The Care Package: Cattle Welfare in the West

Three student filmmakers were recently given full access to makes short documentaries about the beef industry. As we travel across the country speaking about agriculture I continue to tell people they shouldn't ask Google about where their food comes from. They should ask the farmers and ranchers that grow it. These films offer an opportunity for everyone to learn about beef industry directly from the people involved.

Here's the first of three films I will be posting.

The Care Package: Cattle Welfare in the West from ExploreBeef on Vimeo.

Will HSUS/Ohio Deal Continue?

New Ohio ag director will review animal care deal

By JOHN SEEWER
TOLEDO, Ohio

Ohio's next agriculture director plans to take a closer a look at a deal arranged by the outgoing governor and animal rights activists that would bring tougher laws governing farm animals.

The agreement calls for a ban of certain crates and cages and prohibiting strangulation as a form of euthanasia for sick or injured animals.

"There are a lot more unanswered questions," James Zehringer, a former poultry farmer who's been a state lawmaker the past three years, said during an interview with The Associated Press.

His biggest concern is that the proposed regulations could make it too costly for new farm owners who want to get into the business by forcing them to make changes to existing farms.

"We want to grow agriculture," he said. "Ohio is losing 700 farms a year."   Read More

This could get interesting.  Now Ohio may have the political leadership to stand up to the falsehoods and threats coming from HSUS.  The question will be whether or not anyone will follow their efforts.  In order for the OLCSB to operate properly, they can’t be constantly under threat of a ballot issue from the HSUS.  While the HSUS will never b e worried about what’s best for livestock, farmers and ranchers have no choice.  It’s our duty to properly care for them, regardless of politics. 

HSUS Tries Fooling Nebraska Livestock Producers

Humane Society: Not ‘anti-ag'


By Leslie Reed
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

LINCOLN — The Humane Society of the U.S. has no plans to conduct a petition drive in Nebraska aimed at treatment of farm animals, the group's president and chief executive officer said here Sunday.

But Wayne Pacelle said his group still will continue to work to eliminate tight confinement practices on farms and ranches.

“We are not anti-agriculture,” Pacelle said. “We want animals to be able to stand up, lie down and turn around. That is not a sweeping agenda.”

Some of the agriculture representatives said they remain wary of Pacelle's group, despite his conciliatory tone.

Mark McHargue, a Central City, Neb., pork producer and a director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, said he remains skeptical of the HSUS's motives. McHargue said he uses gestation crates to house pregnant sows on his hog farm. He said he believes the crates are a humane way to handle animals that would fight and harm one another if they weren't restrained. Working without the crates also would increase his cost of production.

“You heard a lot of frustration and anxiety tonight about what's happened in other states,” McHargue said. “There's no reason to think that what happened in other states won't happen in Nebraska.”   Read More

These farmers and ranchers that believe the HSUS is a friend to them really struggle with reality.  One look at the recipe section on their website shows you what their true goals are.  Never once does it say anything about eating meat, milk and eggs grown in certain conditions.  It states that using animals as a source of food is cruel.  I’m not sure how Pacelle can say that he isn’t anti-ag with a straight face.  The only way he can keep his professional fundraising organization afloat is to keep creating one crisis after another directed at agriculture. 

Blaming Cows For Global Warming Not Accurate

A new beef with role of cows in global warming

November 20, 2010
Alex Horkay
TheStar.com
Statistics have been giving us a bum steer when they state how much cattle methane emissions contribute to global warming, a new study shows.


That's because mathematical equations used to predict cows' methane emissions are inaccurate and don't take into account factors such as dietary changes, said Jennifer Ellis, lead author of the study and a PhD student at the University of Guelph.


When cattle burp up their cud, they discharge methane with it, due to microbial fermentation occurring in their complex stomachs.


“Diet can change CH4 (methane) emissions quite a lot. For example, between two and 12 per cent of the energy a cow consumes will be lost as CH4,” she said.

When an equation calculates the quantity of methane emissions on one farm, it can't be used to accurately determine how much greenhouse gas is created worldwide because there is so much difference in cattle diet around the world and from farm to farm.    Read More

While most of the anti-ag groups are quick to try blaming cows for global warming, common sense scientists have shown that it’s not that simple.  There are so many factors that determine the amount of methane produced by a cow so it’s nearly impossible to determine any impact based on current models.  It’s unfortunate that these anti-ag groups have to try tricking people with false information to gain support and turn them against farming and ranching families.

Help Your Neighbor, Not a Turkey

Turkey adoption program keeps flocks off dinner tables

By Alyson Cunningham The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times


DEWEY BEACH, Del. — For the last five years, Marissa Filderman has adopted a turkey for Thanksgiving.

But she's never interested in raising the feathered fellow.

The 24-year-old vegetarian is focused on saving that turkey from its inevitable holiday fate.

So each year, she adopts a foul from Farm Sanctuary, an organization which rescues abused farm animals and works to stop and expose cruel farming practices with shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif.

Around Thanksgiving, the sanctuary has a special turkey fundraiser that allows people to sponsor a turkey for $30 or a flock for $180.

According to the Farm Sanctuary's website, the organization has saved more than 1,000 turkeys in 24 years.

Read More

As we approach Thanksgiving we think about all the things we are thankful for. Our family is thankful for the food we have to eat. But for too many families there isn’t much food to be had for the holidays. It makes it even harder to accept when we have people in our society giving money to animal rights groups to feed turkeys when that money could be used to feed their neighbors. Please support your local food banks so those less fortunate than you can enjoy Thanksgiving rather than a turkey.

2010 Trailblazer Award Winners

When Joe Roybal called me late this summer to say that Stacy and I had been selected at BEEF Magazine's 2010 Trailblazer Award honorees I was pretty much speechless (which doesn't happen very often).  My first thought was that we probably weren't old enough to be a trailblazer in the beef industry!  Never had the thought crossed my mind that we would be considered for an award like this.  We didn't set out to win any awards when we started telling our story but we truly appreciate it. 

So a big thank you to Joe and everyone at BEEF Magazine for thinking of us!

Here's a link to the 2010 BEEF Magazine Trailblazer Award article.

Pickens Plans to Overstock Horse Ranch

Pickens named Horsewoman of the Year


Herald-Leader Staff Report

Anti-horse slaughter activist Madeleine Pickens was named "Horsewoman of the Year" by the Humane Society of the United States at the annual Sound Horse Conference in Louisville on Friday.

Pickens, who also raced Thoroughbreds with her late husband, Allen Paulson, was given the honor for her efforts to establish a sanctuary for wild horses.

Pickens, who is married to oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens, last month bought a 14,000-acre ranch in Nevada to take in thousands of wild horses that have been removed from public lands by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM is reviewing the proposal for the Mustang Monument preserve.

Madeleine Pickens "is one of those rare individuals who puts her passion, time and money where her heart is," Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society president and CEO, said in announcing the honor   Link

If Pickens is truly planning on putting thousands of horses on her newly acquired ranch then she and Wayne Pacelle both have a few things to learn about range management.  Doing that would put a quick end to her ranch and it’s ability to be grazed.  This ranch could probably support a few hundred horses but certainly not “thousands”.  These are generally the types of things that people who are unfamiliar with livestock overlook.  It will be interesting to see how many she does put out there and if she’s really willing to buy never-ending supplies of hay to feed that many.  Hopefully the ignorance of Pickens and the HSUS won't result in the destruction of this rangeland. 

Repeal Prop B?

Lawmakers Support Repeal of Prop B

'Puppy Mill' Prevention Act's narrow 51.5% passage has Missouri lawmakers examining a repeal.

MissouriRuralist.com
Published: Nov 8, 2010

Missouri lawmakers, in both the House and Senate, said they would support efforts by dog breeders and agricultural groups to repeal or dilute Proposition B, the so-called "Puppy Mill Prevention Act," passed by voters Nov. 2.

"We will start working on that issue immediately," said Senator-elect Mike Parson, whose district includes more than 150 licensed breeding operations. The next legislative session begins Jan. 5.

Proposition B, which will put new restrictions on state dog breeders, passed by substantial margins in urban areas, but failed in 100 of the state's 114 counties. Overall, it got 51.6% of the vote. However, licensed breeders and virtually all of the state's agricultural groups strongly opposed it saying it will force legitimate breeders out of business while doing nothing about unlicensed breeders.

Ag groups also argued passage of the measure – strongly backed by the Humane Society of the United States and other animal rights groups --- was just the first step as these groups move on to try and regulate animal agriculture out of business.      Read More

This was way closer than Wayne and Co. would like to think about.  He regularly goes into states and tells ag groups that they can win any vote by a healthy margin.  It’s more apparent than ever that he’s blowing smoke yet again.  There’s no doubt that the HSUS will come uncorked if there’s any attempt to modify the law.  HSUS is losing their credibility piece by piece every single day and this vote confirms it.   

It's Time To Do Something Different

I’ve been talking a lot lately about the Farm American Project. One of the reasons that I’m so excited about it is because the goal is to promote the Farmers and Ranchers that grow the food we eat. For years we’ve had commodity specific programs with a very narrow focus of emphasis. These programs certainly have their place and I am a big supporter of them. However, I truly believe that we need to embrace this program because it will promote the individuals in our industry.


We’ve seen the need to humanize farmers and ranchers for quite some time now yet it seems that very few have implemented strategies to accomplish it. Farm American is in a unique position to get it done. This project would allow 160 million consumers to meet the farmers and ranchers that grow all of their food.

No matter what we raise or how we raise it, consumers want to meet us and learn more about us. We all win when consumers get that chance.

Some people and ag companies have looked at this project and thought it’s not worth the effort. Here’s what I know for sure, the past strategy of thinking that there are groups of people that don’t need to hear our story has put us in this troublesome position. That means we have to think in new ways and move in new directions to have our voices heard. We can’t be scared, we have to be confident. The ag companies that step up and help make this a reality will prove themselves to be the true leaders in ag business because they will recognize this as an opportunity. It will be clear that they intend to be partners with Farmers and Ranchers for generations to come.

I want my children to have the same opportunities that I had to be involved in agriculture. In order for that to happen we need to let consumers know who we are and why it’s important that we are here. The opportunity is being given to all of us to get that done. It only remains to be seen who will take advantage of it.

It’s time to work together.

Ag Mag

Published November 02 2010


Ag Mag redesigned, now available to N.D. teachers

Jamestown Sun

North Dakota Ag Mag, a teaching tool that provides information about agriculture to thousands of North Dakota students, has a new look.

“Corn is the subject of the first full-color issue of Ag Mag,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Corn is an increasingly important crop in our state, and this new magazine will help young people better understand the history of corn, how it is produced and the many uses we have for corn.”

Goehring said he hopes more teachers in grades 3, 4 and 5 will take advantage of the free subscriptions to Ag Mag.

“Ag Mag reinforces what teachers are already doing in the classroom,” he said. “It helps teachers integrate information about North Dakota agriculture across curriculum in science, math, language arts, social studies, and other classes.”     Read More

Having some type of “Ag Mag” available for school teachers is vitally important.  I’ve had friends whose kids have brought home material from the HSUS from school.  When these parents have questioned the teachers about why, the answer is usually the same.  It was free for them to use and they didn’t know that the HSUS is the world’s wealthiest animal rights group.  The next thing the teacher asks is if there’s something they can use that correctly teaches about farming and ranching.  That’s when we need to be able to provide them with something like the Ag Mag

AgriTalk and Farm American

I want to thank the crew at AgriTalk for having Pat Driscoll and myself on the air this morning.  The Farm American Project is an unprecedented opportunity for farmers and ranchers to share their story with the American public. 

In order for it to become a reality next year we need everyone's help.  We need the help of individual producers to spread the message of the project AND we also need them to encourage agri-businesses to support us with their funding. 

You can read the entire story of the project by clicking here.

Balanced Diets Best

Vegetarians at risk of brain disorders

IANS, Oct 28, 2010, 02.36pm IST
TimesOfIndia.com

Vegetarians are at an early risk of mental disorder such as dementia and alzheimer's as they develop a Vitamin B-12 deficiency, doctors said here Wednesday.

Fish, shellfish, meat, eggs, milk and their by-products are some of the biggest sources of Vitamin B-12.

"Deficiency of Vitamin B-12 can reduce working capacity of the brain and result in progressive memory loss that has an impact on day to day activities," Praveen Gupta, consultant neurologist at Artemis Health Institute in Gurgaon, said in an Interview.

"Since majority of the Indian population is vegetarian and milk consumption has reduced considerably, they are more prone to early onset of dementia. Those who suffer from lactose intolerance are also at risk," Gupta explained.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India had nearly 3.5 million alzheimer's and dementia patients in the year 2000.

"We see at least 30 patients under the age of 40 every month -- suffering from memory loss and other manifestations due to deficiency of vitamin B-12. Once diagnosed, these patients respond very well to vitamin B-12 supplements," Gupta added.    Read More

Eating a balanced diet that includes meat and dairy products has been proven time and again to be the best diet for people.  But diet alone doesn’t determine your health.  There’s a little thing called exercise that also plays an important factor.  Many critics of our food supply conveniently seem to forget that. 

Missouri's Prop B Affects Real People

Breeders fearful of tighter rules under Prop B

By Melanie Loth

October 28, 2010
6:42 p.m. CDT
Columbia Missourian

COLUMBIA – Peaches rolls in the grass by the feet of his breeder, Hubert Lavy. The French bulldog casually sniffs Lavy’s shoes and jeans, finding the scent of the other dogs at the kennel.

“If you ever want a pet, this is what you get,” he said. “They are the most loving, comical pets.”

Lavy and his wife, Sharon Lavy, own Tenderheart Kennel in Silex, which is in Lincoln County. They have been breeding dogs to sell as pets for the past 10 years.

“We sell love, we sell friendship, but we also sell a reason to get out of bed in the morning,” Hubert Lavy said.

Tenderheart Kennel is one of many large-scale dog breeding operations in Missouri that would be affected if voters statewide approve Proposition B on Tuesday.

Proposition B would add new regulations to current laws governing dog breeders in Missouri. The regulations are limited to dog breeders with 10 or more breeding females. Tenderheart Kennel has 37 breeding females, but only breeds about 20 of them; the rest are too young or too old.

The Lavys oppose Proposition B because they fear it would be cost-prohibitive to meet all of the proposed standards.

“It’s the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life,” Hubert Lavy said. “It’s my hobby, it’s what I love to do and, dammit, they are going to take it away from me.”

Hubert Lavy estimated renovations to meet the standards in Proposition B would cost $50,000. He put his yearly earnings at $15,000 to $20,000.    Read More

This article is the first one that I’ve seen about Prop B in Missouri that has attempted to put a face on the people this will affect.  HSUS has been able to make a fortune by trying to make criminals out of honest, hard working people that raise animals.  The widely used HSUS talking point is to say that they only want to stop the worst cases of abuse.  Yet spending just a minute on their website will tell a completely different story.  They don’t want people using animals for any purpose whatsoever.  Prop B, like many other pieces of legislation they have forced on states, is just a step in the direction of their ultimate goals.  Please vote NO on Prop B in Missouri. 

Another Local Shelter Has To Set The Record Straight

Michigan Humane Society: not part of political campaign, Peters ads


Published: Thursday, October 28, 2010
By Charles Crumm
For the Daily Tribune

The Michigan Humane Society is distancing itself from a political action committee called the Humane Society Legislative Fund, which is running ads on behalf of U.S. Rep. Gary Peters.

The Bingham Farms-based nonprofit said in a statement Wednesday that it is not connected with the Humane Society Legislative Fund or its parent organization, The Humane Society of the United States.

It is prohibited as a nonprofit from promoting or endorsing political candidates, Humane Society spokeswoman Nancy Gunnigle said.

“Our focus is on caring for dogs and animals each year in metropolitan Detroit,” she said.

  Read More

Here’s one thing you will never hear anyone from the HSUS be able to say with a straight face, “Our focus is on caring for dogs and animals”.  And if they do they are lying.  That’s probably the best way for local shelters to differentiate themselves from the HSUS.  It’s just a shame that local shelters have to spend precious time and resources trying to straighten out the confusion intentionally caused by the HSUS to feed their fundraising machine. 

mikeroweWORKS.com Helping Share Our Story

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to the team over at http://www.mikeroweworks.com/  for volunteering to help us share the story of the American Farmer and Rancher.  Mike Rowe and the entire team are certainly big supporters of the hard working men and women that make this country what it is. 

I really appreciate them posting my blog article on the Farm American project.  If you haven't seen it yet you need to check it out.  http://www.mikeroweworks.com/2010/10/farm-american/

Farm American

We’ve been saying it for a long time in agriculture, we need to be proactive in our efforts to educate the consumer about domestic food production and the farmers and ranchers that grow it rather than being reactive to the latest inaccurate accusations from an anti-ag group. There’s not a better way to do this than to tell our story one person at a time and let consumers get to know us, let them meet a real farmer or rancher. But we’ve also talked about how great it would be to tell our story on a bigger stage to a bigger audience. With limited resources and opportunities it hasn’t happened yet, however, that is about to change.

I truly believe that the opportunity we have been looking for has just landed in our lap. Even more amazing than that is it’s coming from someone with no ties to agriculture at all yet he realizes the important job that farmers and ranchers have and wants to help tell the story of the 21st century agriculturalist. His name is Barney Visser and he owns the Furniture Row chain of furniture stores. Like most farmers and ranchers, Visser is a self-made man and a great example of what you can achieve with hard work. He started with a single store in Denver selling an invention of his called the bean bag chair. That single store turned into the fastest growing furniture chain today which includes brands like Denver Mattress and Oak Express.

Visser recently formed the Furniture Row Racing NASCAR team but unlike most teams he wanted to use his to promote worthwhile causes when possible. When he was presented with the idea of promoting the American farmer and rancher he knew it was the right thing to do. At one time he had 800 employees in Colorado making furniture for him. Unfortunately he had to eventually close it down though because he couldn’t compete with less expensive imports. Reflecting back on that experience Visser stated that it was bad enough he now has to get his furniture from overseas, the last thing he wanted is his food coming from there. So over the past year he has spent millions of his own money developing the Farm American project.

The Farm American project has several facets to it. Visser has generously offered to turn the Furniture Row Racing team into the Farm American team. The Farm American car ran at three Sprint Cup races this year and we were fortunate enough to be at the final running a few weeks ago in Fontana, CA where we got to meet Visser and his family and the entire race crew. The paint scheme is beautiful on the car and really stands out among the rest of the field because it’s not cluttered with advertisements. Along with this, we want to develop a traveling interactive display that would be set up in the Fan Zone at every race. It would include having local farmers and ranchers there to share with consumers what they do, a real farmers market, farm machinery simulators and other great teaching tools. Research has shown that this segment of the project can reach 33% of the American public every week.

The next phase of the plan also highlights the commitment and generosity of Barney Visser. He is going to allow us to use all of his retail locations across the country to promote farmers and ranchers as well. This will include in-store displays featuring local farmers and ranchers as well as promotional material included in their advertisements. Visser has even offered to re-paint all of his delivery trucks to match the paint scheme on the Farm American car. This would reach another 30% of the American public.

Finally, the Farm American car and traveling educational exhibit could be available for various other functions, including fairs and shows.

When you add it all up, this project could reach nearly 200 million people. That’s an astonishing number! Unfortunately, it will take some money to bring this project to it’s full potential. As I mentioned earlier, Mr. Visser has already put a couple million dollars of his own money into it to get it off the ground. Now it’s time for agri-business to step up and help the farmers and ranchers they depend on to tell their story.

The Farm American project will need to raise $22 million in order to implement all of the components and operate for a full year. Now I know that seems like a big mountain to climb but in reality it’s not. When you think about the economic impact that agriculture has on this country and the importance of this issue, that’s a small price to pay to educate our consumers. It would be tough for individual farmers and ranchers to raise that kind of money so that’s why we need ag businesses to step up.

We need agri-business to realize that they need to become partners in our efforts to tell the real story of modern agriculture. It’s been great to see some companies realize this and trying to do what they can to help. For those, it’s their opportunity to become part of something even bigger than themselves. If there are companies out there that feel it’s not their responsibility to help tell this story, then they have a shockingly short-sighted view of what needs to be done. I plan on asking all of these companies, both privately and publicly, to help with this project. Their survival depends on our survival.

So what do we need from you? We need your voices. We need your passion. We need you to help share the story of the Farm American project so we can share the story of the American Farmer and Rancher with 200 million consumers. These ag businesses will need to hear from each and every one of you about why this is important. I am going to commit to giving my business to the companies that support this project and will encourage all of you to do the same. It's also important for me to stress that neither Visser or Furniture Row Racing will be profiting from this project.  They are doing it because it's the right thing to do. 

Above all else, we want this effort to stay very positive! The anti-ag groups like to stoop to that level on a regular basis. We don’t have to, our message speaks for itself. So thank you in advance for keeping all of your comments very positive and helping us make this incredible project a reality.

Let me know if you have any ideas, comments or questions and stay tuned for more updates!

Animal Friends Advocate Violent Death For Deer

Group: Use coyotes, not hunters to cut deer population


Published: Tuesday, October 19, 2010
DailyLocal.com

VALLEY FORGE — An animal-rights group that opposes the use of hunters to cut the deer population in Valley Forge National Historical Park wants officials to consider using coyotes instead.

The Pennsylvania chapter of Friends of Animals opposes a plan to use sharpshooters to eliminate more than 80 percent of the park's deer in the next four years. Last year, the group filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the hunts.

Now, the group has started a campaign called the Coyote Coexistence Initiative. The group wants park officials to consider encouraging natural predators rather than shooting the deer.

Park officials say the proposal wouldn't work.

Friends of Animals says it will seek an injunction to stop a hunt planned for next month. According the Friends of Animals' Web site, attempts to control coyote populations through trapping and killing have been futile and "an ethically and scientifically sound strategy that focuses on empowering people to respect coyotes" is preferable.

"Education and outreach designed to inform the public about the role of feeding in coyote attacks is an integral part of coexistence programs already in place and those currently being developed," the group's Web site says. "Coyote education campaigns can demonstrate practical ways to avoid unwanted incidents — by, for example, making coyote deterrents using household items."     Read More

Let’s see if I can get this straight.  The Friends of Animals group would rather have predators chasing and harassing a deer until it finally dies a very slow and painful death than have sharpshooters quickly harvest the deer and use the meat to feed the homeless.  With friends like that who needs enemies??  Not only would this be a tremendous waste of resources, but it would also lead to an eventual problem with coyotes as well.  With their plan, what happens to the coyotes if and when they would lower the deer population?  They either start starving to death or die off from disease.  It’s another great example of people with no knowledge or experience dealing with managing natural resources trying to make recommendations that cause more harm than good. 

Activists Threaten Food Supply

Ruling Imperils Sugar Production


By BILL TOMSON

Wall Street Journal

U.S. sugar production will be cut by about 20% if farmers are banned from planting genetically modified beets next year, according to data prepared for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of a court case over whether to continue allowing the practice.

Genetically modified beets have come to account for 95% of the U.S. sugar-beet crop in the five years since they were approved by the Agriculture Department. But in August, a judge threw out the USDA's initial approval for the use of genetically modified seeds, saying it hadn't done enough research into the environmental impact. The department says the studies the judge required will take about two years.

That triggered concerns there wouldn't be enough traditional sugar-beet seeds for next spring's planting season, as many seed producers had switched to genetically modified varieties. It takes about two years to produce seeds.

Sugar beets, from which sugar is processed, will account for about 60% of domestic U.S. production this year.

If farmers can't plant genetically modified seeds next spring, a shortage of traditional seeds would likely cut 1.6 million tons from next year's sugar-beet crop, according to a declaration by the USDA prepared by Daniel Colacicco, director of the department's dairy and sweetener analysis group. The government has forecast next year's crop at 8.1 million tons.    Read More

This falls in line with the typical “shoot first, ask questions later” approach by anti-ag groups in their efforts to force agriculture to change without looking at the consequences.  Many of these groups have a similar philosophy to roll ag back 100 years in it’s technology use.  What they don’t realize is that these types of things reduce our ability to grow food at the exact time we need to be increasing our output.  All of these efforts come from people that live very comfortably and don’t worry about being able to afford food.  Those that live on a budget or don’t know where their next meal is coming from would certainly disagree with these elitist attacks on our food production system. 

Vote No on Missouri's Prop B

Ballot issue breeds contempt between dog breeders, animal-rights activists


KansasCity.com

By JASON NOBLE

JEFFERSON CITY
The forces for and against Missouri’s Proposition B are making their cases with cute and cuddly puppies.

But make no mistake, the contest to convince voters is a down and dirty dogfight.

Prop B on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot will ask voters whether to enact the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act,” a set of laws that would substantially sharpen regulations on dog breeders.

Proponents, led by national animal-rights groups, contend new laws are critical to ensure humane treatment within Missouri’s vast dog-breeding industry.

“The regulations on the books now … ensure that dogs in these facilities survive, but don’t do much more than that,” said Barbara Schmitz, campaign manager for Missourians for the Protection of Dogs. “We’re trying to insert animal-welfare provisions into the large-scale breeding equation.”

Breeders and animal-agriculture trade groups counter that the laws will devastate reputable family businesses and raise the price of puppies at pet stores, but do nothing to stop bad breeders.

“What this does is make regulation so strict on breeders that it will basically put them out of business,” said Anita Andrews, director of the Alliance for Truth, a campaign opposing the ballot measure.   Read More

The HSUS doesn’t want people using animals for any reason, not as pets or as sources of food.  If this bill passes it helps them on both fronts.  They know this will hurt people who raise dogs in turn making it harder for people to have dogs for pets.  It will also get their foot in the door on the livestock front and further their argument that eating meat is wrong.  HSUS is nothing but a fundraising machine and in order to keep that machine running they must continually push onerous regulations on people who use animals by distorting the truth.  Please let your friends and family in Missouri know they should vote NO on Prop B.

Background on the PETA Rally

Some parents question PETA protest at Pa. school

- The Associated Press
October 13, 2010 9:32am EDT

• PITTSBURGH — Some parents are questioning a protest by People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals outside a Pittsburgh public school.

A person in an elephant costume with a bloody forehead bandage handed out coloring books as students left Colfax Elementary School on Tuesday. The protest targets the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus coming to town next month.

Parent Sabrina Weihrauch says she generally supports PETA, but doesn't believe in demonstrating outside a school.

PETA spokeswoman Virginia Fort says the stunt "gently let children know" how circus animals are treated. The circus says its animals aren't mistreated.

Seventy-two-year-old Anne Myrick tried to shoo students away from the protest, telling the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "They're hustling little kids."   Link

This is pretty standard fare for PETA but I thought I’d let all of you know a little more about Virginia Fort. She is PETA’s full time paid protester. She travels across the country setting up these demonstrations. I was able to visit with her when they were in Rapid City last November. At that protest they were trying to convince people that all dairy cows are abused by the farmers that own them. In part of our discussions with Ms. Fort we asked her what should be done with all of the pasture land that cows are grazing on since they want animal agriculture eliminated. Her response was that we should farm it. Another rancher standing nearby asked if she really thought ripping up native prairie in a semi-arid climate was a good idea. She said we might as well since the cows are out there pooping on it anyhow. WHAT?? I asked her if I could video her saying that response again and she refused. Obviously this wouldn’t be the best use of the land but her idea is that if anything is “pooping” on the land it is being destroyed. That’s PETA mentality for you.



The other main point to take home from this is that there aren’t protests from local people taking place. PETA has to hire employees to do this for them. For the most part it’s the same few people at every PETA protest.