Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Farmers quitting advisory council

Six farmers have left a national advisory council the Humane Society of the United States set up in May.

The chairman, Kevin Fulton, an organic rancher from Nebraska, lasted only three months, but the organization waited another two months before it told fellow council members that he had left.

The farmers who have left have told Meatingplace Magazine that they learned the HSUS is not interested in humane treatment of livestock, but is really determined to end livestock farming and wants Americans to adopt vegan diets.

The farmers apparently hoped they could persuade HSUS to be reasonable in its demands for farming reforms.

HSUS led campaigns to ban sow gestation crates and caging hens.

It combined pressure on major retailers with announcements to news media when the retailers, such as restaurant chain McDonald’s, would announce deadlines beyond which they would no longer buy pork or eggs from suppliers if their farmers use gestation crates or hen cages.

Meatingplace Magazine recalled a warning when HSUS formed the national advisory council and 11 more state-level councils:


“While today HSUS may be acting like the ally of the producers on this council, the tides will no doubt turn as the organization moves on to target other production methods — a lesson some brands have learned in trying to appease it,” warned Animal Agriculture Alliance President and CEO Kay Johnson Smith in May.