While waiting to pick up cow manure at the Royal Melbourne Show yesterday, I was reading the newspaper. I ran across an article about farmers being upset with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for taking a more extreme stand on recent animal welfare issues in Australia. In the past, RSCPA has claimed to be the 'middle ground' but farmers have recently had their doubts. In an attempt to bring them back to that middle ground, farmers have started vying for positions within the organization.
There was a really great quote in the article that applies to animal welfare issues in the United States just as much, if not more, as it does in Australia.
"We need practical people who understand animal welfare and production agriculture. The fear is that if we're dictated to by people who don't understand producing food, we're living in the ideal world instead of the real world." -- Victorian Farmers Federation President Andrew Broad
As agriculture advocates, we need to be sure to voice our opinions and positive ideas to avoid allowing organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) from spearheading legislation that is harmful to America's hardworking farmers and ranchers.
Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~Labels: advocacy, animal welfare, animal wellbeing, family farmers, farmer, HSUS, livestock production, PETA, producers, ranchers, research