The right to farm, raise livestock, hunt and fish are combined proposals that have passed the Missouri House Ag policy committee in an attempt to prevent animal rights activist groups from chipping away at those rights. Missouri Farmers Care Coalition Executive Director Dan Kleinsorge says coalition groups are pleased.

House Joint Resolutions 7 and 11, sponsored by Representatives Smith and Reibolt, were taken up from the work started by Representative Tom Loehner, who was ‘term-limited’ out last year.

“You know, this is not going to go away. This is something where we’re going to be targeted over and over and that’s why we need HJR 7 and 11 to establish some long-lasting constitutional protections for the right to raise livestock and practice modern farming techniques. Ultimately, what this protects are our consumer choice and our food choice, too.”

If passed by the Missouri House and Senate, the proposed constitutional amendment would go before Missouri voters in 2014.  Kleinsorge tells Brownfield Ag News another state has taken the same approach, “This is actually quite similar to a measure that North Dakota worked on. That was actually a ballot initiative that they did just last year and it passed very, very strongly. I believe about 63% in favor.”  Kleinsorge says they expect the measure will have good support in the Senate.

The Missouri Farmers Care Coaltion, made up major farming and similar groups, was formed to fight the HSUS-backed puppy mill ballot initiative several years ago.  Kleinsorge says the Humane Society of the United States has not said much about this effort, “We don’t know exactly what they’re up to now. They did not testify in opposition to HJR 7 & 11, yet. They’ll have another opportunity to do that in the future. So, we’re not sure what they’re up to right now but we’re always going to be keeping an eye on ‘em.”

The HSUS backed away from its Your Vote Counts campaign last year and Kleinsorge says that was another victory for Missouri agriculture.