Today, news was released that HSUS has filed an amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would force the Ohio Livestock Care and Standards Board (see "A Battle Won for Animal Agriculture" 11/5/09) to adopt minimum requirements for all farmers and livestock producers. Those minimum requirements are:
- Prohibit a farm owner or operator from tethering or confining any calf raised for veal, pig during pregnancy, or egg-laying hen, on a farm, for all or the majority of a day, in a manner that prevents such animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending his or her limbs or turning around freely. This prohibition would not apply during certain times set forth in the amendment, including, but not limited to, during veterinary treatment, certain livestock exhibitions, and scientific or agricultural research.
- Require that the killing of cows and pigs on farms be performed in a humane manner as set forth in the amendment.
- Prohibit the killing of cows and pigs on farms by strangulation as a form of euthanasia.
- Prohibit the transport, sale, or receipt, for use in the human food supply, of any cow or calf too sick or injured to stand walk.
HSUS wants these requirements to be set and in progress within 6 years -- so basically, if passed, within 6 years there will be no gestation crates, battery cages or veal crates. That equals the extinction of the veal, egg and pork production in Ohio.
Tell your friends to spread the word about this one. Animal agriculture can't afford for this go through after such a successful vote in November in favor of the Livestock Care Board. A defeat of this amendment will breathe life into our industry and drive other states forward to take initiative to combat HSUS. Good luck Ohio!
Until next time,
~Buzzard~Labels: advocacy, HSUS, livestock, livestock production, policy
