OK's Food Production Protection Bill

State livestock bill has sweeping implications
POINT OF VIEW Agribusiness power grab

BY CYNTHIA ARMSTRONG
Published: March 2, 2009

When it comes to raising animals for food, there is a balancing of many compelling interests: food safety, environmental pollution, animal welfare and economics. But for too long in the state Capitol, industrial factory farms have fought to maintain their own special interests above those of Oklahomans.

In 2005 when Attorney General Drew Edmondson confronted poultry giants for their environmentally degrading practices, the agribusiness lobby used its influence with state legislators to introduce a bill to strip the attorney general of his independent authority to file lawsuits. Thankfully, that outrageous power grab failed.

Now they’re at it again, peddling their influence to convince Oklahoma lawmakers to give more power to industrial agribusiness and to strip decisions away from people in local communities about how they farm and raise animals. The state House recently voted 92-9 in favor of House Bill 2151, which would authorize the Legislature to pre-empt all local law regarding the care and handling of livestock. Read More

Obviously the animal rights groups aren’t very happy about the Oklahoma Legislature’s attempt to protect their livestock producers. Many of the concerns listed in this article have already been addressed by the legislature. With so many families struggling because of the economy, it seems cold-hearted that these radical groups continue to push for practices that will cause increased food prices.

Livestock Protection Legislation Gains More Support

Farm Bureau supports livestock preemption legislation
Oklahoma

The state's largest farm organization is throwing its support behind legislation that will protect animal agriculture in Oklahoma.

Representative Don Armes and Senator Mike Schulz have authored companion bills referred to as livestock preemption legislation.

The bills, HB 2151 and SB 452, are aimed at avoiding a ballot initiative such as what happened last November in California with Proposition 2. That legislation outlaws the confinement of certain production livestock. The proposition was strongly supported by animal rights activists.

"It (HB 2151) is focused on setting a standard for the care and handling of livestock in Oklahoma," said Rep. Armes. Read More

Oklahoma’s bill to protect it’s livestock industry and food production industry from the Humane Society of the United States continues to work it’s way through the legislature. It is essential that we protect our ability to produce a home-grown food supply. While HSUS would rather our food come from a foreign country, the majority of Americans realize that only America’s farmers and ranchers can produce the safest, most affordable food supply in the world.