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My roommates think I'm crazy because I refuse to eat at Chipotle. They get annoyed when I say I won't shop at Forever 21. And they think it's weird that I get sassy with them when they bring home a bottle of Yellow Tail wine.
You might agree with them now, but it's my hope that after you read this column, you might change your mind and join the likes of me.
You may be wondering, "Melissa – why on earth do you refuse to eat at Chipotle?! I mean, they have, like, the best burritos in Lincoln. And Forever 21?! My closet is, like, full of their clothes!" The reason is simple. Chipotle, Forever 21 and Yellow Tail wine support, or have supported, one organization that I don't quite agree with. This organization's main goal is to ruin what my family has worked for six generations.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is America's largest animal advocacy group. In 2010, they brought in $131 million from supporters. So under first impression, we should think this $131 million funds our local humane societies. Wrong. I was punk'd, and so were you. Where's Ashton Kutcher?
HSUS isn't associated with your local humane society. Actually, of the $131 million that they brought in two years ago, only 1 percent was donated to local humane societies.
The main goal of this organization is to promote a totally vegan lifestyle and abolish all animal agriculture – not fund humane societies across the United States. If HSUS actually assisted local humane societies and didn't spend so much money on other purposes, I might support them.
How do they get so much money? I'm sure you've seen ads on TV, in magazines and on billboards of sad-looking puppies and one-eyed kittens. That's how they get you, your grandparents and the crazy cat lady that lives down the street. You feel bad for those dogs and cats that live in homeless shelters, so you send them your money.
Each day, HSUS uses its multi-million dollar budget to lobby and change policy that would make it harder for farms to stay in business. Some examples include banning gestation crates for sows (pronounced "sau"—a pregnant pig), tail docking in dairy cattle and cages for egg-laying hens.
We've had farms for years. American agriculture is advancing more and more every day, and that's a good thing! The population has doubled since 1954 and will double again by 2050. More people take up more space, which takes away from land that can be used for agricultural purposes.
Agricultural purposes include growing the food you eat, growing the fibers that make up your clothes and the material you use to build your home. Pretty important, I'd say.
Although I can't speak on behalf of every farmer and rancher in the world, I know that the majority of producers use humane practices every day. If we didn't, we wouldn't be successful.
Livestock are dependent on humans. They can't load up the feed wagon by themselves and put it in the bunk for their livestock friends. They depend on us to fill that wagon with feed and put it in front of them to survive.
If farmers didn't give their livestock the necessary environment to survive, then the farmer would be in a world of hurt, both legally and financially. The livestock may be that farmer's only means of income.
Don't think this means the farmer's only concerned about money. No farmer wants to see one of their own die or suffer because of something they neglected.
Many of the policies that HSUS lobbies for are harmful to agriculture. These policies will make food prices go higher and, quite frankly, decrease the amount of food produced, because it will be physically impossible to produce that much food for the world's growing population.
Gov. Dave Heineman is one of my favorite people because of all he does for the agricultural industry. He's openly against HSUS and he shows it. He knows the initiatives behind the organization and he knows it's a bad idea to allow them in Nebraska.
Gov. Heineman has said many times that if HSUS comes to Nebraska they will have to "fight for their life," and they will. Agriculture makes up one in three jobs in the state of Nebraska, and if HSUS wants to change that, then they'll have to fight against the governor, me and more than 47,000 farmers and ranchers in this state.
So, you might still think I'm weird, crazy or a little too sassy. But if that's what being passionate about being able to grow your food will take, then that's what I'll do.
melissa keyes is a junior agricultural journalism major. she blogs at borninabarn-melissa.blogspot.com, and can be reached at melissakeyes@dailynebraskan.com.
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24 comments
I actually tell my children to never refer to any action by themselves or others as "stupid" unless it is a willful act against the health or best interest of themselves or others. Examples include recreational drug use, or cigarette smoking, or driving off a cliff, or participating in willful acts against the hand that feeds. It's my developing opinion that, in their current form, organizations that ultimately seek the right for non-human animals to pursue happiness as equals with people... represent a misleading, wasteful and stupid waste of effort. Animal agriculture deserves much better. Animal agriculture deserves a great deal more gratitude.
I would prefer to put my $19/month to the Wounded Warrior fpundation rather than the HSUS
to find the truth for themselves.
to find the truth for themselves.