Farmers fight back against animal-rights groups

By The Associated Press
Drovers
January 13, 2010

It's little wonder that farmers fret about the future of the livestock industry. In the past two years, feed costs skyrocketed, pork and dairy prices plummeted, and animal-rights groups stepped up efforts to improve living conditions for farm animals.

Some farmers are hoping to strike back with proactive efforts to ward off unwanted legislation and boost the struggling industry.

"A line must be drawn between our polite and respectful engagement with consumers and how we must aggressively respond to extremists who want to drag agriculture back to the day of 40 acres and a mule," said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

"The time has come for us to face our opponents with a new attitude," he told some 5,000 members gathered in Seattle for the group's annual convention Sunday. "The days of their elitist power grabs are over."

The Humane Society of the U.S. has shepherded laws in at least six states to ban cramped cages for farm animals and persuaded some of the country's largest fast-food restaurants and retailers to make at least a gradual switch to cage-free eggs. The group last year championed a ban on tail docking at California dairies.

Ohio farmers struck back by promoting a constitutional amendment to create a livestock care standards board. Some 50,000 signs and 100-plus billboards touted the proposal, which 64 percent of voters approved.

"I really view Ohio as a culmination of California, Colorado, Florida, all the states where the Humane Society has stepped up its efforts," Stallman said. "Each state is unique, but we have learned something every step of the way, and it culminated in a win for us in Ohio."

Jack Fisher of the Ohio Farm Bureau implored farmers in other states to be proactive and take similar steps of their own. He noted that the Human Society has turned its efforts toward regulating so-called "puppy mills" and dog breeding operations and urged farmers to join forces with that industry in educating consumers.

"No doubt we have to have agricultural unity in our states to survive these challenges," he said.

Full text:

http://www.drovers.com/news_editorial.asp?pgID=675&ed_id=6726