Philip Brasher reported yesterday at The Des Moines Register Online that, "Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack defended the livestock industry against a lawmaker’s allegations that crowded conditions and antibiotic usage in modern farms are endangering human health.
“Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., told Vilsack at a House appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday that livestock are ‘jammed together’ in ‘very, very nasty circumstances.’�
Mr. Brasher added that, “Vilsack told him the ‘vast, vast, vast majority of farmers who are raising livestock are very sensitive’ to the need to be careful about the management of their animal.
“‘First and foremost, they’re concerned for the safety of their consumers. Without consumers, they don’t have a market, and without a market they don’t have money.’�
Animal Agriculture
In related news, DTN Ag Policy Editor Chris Clayton pointed to an interesting development in Maine on the animal production-welfare issue at his Twitter page yesterday.
The item, from Drovers.com, stated that, “Maine Governor John Baldacci signed landmark legislation Wednesday that will prohibit gestation crates and veal crates in his state. LD 1021 becomes effective Jan. 1, 2011, and was sponsored by Sen. John Nutting (D-Androscoggin County), senate chair of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. It passed the committee and both chambers unanimously. The Humane Society of the United States strongly backed the legislation.
“With the passage of this legislation, Maine becomes the sixth state to pass such legislation. Last November Californians passed The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act by a ballot initiative. Previously, Colorado, Florida, Arizona and Oregon passed similar reforms.�
And Dave Russell reported on Thursday at Brownfield that, “To influence the public dialog over the role animals play in society, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) has created the Center for Food and Animal Issues.
“‘There are so many things that the animals provide to society and we want to protect people’s opportunity for choice, good common sense and very effective animal care in working with this relationship between people and animals, but our bottom line is that people come first,’ said Jack Fisher, executive vice president of OFBF.
“The Center will focus on research and development, public relations, education and information with the entire animal kingdom.�
