The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a self-declared "sophisticated political organization," submitted a petition to Ohio’s Attorney General this week in support of placing an "anti-cruelty" measure on the statewide November ballot. The proposed measure would allow voters to require the newly created Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to adopt standards that will effectively end livestock production in Ohio by making it economically unfeasible to feed chickens, hogs, or veal calves in the state.

Utilizing a large corps of paid petition circulators, the group will seek to collect more than 600,000 signatures of registered Ohio voters upon approval of the petition forms by the Secretary of State. In doing so, they will attempt to circumvent the will of the Ohio voters in passing the measure to create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board last November.

I can't believe it's 2010 and the end of another decade.  Makes me think about how important it is to make the best of each day... and before we know it'll be 2011.  Last week on my agriculture law and policy blog I posted some thoughts for resolutions.  I highlighted the article in December's NCBA's National Cattlemen magazine by our very own Holly Foster titled "Too Busy Ranching To Plan."  The article mentioned a passion of mine-- estate planning-- which isn't just for the "old guys."  I believe that estate planning and looking at your cattle operation's business structure is important for cattle producers of all ages.  Additionally, I posted this blog where I reiterated Chelsea's post regarding the Masters of Beef Advocacy ("MBA") program and upcoming commencement ceremony in San Antonio.  You can read more about my experience with the MBA program here.

It's easy to blog about what others should do in 2010, but not as easy to make the commitments yourself.  These are some of my own resolutions in 2010.  If any of them interest you perhaps we can help each other accountable. 

1.   Read books criticizing modern agriculture production practices.  I actually started doing this last month and finally completed Michael Pollan's book titled Omnivore's Dilemma.  Many in the agriculture industry write off things kinds of books completely but they are really affecting how the consumer feels about the agriculture industry.  I believe it's important to understand the criticisms and arguments being made against our production practices so that the industry can persuasively rebut the literature to the public and make condolances when good points are made.  I would like to continue this for 2010 and read another book every other month.  I would love to have discussions about the books for whoever is interested.  The book next on my reading list is Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.  If you are interested, then join me on Facebook here.     

2.   I want to become an agriculture activisit.  In many ways, I feel that I already am one.  Afterall, I am very involved with More...

A new campaign is underway to petition the IRS to investigate alleged under-reported lobbying activities of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Frank Losey of the Illinois Professional Pet Breeders Association and Karen Strange of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners are heading up the effort, which aims to coordinate thousands of letters and e-mails to policy makers requesting that HSUS be revoked of its tax-exempt status due to excessive lobbying at both the state and federal levels.

The HSUS is actively working to abolish animal agriculture through public relations and lobbying campaigns. Having their tax-exempt status revoked would be a major step in cutting into HSUS funding and exposing the true underlying goals of the organization. To learn more about HSUS click here.

Those who are interested in participating in the campaign should send a letter to the IRS by certified mail and e-mail their Senators and Member of Congress before January 1. Follow this link for more information about the campaign. Towards the bottom of the page you will find a downloadable cover letter to the IRS and a place to locate your Senators or House Representatives.

This week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it was moving forward with an "endangerment finding" alleging that so-called greenhouse gases are a hazard to human health and the environment.  This finding is of grave concern to agriculture in general and cattlemen in specific because it sets the stage for regulation of emissions of carbon, methane and other greenhouse gasses (GHG's) under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and would give the EPA unprecedented control over every sector of the U.S. economy.

Congress has spent the better part of the year debating the issue via bills on "cap & trade" protocols where the government would cap a given industry's emissions of GHG's, but allow them to trade credits with other industry participants who don't emit as much.  As American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) policy specialist Paul Schlegel pointed out this week, this move by EPA comes at the height of a series of reports questioning the validity of climate change data, with documentation suggesting that numerous global researchers believed to have falsified or tampered with their own data to exacerbate the scope of the perceived crisis.

 “It’s premature to issue this kind of finding, especially given the recent controversy surrounding the scientific validity of alleged human contributions to climate change,” said Tamara Thies, NCBA chief environmental counsel.  “Regulation of greenhouse gases should be based on science, and it should be thoughtfully considered and voted on by Congress through a democratic process, not dictated by the EPA.”

Moreover, while those ruling doesn't itself regulate GHG's, it does place our country on the slippery slope More...

As cattle producers, we are facing some tremendous challenges in our industry.  One that I think is on top of the list is the mounting attacks from animal rights activist.  I am involved with an agricultural leadership development program called ALOT (Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow).  This past February we spent a week in Washington D.C.  During the week tour we had the opportunity to meet with the Human Society of the United States (HSUS) at their head quarters in DC.  This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to “go into the belly of the beast” and ask anything we wanted.  After a two hour conversation with the leaders of HSUS around their conference table, one theme stuck in my mind, HSUS will stop at nothing to completely abolish animal protein in the American diet, either by choice or legislation.  That is it.  The industries attempts to compromise to or adopt HSUS influences are only opening the door to their propaganda and activism.  During our meeting, HSUS told us of their intentions to end animal protein as a dietary supplement in the human diet and I quote “we can produce just as good of a steak in a laboratory as you do on your farm; it just isn’t cost effect yet but it will be”   

Recently the HSUS has been able to impose its will in states across the USA.  With a lot of success and one set back, HSUS has now put its sites on the mid west.  It is hard to believe that a rural state like Missouri would ever adopt such sweeping changes but as one HSUS representative said “all we have to do is show a few pictures and the public is on our side, the facts or irrelevant” Many cattlemen don’t understand how legislation changes in states like California, which animals in band crates, can affect cattlemen raising cattle on the open range.  The issue isn’t about sow crates; it is about HSUS ability to manipulate public opinion.  In DC, HSUS stated that their approach was a deliberate, consistent and determined strategy to change public opinion against animal agriculture.  So how does the banning of sow crates affect a Missouri cattleman, it opens the door for the HSUS’s ultimate goal of taking your right to produce and consume beef away from you. 

You say “Matt, I am only one person…how can I make a difference?”  More...

 I was able to ask YPC Chair Dustin Dean a few questions about YPC.  His answers are below. 

1.  What are your goals for the organization over the next few years? 

The number one goal in my mind is simply membership and awareness. I think the core goal for the YPC is to help create more membership for the NCBA by creating an avenue for the voices, experience, and opinions of the younger generation involved in the beef industry.  Specifically I hope we can actually show the average age of NCBA members decreasing since the creation of the YPC and also utilize the energetic nature of the younger generation to promote the beef industry’s message. Everyone in this organization has great ideas that need to be heard and considered. I’m just thankful that the YPC has been created to help make that happen.

 2.  Why is it important for cattle producers to be involved with NCBA and Young Producer’s Council?

I don’t think it has to be limited to just cattle producers. Every year the industry becomes more dynamic and more jobs are created that are not necessarily on the ranch. My family ranches and maybe someday I’ll get to come back and help run things. Just not right now. With the industry becoming more dynamic and advanced, other skill sets can be utilized. From DNA and Sexed Semen to Nutrition and Global Marketing, the industry is moving fast.

The great thing about NCBA and the YPC is they help create an avenue for these people to not only better themselves, but help get the message to the American people that we have the safest and highest quality beef system in the world. The YPC is already getting to the national media to prove this. Through TV and print interviews and other things like facebook and twitter, the message grows stronger every day. It’s evident that the YPC and Cari Rincker’s Media Relations committee is leading the charge in that effort. More...