HSUS to take Prop 2-like action to Ohio
April 6, 2009
By: Jennifer Fiala
For The VIN News Service
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is taking its campaign to eliminate tight housing quarters for farm animals on the road. Next stop: Ohio.
In February, HSUS leaders Wayne Pacelle and Paul Shapiro sat down with agriculture groups and the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and announced plans to bring California’s costly and contentious Proposition 2 to the state that ranks second in egg production and ninth in swine, nationally. The group intends to put a citizen referendum to ban sow gestation stalls, veal crates and battery cages for layer hens on the November 2010 ballot.
But first, the activist group is reaching out in hopes that a deal can be negotiated, and it appears that veterinary medicine will play a major role in how that might take place.
For now, all sides say they’re willing to engage in a dialogue. Shapiro, senior director of HSUS’ Factory Farming Campaign, says that it’s in the agriculture industry’s best interest to compromise on imposing free-range housing requirements for livestock and hens. After all, when it comes to successfully taking its message to voters, HSUS is a financial and political powerhouse with an undefeated record. Since the group started its campaign to change agriculture’s controversial confinement standards, five states have imposed bans on housing systems deeply entrenched in U.S. agriculture. Read More
This situation isn’t unique to Ohio. HSUS is the bully on the block trying to force their ideas everywhere they go. It never has been about animal rights, it’s been about power and money. That is what they are most interested in. If they were really concerned about the livestock, they would recognize sound science and follow what the research says. So when HSUS shows up in your state, you basically have two choices. You can lay down or you can stand up. So far we haven’t been successful at the ballot box, but negotiating with them hasn’t gotten us anything either. So don’t give up, instead speak out and tell your story to anyone who will listen.
4 comments:
thanks for posting this topic. You are right we farmers don't win in negotiations, we need to get the word spread about HSUS's agenda.
If you believe HSUS is engaging in excessive lobbying, complain to the IRS. Charities (IRC 501(c)(3)), such as HSUS, are not allowed to do substantial amounts of lobbying. http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=139029,00.html. The online form has a box "excessive lobbying." HSUS EIN (taxpayer number): 53-0225390
HSUS is an animal RIGHTS organization, not welfare. Ohioans are learning that a little at a time. Their website states this is Ohio Farm Bureau's "power grab" which is good wording for what THEY themselves do and it appears they don't want others to have power except themselves. How many chickens do you suppose Wayne Pacelle has raised (or eaten)? HSUS had vegan recipes on their home page. I don't mind anyone being vegan or vegetarian but DO NOT and WILL NOT sit back and allow them to push their views on others. Look at whp th committee in Ohio will be made up of and see who is better qualified to regulate animal husbandry. Surely not HSUS. Way to go OHIO FARM BUREAU! It's nice seeing all the small family farms with the VOTE YES signs in their yards, it isn't just big commercial farms.
I have the chance to present a persuasive speech to my communications class in college. The light bulb went on this morning when I decided to address the issue of HSUS forcing prop 2-like situations on other states. There are many non-agriculture students in my general education class, so I hope that I can interest them in finding out what HSUS is really about. Thank you Troy and Stacy!
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