure if any of the nine council members seriously push back against the HSUS agenda, there’ll be some new faces in at the next meeting.

The advisory council members are described as those who “practice and promote higher animal welfare standards within their operations.”  That statement begs the question:  Higher than what?

Perhaps the real reason this new cadre of the converted exists is found later in the press release when it says, “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.”

Important here is the public admission by HSUS that its priority is reducing or replacing meat, poultry and dairy in the diet.  Adding insult to the injury of coopting farmers to be on its “advisory council,” is this May 16, headline from Politico, a Capitol Hill news service:  “Humane Society Looks to Spread Meatless Mondays.”

This article reports 1) HSUS has a full-time  “meatless transition team” of 15; 2) the team claims it’s convinced 200 school districts across the country to cut meat offerings; 3) “that’s not counting hospitals, senior homes and corporate cafeterias”; 4) the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, is a willing participant, having cut meat consumption “by as much as 10% in three years,” and 5) the Compass Group, the “world’s largest catering company” says it’s reduced beef purchases 10% a year from 2015-2017.

Politico goes on to state unequivocally:  “If you were wondering where the Humane Society might strike next after its big victories in the cage-free chicken battle, this is it.  The playbook is similar, creating a demand for meat-free alternatives by targeting mass buyers that feed thousands of people a day. “These institutions have massive purchasing power,” said (Kristie) Middleton, HSUS director of food policy…”

By the way, all of these HSUS insights come as society president Wayne Pacelle hits the road to promote his newest treatise “The Humane Economy:  How Innovators and Consumers are Transforming the Lives of Animals.  “The book includes an in-depth discussion of how consumer demand for farm animal welfare improvements is transforming the animal agriculture model.”  I contend it’s less consumer demand than it is PR razzle dazzle.

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