Are we losing our rights or giving them away?

The answer to the question is complicated.  Yes I believe we are losing our freedoms, both in agriculture and other parts of our lives, but I wonder how much of this is our fault.  Too often we are content to just sit by and let what happens happen.  Many have been burned by getting involved only to have friends, associates and sometimes even family disagree with us or even worse.  It is a hard thing to take on but if we don’t we will no longer live in the land of the free.

A recent blog post  “Gate to Plate Blog” brought this to light.  The topics included the recent CNN report on 4-Hers being desensitized to killing and the horse slaughter issue.  Everyone I know loves their horses.  They feed them, brush them, change horses when the days are long and always make sure their animals have fresh abundant water.  We don’t ever want to harm a horse.  That being said there are many who don’t share our sentiment.  We have seen horses dropped off on BLM land, on ranches across the nation or left to starve.  This isn’t humane.  Horses lose their teeth, quit eating or just get old.  Letting them suffer is not humane.  Is this a loss of our freedoms?  I believe it is.  We are expected to believe animals are human.  They are not.  They are animals.  Does this mean anyone has the right to mistreat animals?  No.  It is my belief when we are forced to give up one right many more rights will be lost.

4-H is a wonderful training for all youth both city and urban.  Many skills are taught in the 4-H program.  Skills include record keeping, patience with animals, regular chores etc.  All 4-Hers who choose market animal projects know that at the end of the fair the animal will be sold.  Many times the animal is slaughtered and put into the feed chain.  It is a hard thing to let go of something you really like.  I cried every time I sold a steer in my 10 year 4-H career and many times when my children sold one of their critters.  It is a way of life and it doesn’t get easier.  It is my opinion that 4-Hers are desensitized is ridiculous.  4-H youth as well as all farm children know what death means.  In fact many times they have a stronger knowledge of the life cycle than their urban counterparts.  Farm children know that death is something one doesn’t return from.  When was the last time you saw a 4-H member go on a shooting rampage in a school or anywhere else?  They have a tremendous respect for life but also understand the cycle.  The comments on the “gate to plate” blog about how we don’t have to eat meat make my teeth itch.  Yes we have that choice but we can also choose to eat meat or anything else we choose.  Is this current attack a loss of freedom?  We are allowing urban America who believe animals are human to make our choices.  SO yes it is if rural folks allow it to happen. 

So where does the question “are we losing our rights or are we giving them away” come into play.  As farmers and ranchers we MUST get involved.  We must watch for these attacks and respond in a firm but positive way.  Many ranchers fought against the horse slaughter ban when it went through the US Congress, which they lost.  Does that mean we take our ball and go home?  Absolutely not!  We continue to work to educate consumers about the issue.  We need to be polite but firm and we need to know what we are talking about.  It is also my belief that social media helps those in Ag tell their story.  There are so many things I have learned through Face-Book since I signed up and agriculture can do the same when posting to urban Americans. I belong to a cattle organization that doesn’t “face book”.  Their reason is that it takes too much time and no one will listen. I disagree! When I learned to promote agriculture on face book I was told just 15 minutes a day will make a difference (Many days it takes a lot longer because when I find something I have to research it).   We must tell our story.  We must be diligent in finding out what is going on and responding to it.  If we choose to remain uninvolved we certainly loose more of our rights.  So the answer to the question is yes we are going to lose our rights if we don’t tell our story.  If we don’t tell our story and convince Americans to its truth, yes, we are giving them away.

I found something else today.  In an article in the Washington Post the USDA is looking to do away with branding cattle in favor of other forms of animal ID (http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/as-us-looks-to-trace-meat-from-hoof-to-plate-western-ranchers-fight-push-to-give-up-brands/2011/07/01/AGmvaEtH_story.html) What is the option?  Other forms like tags can get lost.  It is my fear that the USDA will use the loss of branding in order to reintroduce and force their National Animal ID System on ranchers.  So folks, get your fingers moving on the keyboard, start dialing and let your voice be heard.  As I said last week I don’t want to be like the frog put into cold water and when the heat was applied he cooked before he realized how hot the water was.  We will only loose if we don’t engage with both the government and the consumer.