Right to Farm

[Beef4lifeguy]

The state of Missouri recently passed an amendment to add “Right to Farm” into the constitution. The proposal was made to reduce the powers of out-of-state animal activist groups. What do you think of this concept? With the growing threat of animal activists groups in Canada trying to tell farmers how to raise their livestock and or grow crops.

[grassfarmer]

I don't feel threatened by animal activist groups, but then again I'm not doing the kind of stuff that upsets them. I think that applies to most in the beef sector, certainly most in the cow/calf end of things.

[15444]

Just the act of keeping domesticated animals within fences can rile up a lot of animal activists, GF. That may not be what they say, but that is their ultimate goal.

[grassfarmer]

I think that's more paranoia than anything else 15444. They certainly don't threaten to come cut my fences and let them free. Most times they act its against the likes of the dairy guys that were beating the cows or the guys clubbing pigs over the head. Genuine acts of abuse that any self respecting farmer would cringe at. In these cases I'm on the animal activists side - I'm not going to support the farmer just because he is a farmer.

[rkaiser]

Just too bad that the activists are doing the job that more farmers need to be doing.. Giving the industry a "natural" facelift.

Interesting how the BRICS nations and others are listening to the social media masses and taking a top down approach. Dern pinko's LOL

[Happytrails]

I know that my animal husbandry practices won't have the approval of everyone. So where do you draw the line? Right to farm laws seem like a reasonable limitation on those who would mind my business not theirs.

[Happytrails]

I hadn't seen rk's post. I will wager that my cattle get up, stretch at dawn, and venture forth to see what feed and adventure the day will bring just as much as his. I don't need social media prompts to raise them that way. I am good just feeding the hungry. Those who have priorities outside of their own sustenance can feed elsewhere.

[kato]

Right to farm laws can be quite useful in a situation where people are moving to acreages to enjoy the " country lifestyle" and then get all up in arms because the local farmer decides to fire up the manure spreader. More useful in cases of urban encroachment than animal rights, imho.

The activists will find a way to pester, regardless of laws.

[CowgirlJamie]

Grassfarmer – Do you think that’s why we haven’t seen an undercover video yet of a beef farm/ranch?

15444 – I have to agree with you. I think their agenda is to end ALL (including beef) animal agriculture. I think farmers know best on how to care for their livestock.

[grassfarmer]

"Do you think that’s why we haven’t seen an undercover video yet of a beef farm/ranch?"

Yes, kind of hard to get sensational, damaging video of the cows out grazing lush pastures. That's why I welcome visitors instead of fear them.

"I think farmers know best on how to care for their livestock."
On the whole yes, but when you see some of the undercover footage shot in intensive livestock operations where the people working are desensitized to the suffering of animals you've got to wonder.

[15444]

I don't think it is paranoia. It really depends on the scope of groups that we label as activists. Both the SPCA and ALF are activist groups, but their methods are very different. It is far worse in the US, but it will eventually come here.

I know of one local fellow, very nice guy, in his late 50's, farmer's son, who doesn't hold back and speaks his mind. He would like to see big operations of any kind, be it beef,dairy,grain, limited in size. No allowance for 400 cowherds, or 3000 acre grain farms. Take everything back to the way it was in the 50's/60's. Take land from those with too much and give it to those with none. Very socialist agenda where the state determines how and what you do. But can you imagine that way of thinking from someone who had a little fire behind them and wasn't afraid of the consequences?

[grassfarmer]

There are always people with different views to your own - some activists, some extremists but as long as you maintain a reasonable democracy the extremes don't get acted on.
Your guy might want to see farms return to 1950s type but he isn't able to force that on anyone. Same with ending animal agriculture in Canada - ain't going to happen.
With regimes like Zimbabwe these things, and worse, are a reality.
It's why we must always work at making our democracy function.

[DGoodrich]

If you think farmers know best how to care for livestock you should sit all day at a regular cattle sale at an auction market. You'll see all sorts of critters brought to town that should have been cared for better, or flat out euthanized at home and fed to the coyotes. But no, instead they try to get a few hundred dollars out of cripples, downers and disease carriers that should never enter the food system. Not all are like that, but I've seen a lot more than there should be.

[AmandaBrodhagen]

Grassfarmer – but what about animal rights groups sensationalizing a feedlot beef operation? You only mention cows’ grazing on lush pastures (a cow-calf operation). Not all feedlot setups are “pretty” compared to cattle out on grass.

[grassfarmer]

That's their problem if they want to raise animals in a confined feeding situation. I'm not standing up for that system.