The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) has filed with the Secretary of State a ballot measure titled "Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act" against dog breeders to be presented on the November 2010 ballot for a vote of the people of the state of Missouri. It applies to breeders with 10 or more intact female dogs, limits the number of breeding female dogs to 50 per kennel, limits breeding to no more than twice in any eighteen-month period, requires daily exercise, veterinary care for any injury or illness, and requires controlled temperatures not to exceed 85 degrees or fall below 45 degrees. Facility and pen size requirements far exceed that which legal, licensed breeders currently must have to be in compliance with state and federal laws, and many of the requirements are virtually cost prohibitive when allowing only 50 breeding dogs maximum for generating income.

MoFed filed a lawsuit Tuesday, January 5, 2010, against the Secretary of State and State Auditor on behalf of all breeders in the state of Missouri. The Stinson Law Firm of St. Louis was hired to represent MoFED before the Circuit Court of Cole County (Jefferson City). Since MoFed could not be directly named in the suit and since it had to be an individual who is a registered voter and resident of the state of Missouri, MoFed President Karen Strange is named as the Plaintiff in the challenge to the ballot measure.

COMMENTARY ON THE BALLOT INITIATIVE

Visit Missourians for Animal Care for the latest information on the HSUS ballot initiative in Missouri.

Missourians For Animal Care Launched
AgWired covers the new coalition formed to protect the rights of animal owners in Missouri. It’s called Missourians for Animal Care. This diverse group of agricultural organizations came together to fight the ballot initiative (called The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act) by animal rights extremist Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Full story and interview with MOFED lobbyist Karen Strange at the link

Ag group encourages education, pro-activism in impending battle with animal activists
February 3, 2010 by Jessica Oliver, BolivarMoNews. Creating a united front against the invasion of dog breeding regulations by animal activist groups was the topic of a special Polk County Farm Bureau meeting Thursday.

Kelly Smith, director of marketing and commodities for Missouri Farm Bureau, focused on the alleged attempts of the Humane Society of the United States and animal activist groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Sierra Club to subtly and slowly integrate the abolition of animal agriculture into seemingly harmless language that will appear on Missouri ballots over the next few years. That includes a current petition being circulated for ballot language for a statutory amendment on dog breeding in Missouri. Smith called for the education of local farmers on the issues and encouraged them to go out and educate neighbors and friends.

“That is the bottom line,” Smith said. “What they are after is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” Smith spent much of his time educating those in attendance about different animal activist organizations and the different activities in which these groups are involved, hoping to prepare farmers and consumers for upcoming legislation and current petition bids.

Power of the media
Smith focused on the power of media and emotion to present the animal rights message, speaking specifically about one group’s usage of Holocaust images compared to images of baby pigs and chickens — thin cows to thin people, modern egg production to “scantily clad” men in bunks and children behind barbed wire fences compared to baby pigs in cages. “PETA uses emotion to get their message sold and across to people because people will not listen unless they tie it to emotion,” Smith said.
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MO State Vet addresses key ag issues
January 20, 2010 by Julie Harker, Missouri State Veterinarian Dr. Taylor Woods weighed in on some key issues affecting agriculture during Senate Seminars last week. Woods was asked by a legislator how the HSUS proposed ballot initiative to crack down on puppy breeders would affect the state’s dog breeders. According to the Missouri Farm Bureau, Woods answered by saying it would put Missouri dog breeders out of business. Missouri Farm Bureau expressed concerns that with the HSUS contribution of $450,000 toward the ballot initiative – and a $30,000 contribution by the Doris Day Animal League the week before – the animal-rights group would use its resources to target Missouri livestock producers next. Missouri Farm Bureau noted the HSUS track record of doing that in other states.

In addition, Dr. Woods discussed the crucial need for monitoring and surveillance of animal diseases such as tuberculosis, tick-borne diseases, and blue tongue – expressing concerns over the decreased resources to do that. Woods says it’s just him and a state epidemiologist in the office of the State Veterinarian to address these increasing animal disease threats.

The Seminars were hosted by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields of St. Joseph, Missouri.
Brownfield Ag News

MO ballot proposal approved for circulation
December 28, 2009 by Julie Harker. The HSUS ballot initiative cracking down on dog breeders in Missouri, which is seen as a threat to all of animal agriculture in the state, has been approved for circulation by the Missouri Secretary of State’s office. While the Missouri Department of Agriculture is not able to take a stand on the proposal – which would limit operators to 50 or fewer female breeding dogs – Ag Director Jon Hagler tells Brownfield they’re well aware of the intentions behind it, “HSUS has made no secret about the fact that they’re not for ANY animal agriculture.”

Hagler says the department’s role is that of public education, “And we want to reach out and let folks know that there are no better stewards of animal welfare, no better stewards of the land than farmers and Missouri farmers have always been at the forefront of that.”

Hagler says the bad actors of dog breeding are unlicensed and that the department has and will continue to crack down on those operators, “They’re giving a bad name to not only the legitimate, professional, licensed breeders in Missouri but also to all of agriculture.”

Meanwhile, Missouri ag groups (Missouri Animal Ag Coalition) and lawmakers are coming up with strategies to meet the threat head-on. Just under 100-thousand certified signatures are needed on the so-called “Puppy Mill Cruelty Protection Act” proposal to put it before Missouri voters next November. The group called Missouri for the Protection of Dogs – supported by both the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – has until May 2nd to collect signatures. The state legislature has the power to overturn ballot proposals that are approved by voters. Brownfield Ag News

Missouri working on livestock standards bill
December 14, 2009 by Julie Harker. Missouri lawmakers are working on a bill to establish a livestock standards board – the latest state targeted by animal rights group HSUS. Several legislators told cattlemen at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Convention in Springfield that they want to set up a livestock standards board in the state – similar to Ohio’s successful ballot initiative – Issue 2. Representative Brian Munslinger – who’s also a farmer – chairs the House Agribusiness Committee and is working on the bill, “The livestock industry is the largest market for our grain crops and it’s something that helps our Missouri economy. Agriculture is the largest industry we have in the state of Missouri and this could be devastating to it.”

Senator Frank Barnitz – who serves on both the Senate Ag and Appropriations Committees – is also a producer and he believes they have influence among their legislative colleagues. “We do have, even myself, have some urban colleagues to look to me for advice in the agriculture side of things and especially in the livestock side of things. And, we do have a little bit of clout because we live that life every day,” says Barnitz.

The goal is to preempt apparent efforts by the Humane Society of the U.S. to crack down on dog breeders – and eventually livestock practices. HSUS has filed a proposed ballot initiative in Missouri to strictly regulate dog breeders.
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Missouri cattlemen united in fighting HSUS
December 11, 2009 by Julie Harker. The top issue at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association convention is one that resonates with every animal ag producer in the nation. At the Missouri Cattlemen’s Convention in Springfield, Missouri, the group’s Executive Vice President Jeff Windett tells Brownfield that Missouri is the next state in the sights of the Humane Society of the U.S. – and it is ready to fight. Just before Thanksgiving, the HSUS filed a ballot initiative – a proposal to crack down on Missouri puppy breeders, “We realize even though this might be directed mostly at dogs right now, this will not stop HSUS. The time to stop is right now. And animal agriculture as we know it in the state is paramount. And we want to provide that unified from that says they are NOT welcome here.” Windett says every major ag commodity and farm organization in the state is part of the Missouri Animal Ag Coalition – which has been meeting weekly and has decided to formalize – realizing it will take outside funding and resources to fight this threat to animal agriculture. Windett says dog breeders are also at the table.
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Farmers must act to preserve animal agriculture. December 7, 2009 by Tom Steever
Activists pushing for changes in animal agriculture actually want to end the practice of raising animals for food. That’s the message from Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse, and others at the group’s annual convention in Osage Beach, Missouri. In his address to Farm Bureau members in Missouri Monday, Kruse talked about actions begun in Missouri by the Humane Society of the United States. “We’ve already seen what they’ve done in states like Florida, Arizona, California and Colorado. They dramatically changed the way [producers in those states] are able to raise livestock and poultry,” said Kruse during his address. “Right now they’re saying their goal is just simply to protect animals, but I know we all know there can be a strong argument made that they’re real goal is to eliminate animal agriculture,” he said. Full story ..

HSUS – A Squeaky Wheel or a Doomsday Prophecy. December 9, 2009 by Matt Hardecke
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”. Full story ..

HSUS targets Missouri. December 10, 2009 by Cyndi Young
Proposed Statutory Initiative Petitions – “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act” Versions 1 and 2 have been filed with the Missouri Secretary of State. What does that mean? The Missouri State Director of the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) has filed two proposed initiative petitions cracking down on so-called “puppy mills” in the state. The petition proposes limiting to 50 the number of covered dogs a breeder can own and the offspring of which they could sell as pets. Provisions for each individual dog spelled out in the petition include specific area and air temperature requirements for indoor housing and constant unfettered access to an outdoor exercise area that meets certain specs.

I heard a collective sigh of relief when we learned that the paperwork filed late the day before Thanksgiving targets dog breeders. Whew, you dodged a bullet! HSUS is not going after dairy or beef cows, hogs or poultry! Hold your horses. Those of you who believe animal agriculture doesn’t have a dog in this fight (pardon the pun – I just couldn’t help myself) are dead wrong. By circulating the aforementioned petition among Missouri’s citizens, HSUS is just getting started. Full story ..