Cyndi's Two Cents

Don’t let HSUS on your farm

Do you know what an enriched cage looks like? How about a battery cage? Well, neither did I before doing a little research, but apparently 2,000 consumers responding to a study conducted by an independent research company do. By a margin of 4 to 1 those polled said they would support federal legislation to move egg production from the existing conventional egg-laying hen cages to enriched cages. Those polled also prefer federal legislation over state legislation.

The results of this teeny-tiny litmus test of public opinion came out about the same time that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and a handful of animal protection groups joined the United Egg Producers (UEP) and several other egg and farm groups to present a bill to Congress (H.R. 3798) that, if passed, would create the first federal legislation that outlines specific treatment of animals on a farm.

The chickens my husband and I raise are in neither battery nor enriched cages. As a matter of fact, there are no cages. Quite frankly, you could say that I don’t have a rooster in this crowing contest. However, I think a very dangerous precedent is being set when an anti-animal agriculture group has any role whatsoever in determining how livestock and poultry are raised on farms in the United States of America!

Several agricultural organizations have spoken out against this proposed law, but the cooperative of egg farmers whose membership represents approximately 95% of all the egg-laying hens in the United States, stands together with HSUS on this proposal of federal control over everything from specific housing requirements to specific labeling requirements to prohibiting the sale of eggs and egg products nationwide that do not meet these requirements.

Men and women of animal husbandry in this country have been making improvements in the way animals are fed, sheltered, treated and handled for generations. It is always in the best interest of the farmer to do what is right on his or her farm not only because it is right, but because a farm is a business and poor business practices lead to poor economic returns.

If UEP and the other egg and farm groups joining with HSUS want to move their egg-laying hens to enriched cages, I say “just do it.” The customer will let us all know what they want. They will vote with their pocketbooks when given a choice.

Congress needs to stay out of it. Pick up the phone and tell those who represent you in Washington, D. C. to throw this proposed federal legislation/overreach out the window.

A coalition of agricultural groups including American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, Egg Farmers of America, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, National Milk Producers Federation, National Pork Producers Council and National Turkey Federation believe, if passed, this legislation could cost in the neighborhood of $10 billion and eliminate jobs. But hey, HSUS has agreed to stop pursuing state voter ballot initiatives. Sounds like a good thing, right? Not so much, since the initiative process is not available in many of the largest egg-producing states.

Now this animal rights group can invest all of its resources toward passing a single precedent-setting law that will get HSUS over the fence and onto your farm.

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  you are 100% correct!!!!!!!

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  John “J.P.” Goodwin, senior staff member at HSUS and close friend of its CEO, was convicted in 1993 of “economic sabotage” – raiding and destroying property on fur farms. He moved from the Animal Liberation Front to HSUS’s economic sabotage. Goodwin told an animal rights magazine that he could “use legislation to destroy the fur industry.” Wayne Pacelle was arrested many times for (direct action) “hunt sabotage” and has been spending dog and cat lovers’ donations to sabotage hunting through legislation and litigation for close to 20 years.

  Charities are exempt from taxes because they are supposed to provide services that government and the private sector are unable to. Charities are allowed to involve themselves in a SMALL amount of political activism and lobbying; HSUS does an enormous amount. They are crafting legislation while violating one of the few laws that exist for tax exempt organizations. Why are they getting away with this?

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