..STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

Duane A. Lienemann,

 UNL Extension Educator,

Webster County

October 7, 2011 Edition

This was a busy week for me but a good one. One of my favorites task was the opportunity to work with about 400 young people at a Agriculture Safety Day in Hastings. There is something about being in front of young people that gets me excited and motivated. We are blessed with so many good kids. I had a lot of fun doing a bunch of consecutive sessions on Lawn Mower Safety. It was a delight working with each school’s students as they went from station to station. I love how they respond and are not afraid to raise their hand and ask some very good questions or better yet - relate personal things that come up from discussion. You have to love the innocence and honesty that they bring with them. Oh to have that energy again. They say that working with young people make you young. It is good to be 39 again.

Another venue that I had the opportunity to participate was with the Sutton Chamber of Commerce. They invited me to come to their meeting and visit with them about the issues facing animal agriculture - with an emphasis on animal rights versus animal welfare and the role that HSUS is playing in what I think is the number one issue facing the livestock and probably the entire agricultural industry. I found out after getting there that they wanted information to verify, and also my take on any questions or concerns that they may have had in dealing with a resolution that had come up at an earlier meeting. That resolution was one that I think is good for our state in taking a pro-active stance in regards to this issue.
It was gratifying to me to see our Nebraska’s governor and several of our State Senators send a warning out to the Human Society of the United States that anti-agriculture actions the group implemented in other states would not be welcome in Cornhusker State. Recently, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce has encouraged local Nebraska Chambers to oppose any possible future activities of HSUS that would be detrimental to the state’s agricultural economy, especially animal agriculture. They feel that they needed to take action because HSUS’ activities in other states (such as Florida, California, Arizona, Ohio, Missouri and others) have harmed their agricultural economies. The chamber does not want to see the same potentially detrimental effect occur in Nebraska. They are now joining the efforts of many of their peers.
The Sutton Chamber’s board voted to join the Nebraska Chamber in the effort to raise public awareness, not just in South Central Nebraska, but throughout the entire state that efforts by HSUS and other activists not only threaten Nebraska’s livestock producers, but also our crop producers. Agriculture is Nebraska’s No. 1 industry and all of the towns and even large cities across the state depend upon that engine that drives our state and its economy.
Most people I know feel that livestock producers are already being held accountable for how they raise livestock through state and federal regulations as well as their own standards and moral integrity. The farmer was the first animal welfarist and does a superb job. It is their life! We also have self-directed industry programs, such as the Beef Quality Assurance and Pork Quality Assurance Plus that has animal well-being standards implemented through a certification program. There’s also the pork industry’s “We Care” program that not only addresses animal handling and care issues, but environmental, worker and community responsibility commitments. Nebraska also has an aggressive Youth Livestock Quality Assurance program that teaches our 4-H and FFA youth about those animal welfare qualities that we all embrace. This program is required for any young exhibitor to show their animals at local county fairs, the Nebraska State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben.
HSUS has repeatedly denied that it intends to pursue farm animal welfare legislation or a ballot initiative in Nebraska. However, the group has hired a state director in Nebraska and HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle made a highly-publicized visit to the state last December and as recently as two weeks ago had an editorial in the Lincoln Journal and Star. After talking to educators and producers in other states, I can tell you that if an initiative is put forward --the livestock industry will need a lot of support to oppose it. I also know that you cannot trust what Mr. Pacelle and the HSUS say. Their agenda is pretty clear and they will look at Nebraska and the ballot initiative - licking their chops. You will not believe the urban and uniformed public base that HSUS can muster, or the deep pockets and hoards of lawyers that they have at their disposal.
I think a lot of people in Nebraska realize the importance of agriculture, and I would hope they would even realize that even more as the last couple or three years ---agriculture has helped carry this state economically. Other states would love to have the position that our state is – compliments of the family farmer. I hope that the residents of Nebraska would come together behind those fighting against a ballot initiative in this state. I just can't see how people, if they are very knowledgeable about HSUS and the Vegan culture, wouldn't be supportive of fighting the efforts of this anti-ag group.
It is good to see local organizations like our local Chambers of Commerce adopt positions to strongly oppose HSUS or any organization or group that could have a hidden agenda that would severely impact the ability of our agricultural producers to raise livestock in this state. Congratulations to Sutton and all of the area Chambers who have joined forces to allow Nebraskans to make decisions affecting their livelihood, not some extreme group from outside of this state.
If you are not knowledgeable on these issues please do some research, and remember that the HSUS is not your local Humane Society. Don’t fall for the HSUS or their myriad of partner organization’s pleas. They are not what they seem!
The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: http://www.webster.unl.edu/me