Overdoing Farm Regulations
By: Ashley Owen

When a person thinks of the Humane Society, they probably think of a good willed organization and that there goal is to provide rights for all animals. Most would associate the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), with animal shelters or pet adoption facility.

However; I am sorry to say that this is not what the HSUS is about. The “Humane Society” sounds like a good organization but really that is only the name. The HSUS doesn’t operate a single pet adoption facility or animal shelter anywhere. This organization is a rich animal rights organization and it is also the largest and wealthiest in the world. This organization has some of the same ideas and goals as another organization known as PETA and other radical groups.

In November, in California a ballot was approved; this ballot was called “Proposition 2,” Proposition 2 was promoted by the HSUS. This ballot requires that calves rose for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs must at all times have the ability to lie down, stand-up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely. When this proposition takes affect, in California alone, it will almost completely wipe-out and will effect 95% of the states, egg production. Proposition 2 will force California’s caged and cage-free producers to shut-down. This will cost almost 5,000 jobs and even more than $600 million in California’s economic activity.   

 Now I know that what this proposition includes sounds very reasonable, but the way farms were before this law was passed, the animals could do all of the previously listed things except some may not have been able to turn around freely, but there were reasons for this. I show swine and help out with the giving birth of pigs and thus raising the piglets. When the sows, mother pigs, are giving birth the sows are put in to small pins, and are restricted to the middle of the crate. This may sound cruel but there is reason behind this madness. The sows are put in these tiny areas to protect there babies, the mother are unable to move around because if they could roam then the mother would sit or lay down on their piglets, thus leading to a large decrease in the pork industry.

I do believe that animals should have rights, but proposition 2 is incorrect. It has many things that sound good on paper but when really thought through it is an overall negative affect on the community. Since the Humane Society’s victory in California, they are trying to pass Proposition 2 in other states. If this law does spread throughout the country there will be a direct affect on not only the farmers but also the everyday citizens. The buying of meats and or meat made products will become much more expensive since the number of animals will decrease drastically. Many farmers will have a much lower profit and some may even lose there farms, this will also have a direct affect on the workers for those farms and others who may have a career in an animal industry. We need to stop this bill from being spread throughout the rest of the country or else everyone, even you, will pay.

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