Battles with activists won and lost in the US of A

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Michigan agriculture caved in. But Ohio fought, and won, a ballot initiative against the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) which is trying, state by state, to get governments to ban sow crates and laying hen cages.

Rather than having unfriendly regulations shoved down their throats, Ohio livestock agriculture took a page from the HSUS play book and fast-tracked a question attached to a gubernatorial ballot this fall. The "yes" vote in early November imposed an animal care board with set representation including a number of farmers, the dean of the agriculture college, and a veterinarian.

The board will have powers to set standards for animal care and health, food safety and environmental issues. 

"It effectively keeps HSUS (and other activist groups) out of it," says Leslie Ballantine, who tracks animal activist activities for the Ontario Farm Animal Council.

The HSUS has been using public ballot initiatives; getting a citizen or a group to put a question on a ballot in a state gubernatorial vote. The results are binding. Twenty U.S. states have ballot initiatives as an option, Ballentine says. In Canada, only government ballot initiatives are allowed and are rarer than hen's teeth.

The high cost of the losing California battle two years ago intimidated Michigan poultry and pork groups, Ballentine says. The debate there cost both sides US$8 million.

In Michigan, pork and poultry negotiated the right to continue to use cages and crates for another 10 years. Veal stalls are banned starting next year. Veal producers were noticeably absent at the talks. It pays to be at the negotiating table. BF