Editor:
I am very disturbed at your “poll” this week regarding whether or not Issue 2 will improve livestock treatment in Ohio. You could, at the very least, have a choice that indicates people think that livestock treatment is, and has been, overwhelmingly humane in Ohio.
Your choices indicate that all animals have been raised inhumanely on our farms, leading one to speculate that you are siding with these animal rights terrorists. Please consider all opinions, even when doing a simple poll.
Also, I would like you to consider questioning people who write in regarding abuse of our farm animals and have them state: 1.) Who is doing this; 2.) Where and when the abuse took place; 3.) What they — themselves had seen with their own eyes (no hearsay) and 4.) Why they thought that particular episode was abusive.
We farmers have a right to know who is accusing us of abuse, and have a right to defend our actions.
I am certain that the vast majority of abuse claims are completely unfounded by people who have never stepped foot on a farm and the public should be shown this fact.
Colleen Michaels
Matamoras, Ohio
Who is accusing farmers of abuse? Animal rights organizations such as HSUS and PETA. They believe that to kill an animal for food is abuse.
Unfortunately PETA and HSUS have invaded grade schools, law schools, vet schools many years ago to make people believe that eating meat is abuse. To kill an animal for food is abuse. Thus many of todays younger people have grown up thinking that farming is cruel. By the vote on issue 2 it was quite clear that people voted “for” and have confidence for farmers and those dedicated to continued farming, to self regulate before they themselves are “gobbled up” by the animal rights social agenda and the confiscation of animals for abuse. Believe me the lesser of the evils is an animal care standards board. The animal rights organizations goal is to end all animal ownership, from dogs to cattle.
Cattle producer and proud of the product I produce but one has to realize those not involved in farming have no idea of what it takes to “feed America” and live this wonderful life.
It is time for “we the people” to get involved in turning away an organization that does not believe in eating meat or sees it as abuse of any animals, and contact our government representatives on these issues. It needs to be unpopular with our government representatives who often side with not an animal welfare group but a strong lobbying agency such as HSUS, they may as well invite PETA in the barnyard, so contact your state representatives and let them know you do not support animal rights but true animal welfare. Look at what has happened in California where we have animal rights activists in government – I don’t think Ohio farmers want to bend to the likes of animal rights. All animal owners have to stand together. Remember that HSUS owns many “companies” and their main focus is to end animal ownership and farming.
JC
I am waiting for the HSUS to open a “humane” farm in Ohio to show the real farmers how to raise ( and kill) animals the ‘proper” way.. if you are waiting too please don’t hold your breath. HSUS wants NO farms, no farm animal and certainly NO MEAT.. NO EGGS.. and NO MILK..the H$U$ has an “incremental” agenda… they will take it a ‘step at a time’ until there are no animals left. Most people until lately have not noticed the agendas.. NOW when they are threatened they begin. Farmers feed us ALL.. even you “city folks” who need to WAKE UP.. visit a farm and ask your self…. would i do this for a living? you better be glad omeone does when you go to the grocery store and have the opportunity to buy healthy inexpensive food… it has not alwasy been this way.. and if you are not careful food prices will skyrocket and your choices will be limited to tofuurky.. think about it.. Which comes first.. the CHILD or the chicken.. Which comes first the ELDERY or the egg….
Obviously neither of these folks have lived near a CAFO! What is even sadder is the abuse of the neighbors with the bacteria laden dust being transmitted to the neighbors. Since when can you equate the price of food in this issue?
Park Farms raising millions of chickens for meat has not lowered the price of chicken in Stark County to my knowledge. So let’s give up that argument and concentrate on good food raised in a humane manner and without destroying the personal property rights of the neighbors.
Was the CAFO there first? Did you move into the same area, knowing the CAFO was there? If so, you are RESPONSIBLE for your decision. If people want reasonably priced *US produced and inspected* meat, then they need to educate themselves on what it takes to get that. There are a whole lot of easier ways to make a living than raising animals, and those who do the “dirty jobs” should be supported, not condemned. The “animal rights” INDUSTRY is trying to poison mainstream America against the animal-use industries, and that is just WRONG. See ar-hr.com and other links there for the hard-hitting TRUTH about “animal rights” groups like H$U$, PeTA, DDAL, ALDF, etc.–the groups that are truly living off the lives of animals and against humans who use animals.
I have been around many CAFO’s, and they are some of the cleanest farms around. They are very respectful of the neighborhoods they are in. They have some of the best animal care practices. There are also many small farms that are very good too. To lump all big or small farms into one category of another is wrong.
hsus, peta, etc. are out to shut down the animal agriculture industry, and other groups want to shut down ag all together. This will be a said day for the US.
I am gald to see issue 2 passed in ohio. The farmers can now hopefully be in control of our industry again.
i voted against issue 2 for many reasons. first, i want to be able to purchase organic or at least local produce. big agra doesn’t like small organic farms. second i fear for the environment because of the spills. third, people are getting sick from sick animals that are raised in extreme confinment and never see the light of day or have their feet touch the ground. fourth, big agra just got bigger in ohio, as they are now written into the constitution. an ohio supreme court judge even said it was innappropriate to tamper with the consitution in this way even big pharma as in eli lilly donated to their buddies in big agra. big agra and big government together stinks.
both liberal and conservative were against this issue. from john birch society to willie nelson and farm aid. from glen beck to the ohio environmental council.
we will be back.
Cheryl: Although I, also, was against Issue 2 because I feel that it takes away our constitutional rights, I would like to point out that your third reason given above is very incorrect, and needs to be set corrected. People ARE NOT getting sick from animals raised on ANY farm in our state or others. The USDA inspects meats from all farms, regardless of how it is raised, and it is extremely unfair to say that one type of farming practice produces sick animals and those who consume them. If you may be refering to the recent E. Coli outbreak, please be informed that it is normal intestinal flora for all mammals, and while most of the time it is harmless, occassionally a strain mutates that can cause sickness. It is not caught from the muscles, but rather from contamination while being processed, by either getting feces on the carcass, or from an employee who hasnt washed their hands after using the restroom.(For the majority of cases)Please be fair to all farmers!
coleen, if you go to the website of food and water watch, there are some interesting stats about eggs causing samonella, bird and swine flu being seen in factory farmed animals before it is transmitted to humans, and we all know about heart disease and cancer being more prevalent in those who consume too much dairy and meat, expecially from factory farms where the animals are sometimes fed the wrong types of foods, too much antibiotics, and live very stress filled lives. I just do not trust big agra, big pharma, or big government to decide what i am to eat. my daughter who now lives in colorado says ohio is in the dark ages. she can get raw milk, organic produce, and humanely pasture raised free range animal products, and she lives in a small town! the only organics i can find in my town come from california or florida. very sad, and i am afraid with issue two passing, this will only get worse.
food and water watch really educated me. they were the driving force behind no on issue 2. hsus wasn’t much involved at all, even though the farmers who were for issue 2 blamed hsus.
Cheryl- For your own benefit- PLEASE dont believe everything that is printed on all websites! PLEASE get info from ALL sources, then sit down and decide! I visited that site and many red flags came up-I know they are NOT telling many facts. Go to http://www.FSIS.USDA.GOV look under foodborn illness/disease. If you still dont believe them, please consult a large animal veterinarian- either local, at a veterinary school, or at Ohio State Dept. of Agriculture-Animal Industry. PLEASE dont get brainwashed by just listening to one source.
If you call your county extension, they may be able to show you local organic producers-there are several where I am. Also check with small local meat processers to find natural/organic meat. Some 4H kids may also raise organic poultry-check with extension office, also poultry clubs. Yes, raw milk is unavailable in OH, I am fortunate to have my own, but it is still in court so maybe in the future it will be available..I truly wish you well..
There will always be rare cases of abuse to animals,always has been and will continue, no matter what happens.Professionals who raise livestock and create them would be cutting their own throat if they didn’t maintain them well,which 99% do. Politicians love this stuff,a play on the emotions of the public.Changing the constitution was a mistake. A board of so called experts? The experts are the professional producers.There aren’t enough veternarians qualified in this state that know livestock, dogs,cats and equine are the in thing.There are plenty of agencies at the Federal level and laws already,like Animal Welfare Act.If this board infringes on my rights as a producer through incompetenance or deception be ready for lawsuits.
Abuse? Maybe the State should be more concerned about educating parents on how to raise their kids in terms of food consumption and lack of excercise instead of livestock.The epidemic of diabetes and obesity in younger people will cost this nation a fortune in medical costs someday. People are going to eat what they want to,chemically pro sensory enhanced foods and preservatives at the processing level may reveal someday asmore of hazard to food consumption to humans..just look at all the junk food and labels.
Colleen, I do hear what the government agencies have to say, but I also know they have been gutted almost to oblivion. And others are bribed and dishonest. Robert F Kennedy Jr. speaks about the CDC and says their tests and findings are compromised and the results are bogus. He belongs to Waterkeepers Alliance, another watchdog agency. So I have turned to the watchdogs for my source of news, as they are the ones who care! Red flags? Yes, and scary too! Ohio is in the dark ages as far as going green. We are becoming fat, lazy, and sick. We are sicker than our parents, and our children are even less healthy than we are. Food and Water Watch, thank goodness for them, are trying to look out for all of us. And thank goodness for RFK Jr and Waterkeepers Alliance!
Just yesterday, business owners who are losing their income due to the pollution of our huge recreational lake here in Mercer County, had a meeting with government reps, political reps, etc and the people are furious. two humdred attended this meeting. around here the pollution is the worst in the entire state. cancer is out of control, as the lake is cleaned with chlorine which mingles with the organic waste and creates a carciogin. Wells and streams are polluted. It is sad that people don’t see the connection between the demand for meat and the factory farms that pollute. If consumers boycotted meat, the farmers would shape up and either take care of the spills or just not have such big farms. It is all about greed! And Issue 2’s passage assures us of more of the same.
Unfortunately I don’t eat meat, but still have to live in the midst of the factory farm pollution.
WHAT IS ISSUE 2? EVERYONE I TALKED TO AROUND MY AREA FARMERS AND NON FARMERS DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT ISSUE 2 UNTIL THE DAY WE VOTED. I THINK MOST PEOPLE VOTED FOR IT BECAUSE IT STATED “SAFE FOOD”. I MYSELF DID NOT VOTE FOR IT BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT IT OR WHAT IT WAS FOR.
PLEASE EXPLAN ISSUE 2.
THANK YOU JOLENE
Jolene, Farm and Dairy has had numerous articles on Issue 2, starting from the HSUS visit to Ohio ag groups back in February 2009. Here are links to some:
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/early-returns-indicate-ohio-voters-favor-issue-2/13458.html
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/issue-2-rally-ohio-farmers-can-no-longer-just-preach-to-the-choir/13303.html
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/ohio-livestock-standards-board-may-be-ballot-bound-this-november/12440.html
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/ohio-house-votes-to-put-livestock-care-on-ballot/12375.html
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/ohio-studies-livestock-care-ballot-initiative/12359.html
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/humane-society-ohio-here-we-come/11339.html