News
Missouri’s Prop B opponents not deflated
The reaction from opponents of an HSUS-backed proposal that passed in Missouri is not what you might expect. Because the vote on Proposition B was so close they are energized even though the measure passed.
“To have come short 60,000 votes out of 1.9 million we think is very good and we are very excited that agriculture industries and the general public stood with us against this,” says Karen Strange with MoFed, the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners.
Proposition B – which goes into effect next November – places tight restrictions on commercial dog breeders and many in agriculture believe it’s a first step toward trying to severely restrict livestock practices in Missouri.
“Except for the Bootheel, nearly all of outstate Missouri voted against Proposition B, some by very wide margins,” Strange said. “We are very encouraged by that and we are going to continue our efforts to expose the HSUS and the animal rights agenda against agriculture and all animal interests.”
Barb York, President of the Missouri Pet Breeders Association Prop B would eliminate most of the state’s 14-hundred licensed commercial dog breeders.
“As written, it would be absolutely devastating to the pet industry in the state of Missouri,” York said.
York says the restriction on the number of dogs and space requirements would be cost prohibitive to breeders. She agrees that the election results had some good news.
“I think the grassroots effort was phenomenal. I think they did a great job and HSUS needs to take heed,” York told Brownfield.
Both Strange and York say their groups are exploring a number of options about what they can do about Proposition B to protect the state’s professional dog breeding industry.
AUDIO: Karen Strange (3 min. MP3)
Our Mo legislature has been fighting off the out landish requests presented by the HSUS for years. Unfortunately the HSUS bought prop-B in Mo through high priced advertising. It was voted in by uninformed/uneducated in animal husbandry people who got most of their info on the matter from misleading commercials. Our Mo reps/senators are preparing to apply science/logic to the deceptive prop B. That being said understand they cannot do this alone. Know that when things start to move all of animal agriculture must contact our state elects and let them know that the ag community is behind them. Last spring they had many bills in the house and senate to head this off. Unfortunately the majority they heard from was the AR crowd. So most failed. All of animal ag must contact their state elects directly and let them know that agriculture is Mo’s #1 industry and we expect them to back us up.