Missouri Equine Legislative Issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2010

Media Contact: Don Nikodim
(573) 445-8375

Agriculture and Animal Owner Groups Disappointed in Upcoming Ballot Initiative

Columbia, Mo.-Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced her verification of signatures for a ballot proposal sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society of Missouri, ASPCA and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation. Considering the emotionally charged and misleading nature of the pending ballot initiative, the announcement is clearly a disappointment to members of Missourians for Animal Care (MOFAC), a coalition of all mainstream agricultural and animal owner groups in the state.

The ballot initiative by HSUS provides a series of redundant mandates on kennel owners who are already covered by a litany of state and federal rules and regulations. Adequate rules and regulations are not the problem. Funding and enforcement are, and this initiative does nothing to address either.

That's especially disappointing to MOFAC members who note that the huge budget of HSUS is used almost exclusively for fundraising, lobbying, corporate salaries, executive pension plans and ballot initiatives like this rather than hands-on animal care. As a former HSUS chief investigator noted in the U.S. News & World Report, "The Humane Society should be worried about protecting animals from cruelty. It's not doing that. The place is all about power and money."

Good, professional, caring family kennels will be put out of business by this ballot initiative. But it doesn't stop there. While the current HSUS effort is about stopping dog breeding and pet ownership, it's simply another methodical move to accomplish their ultimate goal of ending animal agriculture and meat consumption. The family farmers and livestock producers represented by the organizations comprising MOFAC will be hurt by following a path laid out by the HSUS. Unfortunately, it will be Missouri consumers who ultimately pay the price with a more expensive, less secure food supply.

Members of MOFAC include: Missouri Agribusiness Association (MO-AG), Missouri Cattlemen's Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Egg Producers, Missouri Equine Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, Missouri Livestock Marketing Association, Missouri Pet Breeders Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Soybean Association, The Poultry Federation, Professional Pet Association, FCS Financial and MFA Incorporated.

SCR 8 - URGES THE U.S. CONGRESS TO SUPPORT HORSE PROCESSING IN THE UNITED STATES
Click here to read >>

Status: The Missouri Equine Council, Inc. SUPPORTS this bill.
Comments: Introduced 1/15/2009. This concurrent resolution is similar to SCR 35 that passed the Missouri Senate last year, in that it urges the U.S. Congress to support the continuation of horse processing in the United States. It offers incentives to help create horse processing plants throughout the country, and opposes any legislation introduced in the new session of Congress that would restrict horse processing. The Missouri Equine Council, Inc. gave testimony before the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee in support of HCR 19 on 2/24/2009. SCR 8 has passed successfully out of the Senate and is headed for the House.

HCR 19 - URGES THE U.S. CONGRESS TO SUPPORT HORSE PROCESSING IN THE UNITED STATES
Click here to read >>

Status: The Missouri Equine Council, Inc. SUPPORTS this bill.
Comments: Introduced 1/28/2009. This concurrent resolution is similar to SCR 8 currently in the Missouri Senate, in that it urges U.S. Congress to support the continuation of horse processing in the United States. It offers incentives to help create horse processing plants throughout the country, and opposes any legislation introduced in the new session of Congress that would restrict horse processing. The Missouri Equine Council, Inc. gave testimony before the House Agri-Business Committee in support of HCR 19 on 2/24/2009. HCR 19 has passed the House and is headed for the Senate.

HB 250 - USE OF PUBLIC LANDS
Click here to read >>

Status: The Missouri Equine Council, Inc. SUPPORTS this bill.
Comments: Introduced 1/13/2009. States that no resident of the United States shall be denied access to any public land owned, managed, or funded by the state of Missouri for the purpose of riding horses or mules that has been previously designated by the state as land upon which horses or mules may be ridden. Such access also shall not be denied to trails and roads, designated or undesignated, that have been historically used for horse or mule riding. Nothing in this section shall cause horses or mules to be excluded from inclusion in the development of new trails on Missouri public lands.

How a Bill Becomes a Law
www.House.Mo.gov

Who are my Representatives?
-
(requires 9-digit zip code)