Category Archives: Animal Activists

Thank Domino’s Ag Pizza Party Weekend

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We know what’s for dinner tonight – Domino’s Pizza!

This weekend has officially been declared “Thank Domino’s Ag Pizza Party Weekend” by the agriculture social media community. It is our way of saying thanks to the pizza corporation for not caving into the demands of HSUS (Humane Society of the U.S.) Last month, Domino’s Pizza shareholders voted against a resolution that would have required pork suppliers to stop housing gestating sows in stalls. Domino’s made that decision after consulting industry experts about what is best for the animals. “We rely on established industry experts and the USDA to determine best practices in this area, and will continue to do so,” they said. Yes!!!

Thousands have joined “The Truth About Agriculture” movement called “Farmers Paying it Forward with Pizza” and are planning to purchase pizza from Domino’s this weekend to say thanks! They have even created a custom thank you note for people to print out and deliver to Domino’s.

When you get your pizza this weekend, make sure to take photos and share them on the Pizza Party FB page and tweet using the hash tag #agpizzaparty with handle @dominos.

Regulatory and Activist Lessons From Europe

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Lessons Learned From Europe was the topic addressed by Mike Sheldon, Greenway Farms Limited, during the opening session of the 2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. Mike talked about regulatory burdens and activist influence. You’ll hear him say in my interview with him that what’s happening there is coming here to the USA.

I asked Mike what he wanted to communicate to our group here. He says that he first wanted us to know how big the impact is going to be on hog production when closed confinement stalls for sows are banned next year. He says this change is happening in Europe and will happen here as well. This change is going to be huge. He says that minor changes can be dealt with but a change of this magnitude which will require massive investment to implement without showing a greater return is going to be hard to deal with.

You can hear my interview with Mike here: Interview with Mike Sheldon

2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

Thanks to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and United Soybean Board for their sponsorship of our coverage of this year’s Summit.

Protect The Harvest Video

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Are you familiar with Protect the Harvest? Just received a press release from them about the video below. I sure understand their message but wish there was more information on who they are.

“Protect The Harvest” released a controversial web video entitled “The Humane Society’s Rotten Eggs,” adding its voice to the growing outcry against the attempts by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to enact dangerous new federal restrictions on egg farmers.

“Enough is enough,” declared Erik Helland, a Protect The Harvest board member. “It’s clear that HSUS cares less about protecting chickens from inhumane treatment and more about making it impossible to produce eggs or raise poultry in America. If Americans aren’t careful, HSUS will succeed in pricing eggs out of the market for most U.S. families while putting countless farmers out of business.”

The two minute animated video details the continuing efforts by HSUS to control America’s egg farmers that began with California’s Proposition 2 campaign in 2008 and have now reached Congress with H.R. 3798. The video explores the impact these proposals by HSUS will have on the economy and the food supply.

Gaylord Opryland Removes HSUS Video Plug

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This was a very surprising sight to Cattle Industry Convention attendees when they checked in to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. It’s an image promoting the Humane Society of the United States, an organization very antagonistic to farming and animal agriculture in general. It has created quite a buzz on the floor. I have a feeling that it has something to do with the fact that HSUS holds a large pet show here in May. To find out more I have emailed a request for response to the hotel but have not heard anything back at this point. I did notify NCBA and was just notified by their staff that the hotel has apologized for this oversight and has removed the “commercial” from all television screens, including the hotel bus. It is hoped that the hotel will make sure to not air this again in the future.

That was quick work by the NCBA issues management team and I applaud them for the effort. I also applaud the Gaylord for their decision and action to be sensitive to all their clients.

United Egg Producers Hatches Deal With HSUS

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In a move to avoid fighting legislative battles in individual states, United Egg Producers (UEP) will work together with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) “toward the enactment of comprehensive new federal legislation for all 280 million hens involved in U.S. egg production.”

According to a release from UEP, the proposed standards advocated by UEP and HSUS, if enacted, would be the first federal law addressing the treatment of animals on farms.

The two groups will jointly ask Congress for federal legislation which would require egg producers to increase space per bird in a tiered phase in, with the amount of space birds are given increasing, in intervals, over the next 15 to 18 years. Currently, the majority of birds are each provided 67 square inches of space, with roughly 50 million receiving 48 square inches. The proposed phase-in would culminate with hens nationwide being provided a minimum of 124-144 square inches of space, along with the other improvements noted.

Other livestock sectors facing challenges by HSUS are concerned about the agreement. National Pork Producers Council President Doug Wolf says they fear that legislation pre-empting state laws on egg production systems would “set a dangerous precedent for allowing the federal government to dictate how livestock and poultry producers raise and care for their animals.”

If Congress passes the legislation proposed by UEP and HSUS, it would supersede state laws including those that have been passed in Arizona, California, Michigan and Ohio and “puts a hold on planned ballot measures related to egg-laying hens in both Washington and Oregon.”

Nebraskans Believe Farmers Take Care of Animals

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Sen. Tom CarlsonProtecting and growing agriculture amidst the activist conflict was the topic of the first panel discussion at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. Nebraska Senator Tom Carlson was a panelist and he made it very clear that animal rights activists are not welcome in his state. He says that when these groups come into a state, they don’t know the state and they try to paint all of agriculture with a broad brush. The fact is that farmers love their animals and take very good care of them. He uses an anecdote of how during a winter blizzard farmers were out in the severe weather taking care of their livestock and HSUS was no where to be seen. He also pointed to research that found that ninety percent of people in Nebraska believe the livestock industry is important and ninety four percent trust farmers to take humane care of their animals!

The Senator believes the mission of the Church is number one and the mission to raise food to feed people follows and is a noble mission. He says activists just want to stop killing animals for food. They really aren’t in favor of the humane treatment of animals for food. He says this conference helps bring out how important it is for different agricultural interests to come together in the face of a common threat.

You can listen to my interview with Sen. Carlson here: Sen. Tom Carlson Interview

Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean

United We Eat

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I’m getting ready for the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. It’s time to head back out on the agriblogging highway.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance will host its tenth annual Stakeholders Summit May 5-6, 2011 in Arlington, Virginia. The Summit will bring together food and farm industry leaders to reflect on the challenges of the past decade and new opportunities to strengthen agriculture advocacy efforts in the future. The Summit is truly a one-of-a-kind event that is attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislators, universities and government agencies.

My coverage of the event is being sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and United Soybean Board. I’m looking forward to a great learning experience that will included interviews and photos. But you’ve come to expect that right?

Missouri Farmers Rally to Support Changes To Prop B

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Here’s to hoping Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will sign SB 113 into law to try to bring a little common sense to the misguided Prop B that the wackos at HSUS conned voters into supporting. This afternoon a rally was held on the Capitol steps and organized and promoted by Missouri farm groups. You can find out more at Missouri Farmers Care.

Rally to support Missouri Farmers! Using Prop B as a Trojan Horse, radical animal rights groups launched an attack on Missouri agriculture. Now, with Governor Nixon’s help, Missouri Farmers and animal welfare advocates have joined together to create a Missouri solution, but groups like HSUS are none too happy and are planning to protest. We need to send a strong message that Missouri will always Stand Up For Farmers!

I think they did!

What HSUS Really Is

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Thanks to MoFarmersCare for the production of a video that explains what HSUS really is. Missouri and other farmers do care about their animals and there are great organizations like most of your local animal shelters. Unfortunately, all of the above are being hurt by the activities of this organization.

HSUS Boss Comments Criticized

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HumaneWatch.org made sure people know about the latest problem HSUS is having. They ran this full page ad in the Sunday New York Times. It criticizes the “recent claim of Wayne Pacelle, the President of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), that convicted dog abuser Michael Vick “would do a good job as a pet owner.” The ad condemns HSUS for supporting the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback’s ownership of dogs and urges all recurring HSUS donors to cancel their memberships and stop giving to the organization. I just love what Dave Martosko and company are doing in making sure people get the truth about this anti animal agriculture organization.

HumaneWatch.org points to the Eagles’ $50,000 donation to HSUS in 2010 as one possible motivation for Pacelle’s indefensible suggestion that Vick should be allowed to own more dogs. Despite the words “humane society” in its name, HSUS is not affiliated with local humane societies anywhere in America. It spends tens of millions every year supporting a staff of more than 700, lobbyists in all 50 states, and an $11 million executive pension plan. Yet during the past two years, HSUS shared less than 1 percent of its money with hands-on pet shelters.

“It’s absolutely shocking that the leader of America’s biggest animal rights group would side with a convicted dog fighting felon instead of with helpless pets,” said David Martosko, CCF’s Director of Research and the editor of HumaneWatch.org.

Within 24 hours of Michael Vick’s arrest for running a Virginia dog fighting ring, HSUS began raising money online to “care for the dogs seized” at Vick’s home. Wayne Pacelle later admitted to The New York Times that HSUS was not caring for the dogs. Pacelle also recommended that officials “put down” (kill) the animals. Despite HSUS’s wishes, most of those dogs have since been successfully rehabilitated.

Read the copy of the ad by clicking on this link Continue reading →

House Ag Committee Dems Decimated

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us houseWith debate on the next farm bill expected to begin in earnest next year, the make-up of the House Agriculture Committee will be significant – and after yesterday’s election there will be lots of new faces.

While Chairman Collin Peterson was re-elected, he will no longer be chairman with the Republicans in control. What is really amazing is that 16 of the 28 Democrats on the House Ag Committee were defeated – over half! On the Republican side – not a single member lost their election. Only Jerry Moran of Kansas will no longer be in the U.S. House as he won his bid for the open Senate seat in that state.

The Senate Ag committee fared better, mainly because most of the members were not up for re-election. However, Chairman Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas was soundly defeated, as was expected.

It will definitely be interesting to see what happens next!

By the way – the HSUS backed “puppy mill” proposition in Missouri unfortunately passed. It was looking really good early on, with the No votes running over 60% – until the St. Louis and Kansas City ballots started coming in and the balance changed. Missouri is kind of a microcosm of the U.S. with our very own East and West coasts that have a whole different viewpoint compared to the rest of the state!

So, will Prop B really “save the puppies?” Farm broadcaster Tom Brand of KFEQ in St. Joseph, Missouri had an interesting take on that yesterday on Facebook. “The Humane Society of the US says there’s 200,000+ dogs in MO w/ 1,400 licensed breeders. A limit of 50=70,000. What about the remaining 130,000? MO’s 350 shelters (that HSUS doesn’t help) would have to take 350+ dogs by 12/31. If they’re not rescued, killed or moved to another state – 83,000 dogs will be killed. HSUS says 64% of dogs that go to shelters don’t leave.” Nice job, HSUS! I’m sure those puppies will be thanking you.

Missouri Prop B Video Captures Essence of Supporters

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It’s so sad but so true. All the supporters of the HSUS sponsored ballot initiative can see is the word “puppy” and they assume it’s good. It doesn’t take much effort to look into it and see that this is completely unnecessary and only meant as a way to wreak more havoc on everyone involved in animal agriculture. We don’t need this thing but anyone want to bet on the outcome? What percentage of urban voters do you think will be like the clueless animal in this video?

BTW. Anyone who mistreats animals should be prosecuted. However, unlicensed and non-inspected dog breeders in Missouri are the problem and this ballot initiative will do nothing to change the situation we have. How about just better enforcing the laws we have?

Missouri Ag Coalition Fights HSUS Prop B

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Missourians for animal careSigns opposing a proposition on the Missouri ballot backed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) are popping up all over the state with election day just around the corner.

Like David against Goliath, Missouri’s agriculture groups, united under the banner Missourians for Animal Care, are fighting against the heavily-funded HSUS campaign with yard signs and a volunteer phone campaign. Proposition B, the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act,” is aimed at dog breeders, but livestock interests fear it is just the first step in furthering the HSUS anti-animal agriculture agenda in Missouri. They also contend that the regulations for legitimate dog breeders are so strict that it will basically put them out of business, while the unlicensed breeders who already are breaking the laws on the books will just continue to do so.

The Missourians for Animal Care group and others opposed to the proposition are fighting an uphill battle as proponents are saturating the airwaves with a multi-million dollar, mostly out-of-state funded, campaign featuring sad and heartbreaking stories and images of puppies raised in substandard conditions. But they are fighting anyway and we have our sign in the front yard. All we can do is hope and pray that good sense will prevail! Umm, yeah.

Read a good story on the issue from the KC Star here.

Animal Agriculture Defended At WEG

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I was sure glad to see the Animal Agriculture Alliance here at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games. Sarah Hubbart, Communications Coordinator, is pictured on the left. This is a big international stage with a huge contingent of media on par with the largest I’ve ever seen. Wouldn’t it have been a great place for ag to be on display? Well it is since horses are a big part of agriculture!

But more importantly these folks and common sense are about all that’s combating the deceivers at HSUS which also has an outdoor booth here. I know that’s strange but it happened and they’re pretty well restricted in what they can distribute. See my TwitPic. However, HSUS wants to end animal agriculture so they are leaving an impression with their misinformation campaign on some people who wander through the trade show. Hopefully people will wake up and get the facts from trustworthy sources like HumaneWatch.org.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
is sponsored by: john-deere

Missourians For Animal Care Continues HSUS Battle

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Missourians For Animal Care continue to fight the HSUS battle by releasing another video to help create public awareness.

Our mission is to promote and protect Missouri’s vibrant and diverse agriculture, which includes livestock and domesticated animals.

Like ‘em on Facebook.

A ballot initiative is currently underway in the state of Missouri. This ballot initiative is called “The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act”. This ballot measure would place onerous restrictions on Missouri’s well-run licensed breeding facilities which is unfair and misguided. This law punishes law-abiding, licensed breeders for the minority of unlicensed breeders who do not follow the Animal Care Facilities Act Program (ACFA) and who are non-compliant to the law. This measure would also impose detrimental economic consequences for our Missouri farming and agriculture communities.

Fallout from Ohio HSUS Deal

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Two days after it was announced, the consensus in the animal agriculture world seems to be that Ohio farm groups made a “deal with the devil” in the agreement with the Humane Society of the United States to drop its animal rights ballot initiative in the state.

Initially, the HSUS watchdog website HumaneWatch was jubilant about the agreement and called it a victory. Upon further research, however, editor David Martosko changed his mind, finding that the “devil was in the details” of the deal.

animal agThe Animal Agriculture Alliance puts it succinctly in a press release. “The only group to benefit from this agreement is HSUS,” they say. “This “compromise” is only the beginning. HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle has indicated that the agreement is “not legally binding,” meaning that while HSUS will not be pursuing a ballot initiative this fall, the future is still uncertain.”

Many individual farmers and ranchers feel the same way, as well as pet breeders and others who feel they were “thrown under the bus” in the agreement. Time will tell, but an old Irish proverb says “the devil never grants long leases” so we are likely to find out sooner rather than later if this was a deal that Ohio agriculture will live to regret.

HSUS Drops Ballot Initiative in Ohio

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The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has reached an agreement with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and state agricultural leaders to drop a proposed animal rights ballot initiative.

OH HSUSAt a hastily called press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Governor Stickland stood with Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president Jack Fisher and HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle to make the announcement, which amounts to a truce between the aggressive animal rights group and Ohio’s animal agriculture industry. “This agreement represents a joint effort to find common ground,” said Strickland. “What we have concluded is something that is good for Ohio agriculture and will be good for animal welfare in our state.”

Under the agreement, HSUS will work with the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board and has received some concessions from the animal agriculture industry in exchange. Those concessions include a ban on veal crates by 2017; a ban on new gestation crates in the state after Dec. 31, 2010 and a 15 year phase out period; and a moratorium on permits for new battery cage confinement facilities for laying hens. The agreement also includes restrictions on cockfighting, “puppy mills” and exotic animals.

Fisher thanked the rest of the Ohio agriculture industry for working together on the compromise. “We came to the table to represent all of us in Ohio the best way that we could,” Fisher said. “We think it recognizes the wishes of our voters last fall in that the Ohio Livestock Care Standards board will be able to fulfill its mission. We also think it brings some certainty to the business climate for our Ohio farmers. Not in total – but this is the best we could do for all of us.”

Pacelle had the longest opening statement for the press conference, in which he thanked all the commodity groups for “good faith discussions.” “We want animal welfare, but we live in the real world,” Pacelle said, noting that they had the 500,000 signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot this fall. Interestingly, only HSUS had a press release on its website about the announcement by the time the press conference was underway. Even after it was over, neither the governor’s office nor Ohio Farm Bureau had yet posted a release.

UPDATE: Releases were posted by both Ohio governor and Ohio Farm Bureau later yesterday evening.

Listen to or download opening statements from all here: Ohio HSUS Agreement Press Conference

Ugly Dairy Video Stirs Emotions

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The alleged dairy cow abuser has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty, but the emotional storm stirred up yesterday after a video depicting animal abuse on an Ohio dairy released by activist organization Mercy For Animals (MFA) is far from over.

Notice use of the word “alleged.” No one has been found guilty of anything yet. However, the owner of the dairy farm (not the star of the video who was arrested) has been receiving death threats and has not even received the benefit of the doubt from many ag industry commentators.

The video is disturbing on many levels. Many people are unable to watch it even once, let alone more than once. Which is why I question how anyone who cares deeply about “mercy for animals” could have endured recording that for four weeks. If it were me, it would have only taken one incident to immediately contact the local authorities. The people shown in the video punching, kicking, stabbing, and viciously attacking these defenseless animals are clearly sick human beings who should be held liable for their individual actions.

What is also disturbing is that most of the videotaped abuse appears to be for the enjoyment of the abuser, which is just sick and demented. The worker who was arrested talks about how much he enjoys abusing the animals. This is not normal behavior for decent human beings, who make up the vast majority of dairy farmers (and hopefully humanity in general!). As Ohio Farm Bureau Federation spokesman Joe Cornely pointed out during an interview yesterday with Buckeye Ag Radio Network, using this video to tar an entire industry is basically like using a situation where someone abuses a pet to draw the conclusion that “all pet owners abuse their pets.” Since MFA tags this horrible video “ditch cruelty – ditch dairy,” should we ditch pets as well so no animal will ever be abused again?

It is also important to note that even the experts that MFA quotes on it’s own website indicate that this is extremely unusual. “The video depicts calculated, deliberate cruelty, based not on momentary rage but on taking pleasure through causing pain to cows and calves who are defenseless. In my opinion, the individuals shown are twisted and dangerous,” said Colorado State University animal science professor Bernard Rollin. Veterinarian Dr. Geoff Ball points out, “This footage should be seen as a red flag for child, spousal and other forms of violence.” Continue reading →