Missouri Dairy Association

News and Information 08/29/10 3:15:26 PM

For more information contact: Larry Purdom (417) 442-3846 or Dave Drennan (636) 519-9300

Agriculture and Animal Owner Groups Disappointed in Upcoming Ballot Initiative

Columbia, Mo. (August 3, 2010) — Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced her verification of signatures for a ballot proposal sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society of Missouri, ASPCA and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation. Considering the emotionally charged and misleading nature of the pending ballot initiative, the announcement is clearly a disappointment to members of Missourians for Animal Care (MOFAC), a coalition of all mainstream agricultural and animal owner groups in the state.

The ballot initiative by HSUS provides a series of redundant mandates on kennel owners who are already covered by a litany of state and federal rules and regulations. Adequate rules and regulations are not the problem. Funding and enforcement are, and this initiative does nothing to address either.

That’s especially disappointing to MOFAC members who note that the huge budget of HSUS is used almost exclusively for fundraising, lobbying, corporate salaries, executive pension plans and ballot initiatives like this rather than hands-on animal care. As a former HSUS chief investigator noted in the U.S. News & World Report, “The Humane Society should be worried about protecting animals from cruelty. It’s not doing that. The place is all about power and money.”

Good, professional, caring family kennels will be put out of business by this ballot initiative. But it doesn’t stop there. While the current HSUS effort is about stopping dog breeding and pet ownership, it’s simply another methodical move to accomplish their ultimate goal of ending animal agriculture and meat consumption. The family farmers and livestock producers represented by the organizations comprising MOFAC will be hurt by following a path laid out by the HSUS. Unfortunately, it will be Missouri consumers who ultimately pay the price with a more expensive, less secure food supply.

Members of MOFAC include: Missouri Agribusiness Association (MO-AG), Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Egg Producers, Missouri Equine Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, Missouri Livestock Marketing Association, Missouri Pet Breeders Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Soybean Association, The Poultry Federation, Professional Pet Association, FCS Financial and MFA Incorporated.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MDA Requests Support Price Boost

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (April 12, 2010) -- The Missouri Dairy Association (MDA) has requested USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack to immediately reinstate increased price supports for cheddar block and barrel cheese and non-fat dry milk for a period of at least six months.

USDA established higher levels of $1.31 per pound for cheddar cheese, $1.28 per pound for barrel cheese and $.92 cents per pound for non-fat dry milk temporarily for a period from last August 1 to October 30.

In a letter to Secretary Vilsack, MDA President Larry Purdom of Purdy pointed out that "2009 was the worst year for dairy farmers in 25 years, and Missouri's dairy farmers are still reeling from the effects of those plunging dairy prices. We have borrowed up to our eyebrows to make it through and now we are faced with tightening credit at a time when we need it most--spring planting.

"With the decline in cheese prices, lenders and other input suppliers are unwilling to loan additional money to dairy farmers--which may force these farmers to go out of business if they can't buy seed, fertilizer, fuel and other inputs for spring planting," said Purdom.

"When prices supports were increased last year, it had a profound and positive impact on the market place at little if any costs to the federal government. The prices for cheese and non-fat dry milk have been extremely volatile over the last several months and have fallen dramatically recently. There is no positive news for dairy demand only a growing inventory of cheese estimated at over 900 million pounds.

"This does not bode well for dairy farm prices and could lead us to another disastrous year," said Purdom.

"When USDA increased the support price for cheese by $0.18 per pound on August 1, 2009, the "market" incorporated that new benchmark and raised market prices without any cheese being sold to the government at the higher price. MDA believes the same situation would likely occur today.

"MDA joins the broad range of support for this action already shown by the Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives and the Alliance of Western Milk Producers,” concluded Purdom.

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Agricultural Organizations Unite to Protect Missourians’ Right to Raise Animals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (April 7, 2010) – Agricultural organizations throughout the state have banded together in support of legislation to protect Missourians’ rights to raise animals.

Missourians for Animal Care, a diverse coalition representing farm and ranch families, veterinarians, pet breeders and agricultural input suppliers, is working with legislators to advance a constitutional amendment to present to voters defending the rights of animal owners in the state.

“Missourians for Animal Care was formed to provide unified support for our state’s family farmers and others to protect their rights to raise domesticated animals in a humane manner,” said Don Nikodim, executive vice-president of the Missouri Pork Association and chairman of the coalition. “We believe this right is fundamental to the livelihood of thousands of Missourians who work to make their living by raising animals.”

On March 4 by a margin of 96-52, the House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 86, which includes language to protect the right to raise animals in a humane manner. The resolution has since been revised in the Senate, stating, “it shall be the right of citizens to raise domesticated animals in compliance with any applicable state laws or local regulations.” The resolution also declares regulations regarding the welfare of domesticated animals would only be valid when approved by the General Assembly or promulgated by state agencies through administrative rule.

“We support practicality and common-sense-based rules and regulations when it comes to animal care,” said Jeff Windett, executive vice-president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and vice-chairman of the coalition. “Agriculture is the backbone of the state’s economy and this resolution will help us to ensure it maintains that position.”

If approved by the Senate, the constitutional amendment would go on the August or November election ballot and need a simple majority to pass.

Missourians for Animal Care is composed of the following organizations: MFA Incorporated, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Equine Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Livestock Marketing Association, Missouri Pork Association and Missouri Soybean Association.

Contact:
Adam Buckallew
(573) 823-7496

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Court of Appeals Overturns Arrow Rock Decision

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (April 6, 2010) -- The Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District of Missouri reversed a case that blocked a proposed hog farm from being located near the Village of Arrow Rock. The case, Friends of Arrow Rock, et al. v. Missouri DNR, et al., arose when a Missouri farmer was granted a construction permit to build a CAFO two miles from the Village of Arrow Rock.

The Village of Arrow Rock and Friends of Arrow Rock challenged the permit, arguing it should not have been issued because it was too close to the Village of Arrow Rock, a historic site. The trial court agreed, and held that CAFOs could not be located within a two-mile radius of the Arrow Rock State Park, and barred existing CAFOs in that two-mile radius from expanding their operations.

The Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Egg Council, Missouri Dairy Association, and the Missouri Farm Bureau joined the DNR in appealing the case to the Western District Court of Appeals.

Upon reviewing the trial court’s decision, the Western District Court of Appeals vacated the judgment, calling the findings of fact “wholly unsupported by any evidence” and the conclusions of law “erroneous.”

“The Court just said what we already knew,” said Don Nikodim, executive director of the Missouri Pork Association. “The Court of Appeals decision is very vindicating. We believed the earlier decision by the court was inappropriate, and wanted to fight for the rights of our members and all Missouri farmers.”

“This is a great victory for animal agriculture,” said Jeff Windett, executive vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. “We are very pleased with the outcome.”

The Court’s opinion can be read in its entirety at www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=38015.

The Missouri Pork Association represents the state’s pork producers in the areas of promotion, research, education and legislation. For more information about this or any other programs of the Missouri Pork Association, go to www.mopork.com, or call the Missouri Pork Association office at (573) 445-8375.

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