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Rural Ramblings
Protecting animals means speaking out, not videotaping abuse
Posted By: Kelly Wubben
Recently the extreme animal rights organization, Mercy for Animals released a video showing extreme abuse of dairy cows at a dairy in Ohio. This has by far been the most horrifying undercover video to date. I find it absolutely sickening that anyone could treat an animal that way.
What I find almost as sickening is the fact the person videotaping these cruel acts spent four weeks witnessing this abuse and NEVER reported it to the authorities. Instead, he decided to keep the camera rolling for publicity for the extreme animal rights group. There is no way I would defend the abuser, however I think the videographer is just as guilty.
If I had ever witnessed such violence, I would have immediately reported it so the animal's suffering could stop. Wouldn't any person thinking logically do the same thing? These animal rights organizations claim they love, protect and care for animals, however wouldn't protecting and caring for them mean reporting abuse AS SOON AS IT HAPPENS?
This organization was not only filming abuse for four weeks and not saying anything, they were also building a special website for this "event." And, after you are finished watching the abuse video on this new website, they made sure you can donate money to their cause.
Animal rights extremists like those of the Mercy for Animals, PETA and HSUS do not have the animals interest in mind. Instead they think how they can get publicity and more donations from well meaning individuals who want to stop the abuse. These animal rights groups are now trying to pass this video off as how all farmers treat their animals, as a way to spread their vegan agenda.
No one in agriculture condones this behavior. This is a case of a few bad apples, which unfortunately seems to get the most attention. I truly hope individuals involved are punished severely. I grew up on a farm, know many farm folks and have been to many dairies, especially over the past year. Never once have I ever seen any kind of abuse. Farmers care for their animals and find it impossible to abuse an animal like the way the video shows.
Now more than ever, it is important for Farmers to tell their story. If someone has questions about livestock production, make sure to take the time to tell them your story and how livestock are really treated. Hosting tours and events like open houses on your farm and talking to local clubs are good ways to speak up and show the public how you really treat your livestock. Do NOT let the "bad apples" tell your story for you.
South Dakota 4-H in Good Hands
Posted By: Kelly Wubben
The following is a letter written to the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service about HSUS' involvement in the National 4-H Confrence.
Dear Dr. Lighari,
As a past 4-H member I have many great memories. I was a member of the McCook County Rough Riders. I looked forward to every weekly practice with my horse and the opportunity to go to state and earn a purple ribbon. I also saw 4-H as a great way to make friends with those who shared the same interests as I did.
Being involved in 4-H took many hours of hard work and dedication. I learned many things from 4-H that I have carried with me in college and now onto a professional career. Some of those values include: setting goals and being willing to work at them; responsibility for something other than myself; patience is definitely a virtue as a 1,000 pound animal doesn't always want to do what you want him to do and sportsmanship is universal, when you don't get that purple ribbon you thought you deserved you need to celebrate with those who did.
I am writing to you in regards to something I am sure you have heard much about over the past few weeks, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) offering a program to students attending the National 4-H Conference in March.
When I first heard this I was very concerned that a program which is devoted to students interested in agriculture would allow an organization, such as HSUS, with its anti-meat agenda talk to our youth. 4-H after all was founded on agriculture, as a way for farm kids to show their livestock. Agriculture production is what HSUS is trying to end along with a long list of other things including: hunting, fishing, animal laboratories in which medical research is done and eventually pet ownership.
While myself, along with MANY others were maybe starting to wonder what happened to 4-H, why the sudden change in direction? I quickly became assured that while people involved in setting up the National 4-H Conference may not get it, South Dakota does.
I was very please to read the letter to the National 4-H Headquarters expressing your concern about this incident. Agriculture is important to South Dakota as it has a $21.3 billion economic impact and employs over 101,000 people. The majority of the 4-Hers come from a family farm, where they are dedicated to caring for their livestock and proving a safe and affordable product for their families as well as other consumers.
Again, thank you for speaking out and continue the good work!
Kelly Wubben
Outreach Director
Agriculture United for South Dakota
Wanted: Ethical Treatment of Livestock and Producers
Posted By: Dean Kleckner, The Truth About Trade and Technology
It's easy to understand why a business would shut its doors to professional protestors who show up with video cameras and a political agenda. But who would have expected an egg-producing farm to be more open and transparent than a press conference put on by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)?
Last week, the HSUS brought its anti-livestock propaganda show to Iowa. At a media event in Des Moines, it released footage that its agents had taped at several large egg-laying farms. They made headlines as far away as California.
Yet the last thing the HSUS wanted was candid discussion about agricultural practices. When a vice president from one of the targeted companies showed up to watch the video and defend his industry, he was prevented from attending. In the words of the Des Moines Register, he was "blocked out."
In other words, animal-rights activists enjoyed better access to Iowa's egg farms than Iowa's egg farmers were able to obtain at an HSUS-sponsored forum that was described as a public event.
Apparently the HSUS crowd prefers its breakfast omelets served with extra helpings of irony.
There was a time when the HSUS performed the honorable work of trying to find loving homes for puppies and kittens. Nowadays, however, it prefers to deceive job-creating employers, smuggle video cameras onto farms, and release provocative images without having to debate its tactics or ideas.
Sometimes publicity-seeking journalists manage to reveal hidden corruption and uncomfortable truths. The HSUS, however, does no such thing. For starters, it's not a media organization that aims for objectivity. Instead, it has now become an ideological group that pursues a bizarre and extremist vision of animal rights--and it won't let basic fairness or democratic deliberation get in the way of its goal.
The HSUS says that it supports the ethical treatment of animals. It should also pay attention to the ethical treatment of farmers.
Here's what happened: The HSUS sent its people to several egg-laying farms in Iowa (the nation's #1 producer) and had them acquire jobs under false pretenses. Over time, these phony workers secretly videotaped examples of what they described as the inhumane treatment of chickens. Perhaps some of it was staged. We just don't know. It's all based on footage that the HSUS released last week.
"There is no other way to get the story out," complained HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.
Yet that's not true. Pacelle might have asked for a tour. "We are open to anyone who wants to visit our facilities," said one of the egg-farm executives. His company has hired a third-party auditor to review the farm's business practices.
At its closed-door, private press conference, the HSUS failed to explain any of this. In fact, egg-farm employees receive training in the care and handling of chickens. If they spot a problem, they are supposed to report it to a supervisor, who will terminate abusers if necessary. Workers even sign paperwork to this effect.
The HSUS operatives refused to honor the terms of these agreements--by design, of course. In doing so, they circumvented one of the essential mechanisms for ensuring the proper treatment of animals. They let their desire for publicity get in the way of animal welfare.
Once the full story emerges--away from the manipulative HSUS event--we see that the sky isn't falling, Chicken Little style. This is not the case of an egg farm that is doing everything the wrong way. This is an egg farm that strives for excellence as it performs the important service of providing an affordable source of food for Americans as well as jobs for those who seek honest work.
By contrast, the work of the HSUS is fundamentally dishonest. Its activists aren't really concerned about the welfare of animals. Instead, they just want attention for participating in a broad-based assault on the livestock industry. The San Francisco board of supervisors recently hopped aboard this radical bandwagon when it officially encouraged citizens and restaurants to observe "Meatless Mondays".
If people don't want to eat meat on Mondays or eggs on Tuesdays, that's their choice. It's a free country, even in San Francisco. Personally, however, I'd like to be free from the tricks and lies of the HSUS seven days a week.
Moms Day Out on the Farm
Ag United would like the opportunity to give local South Dakota Moms an opportunity to experience where their food is produced and how farm families care for their animals and the land.
Forty South Dakota Moms will have the opportunity to be selected to participate in "Mom's Day Out on the Farm." Moms can sign up to be selected by emailing Kelly Wubben at: Kelly@agunited.org. Moms will be asked to complete a short survey about their purchasing habits. Then 20 lucky moms will be selected to get on the bus, visit a dairy, pork and beef farms in the Sioux Falls area.
When selected every participant will receive $50 in certificates good at any grocery store or restaurant as well as other gifts. One lucky participant will win $500 in groceries!
Reserve the date July 13th. More details to come later.
Good Luck to everyone, hope to see you on the bus.
