Misguided Woman Walks For Livestock

Woman to protest the treatment of farm animals with march


September 19, 2010 6:41 PM

Kari C. Barlow

Daily News

FORT WALTON BEACH — When Gina Lane drives by a fast-food joint, she doesn’t enjoy the aroma of crispy fried chicken or grilled hamburgers.

She’s too busy thinking about the chickens and cattle that were factory-farmed for the meat.

“I see these pictures of these animals right before they are slaughtered,” said Lane, a bus driver for Okaloosa Academy. “It’s horrible how they are treated.”

Passionate about animal rights and an advocate of the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, Lane keeps a shoebox full of pamphlets, buttons and stickers in her car that sport slogans such as “Pigs are friends, not food,” “Boycott veal!” and “Respect all life.”

She will take her cause to the street to celebrate World Farm Animals Day on Saturday, Oct. 2.  Read More

For many years, livestock producers thought no one would believe all the inaccurate stories and pictures taken out of context.  We’ve found out that ignoring it was a really bad idea and this story proves it.  This woman admits that she is doing this because she has seen pictures.  Not only that but she thinks that cows are put in crates!  These examples of the ignorance of animal rights activists are all too common today.  When we hesitate to tell our story this is what happens. 

Genetically Engineered Salmon

FDA advisors to vote on genetically engineered salmon


It grows faster, eats less and has sparked intense debate about modifying animals for our food supply.

By Andrew Zajac, Tribune Washington Bureau
7:28 PM PDT, September 18, 2010
latimes.com

In a step that may move genetically engineered meat and fish closer to the American dinner table, an FDA advisory committee will vote Monday on whether to approve preliminary findings that a modified salmon is as safe as an ordinary salmon.

The vote is not binding on the FDA, but approval would lend powerful support for a final decision by the agency charged with protecting the nation's food and drug supplies. The fish, a North Atlantic salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies Inc. would be the country's first genetically engineered food animal.

It grows to market size in half the time of other salmon and consumes 25 percent less feed in the process, according to the company, which is based in Waltham, Mass.

The FDA will hold a separate hearing on what, if any, labeling should be required if the fish is approved. The FDA says it does not have the power to mandate labeling that describes how a food was made, only the content variation that results from a different production process.    Read More

This will be an interesting test to watch.  But rather than a strictly scientific and rational discussion, I’m guessing that plenty of misinformation and irrational fear will be used by some.  There’s nothing wrong with being skeptical of new products and processes for growing our food.  The ultimate goal of everyone involved should be to have more and better food but unfortunately that doesn’t always seem to be the case.  I’ll keep you updated on how this turns out. 

PCRM Attack McDonalds

New Ad Targets McDonald's

Physicians' Group Seeks to Link Fast Food Consumption to Heart-Disease Rate

By JULIE JARGON

McDonald's Corp. is the target of a new television commercial set to air in Washington, D.C., Thursday that blames the burger giant for heart disease.

In the commercial, produced by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a woman weeps over a dead man lying in a morgue. In his hand is a hamburger. At the end, the golden arches appear over his feet, followed by the words, "I was lovin' it," a play on McDonald's longtime ad slogan, "I'm lovin' it." A voiceover says, "High cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks. Tonight, make it vegetarian."

PCRM's president, Neal Barnard, was once on the board of the Foundation to Support Animal Protection, now known as the PETA Foundation, which provides accounting, legal and other services to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal-protection groups. A PCRM spokeswoman says the organization has no link to PETA.

"McDonald's is committed to providing balanced menu choices and a variety of options to meet our customers' needs and preferences," said Cindy Goody, director of nutrition for McDonald's.

Read More

The only association that PCRM has with physicians is that they use the word in their name.  This is not some national group of doctors, it’s a group of people that want to change the way we grow and consume food in this country.  Those plans don’t include meat.  They have a biased agenda for the beginning and like most radical groups, they rely on name confusion to garner respect. 

Ruby Pipeline Update

Environmental Groups Push For Halt Of Ruby Gas Pipeline Construction


David Nogueras
September 14, 2010
Bend, OR

Three environmental groups have asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to halt construction of a natural gas pipeline that’s being built in Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.

The latest challenge to the 680-mile Ruby Pipeline project comes from three environmental groups: the Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter and the Great Basin Resource Watch.

The lawsuit, filed late last week, alleges federal agencies conducted incomplete and inadequate environmental reviews during the permitting phase of the project.

David Von Segern is with the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter.

David Von Segern: “They’ve chosen a route that should pretty much shoot it though pristine northern Nevada, a high desert steppe that is supporting wildlife especially the sage grouse and we’re very concerned about fragmentation of habitat.”

As spokesman for the El Paso Corporation, the company behind the project defended the permitting process, arguing it adequately protects wildlife along the route.

The 9th Circuit is still reviewing a separate request by the Center For Biological Diversity to halt the project.

Link

Here is an update on the Ruby Pipeline.  You may remember that El Paso Corp. tried to buy off the opposition by giving the Western Watersheds Project and Oregon Natural Desert Association $20 million dollars.  But when the rest of these environmental groups saw what was happening, they came to the trough hoping for a handout as well.  El Paso has found out what happens when you make deals with the devil.

Supporting Right-to-Hunt Laws

Hodge: Right to hunt, fish amendment needed


By Bob Hodge
Knoxnews.com
Sunday, September 12, 2010

It's an interesting tactic anti-hunting groups are taking when it comes to states considering right-to-hunt-and-fish amendments to their constitutions: they are trying to kill them with disinterest.

When Tennesseans go to the polls Nov. 2 the state's right-to-hunt-and-fish amendment will be on the ballot. For the amendment to become part of the state constitution it will need 50 percent of the total number of votes in the gubernatorial race plus one. Three other states - Arkansas, Arizona and South Carolina - have similar referendums this year.

Animal rights groups are out and about saying "What's the point?"

"It's a solution in search of a problem," said Michael Markarian, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "These measures don't accomplish anything."

The better-known and more rabid People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also had a take on Tennessee's amendment.

"All these amendments are a solution in search of a problem," Ashley Byrne of PETA told the Tennessean. "If people have a right to hunt, why not a right to shop or golf?"

Of course, while Markarian says there's no problem, the president of the Humane Society of the United States, Wayne Pacelle, has his group actively fighting Arizona's amendment, called Proposition 109. In Arizona, HSUA has joined up with the Sierra Club and the Animal Defense League to try and defeat the amendment.     Read More

Animal rights groups most certainly have hunting and fishing restrictions or outright elimination as their goals. We’ve learned it’s important to get ahead of them with common sense legislation that will hopefully protect these honored and necessary traditions.

Miracle of Birth Center

Ten years of Miracle of Birth Center celebrated at State Fair


By Heather Thorstensen
hthorstensen@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 09/09/2010 8:38 AM

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn.— The 2010 Minnesota State Fair marked the 10th year of the enormously popular Miracle of Birth Center.

People come to the center to see farm animals giving live birth or to see the young stock. In the process, they learn about animal agriculture from FFA members, veterinarians and University of Minnesota veterinary students who work in the center.

Organizers say this may be the only time of year some people have a chance to learn about animal agriculture.

From 2001 until the start of the 2010 fair, there had been 1,573 births of sheep, pigs and cattle. Anywhere from 150 to 200 animals are born each year. The center has also rabbits, goats, turkeys, chickens and ducks.

Several hundred thousand people visit every year.

State Fair Board of Managers member Jim Foss thinks it's the most popular fair exhibit, saying it's second only to the fairgrounds' front gate.    Read More

We were lucky enough to be presenting our story to several hundred 4-H exhibitors this year at the Minnesota State Fair. While we were there we got to check out the birthing center. People were lined up five or six deep to see all the action taking place. It was a fantastic opportunity for agriculture to share with consumers. These are the types of things that everyone in agriculture should be able to support yet many times get overlooked for their impact.

HSUS Faces $5 Millon Lawsuit

HSUS Faces $5 Million Lawsuit


09/09/2010 10:19AM
CattleNetwork.com
The Humane Society of the United States is among the defendants in a $5 million federal lawsuit filed by Dan Christensen, a South Dakota dog breeder, according to HumaneWatch.org. Christensen claims his dogs and puppies were illegally seized during a raid last fall.

The lawsuit filed last week names as defendants Second Chance Rescue Center, Second Chance executive director Rosey Quinn, several national animal groups and Turner County's sheriff, commission members and state's attorney.

HSUS, with former employee Scotlund Haisley, assisted the Second Chance Rescue in raiding Christensen’s property last September, seizing 173 dogs that they alleged were being mistreated.

Christensen had been charged with more than 170 misdemeanor counts of inhumane treatment of animals after the raid. Authorities alleged the farm had filthy water, kennels containing feces and that some of the 172 dogs seized had coats in poor condition.

All of the charges against Christensen were dropped and a judge ordered dogs illegally seized by HSUS and Second Chance to be returned to Christensen, their rightful owner.   Link

It will certainly be interesting to see how this lawsuit goes. These dogs were illegally seized due to an overzealous HSUS using an overzealous local animal control officer. The motivation for this seizure had little to do with the welfare of the dogs and more to do with publicity and money.