Equine Slaughter

There is a new issue facing U.S. agriculture and the general public. In two words, equine slaughter. This issue has polarized the United States for decades and now the debate has been blown wide open yet again. In November, President Barack Obama signed a spending law which included an obscure line restoring funding for inspection of plants slaughtering horses used for human consumption in the U.S. This had been stripped due to a campaign by animal rights organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals back in 2006. Now, with funding back, over 25 states are investigating the possibility of bringing in equine slaughterhouses to boost their economies. I believe this is a terrific plus for the equine industry. Is that a shocked gasp I hear? You think it's cruel and wrong to slaughter horses? Let me explain my stance. Since the state shutdown of the last slaughter plant in Illinois, suffering for horses too old or too sick to work or even live long, has multiplied many times over. This is due to the fact that horses are being shipped to Mexico and Canada to be killed. I must point out that conditions in Mexican slaughter houses are absolutely horrific. There are numerous reports of horses still being alive as they are butchered. There are many other animal welfare problems in these slaughterhouses, however, due to time constraints and the sensibilities of my readers, I will not discuss them here. In this economy, many horse owners cannot afford to keep a horse that can no longer work. Many groups attempt to rescue these horses but they have limited resources. This causes many horses to be euthanized and disposed of in a manner whereby they do not serve any useful purpose. Allowing horse slaughter will help end the unnecessary suffering of thousands of horses across the United States. Horses are also protected under the Humane Animal Slaughter Act of 1958 which requires all animals thus protected to be stunned before slaughter EXCEPT for some instances of Kosher or Halil slaughter. Horse slaughter houses will also create large numbers of jobs, boosting the economies of those states that have them. This issue is really beneficial for all parties concerned, including the horses that are currently being shipped to Mexico.

2011 Year in Review

2011 was a banner year for agriculture. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “Today’s farm income forecast shows that the American brand of agriculture continues to be a bright spot in our nation’s economy. Following on a strong 2010, all three measures of farm sector earnings experienced strong growth in 2011. According to today’s numbers, farmers are earning 28 percent more for their products than they made last year. And it is making a real difference for America’s farm families, whose household income was up 3.1 percent in 2010 and is forecasted to increase 1.2 percent in 2011. This is good news for rural America and for our national economy.” 

What has fueled this rapid growth? Many factors, including growth in cash receipts, off-farm employment and an astonishing record high of $137.4 billion in FY 2011 farm exports, continuing U.S. agriculture’s year over year trade surplus.

In addition to this direct growth of the agriculture industry, the afore mentioned production increase has created numerous opportunities for small business owners and jobs  people who work to package, ship and market agricultural products. This has been a boon to our entire economy, helping to fuel what growth there has been this year.

The cattle industry has also seen a record year. A global beef shortage was not alleviated here at home due, in part, to large numbers of imports to Russia. The drought that racked much of the southern US also played a role. Farmers and ranchers all across the Southwest first lost their pasture, then their water. Finally, many of them were left with no choice but to sell out. Please keep them in your prayers as they attempt to rebuild their lives. On a positive note, high cattle prices (an increase of about 10% in the first 11 months of 2011) have meant good news for those who sell, either locker beef or seed stock. Prices are expected to continue rising in 2012.

2011 has been a good year for agriculture across the board. Jobs were created, prices climbed, and nearly every farmer profited. I hope and believe that agriculture will continue to grow and profit. We can help this along by informing consumers of where their food comes from and how much they depend upon us. People will always need to eat and we, American farmers, can and will continue to meet that demand. 

Happy New Year everybody! May your crops and children grow and all your dreams come true!

Luke

Is Ethanol Production Beneficial for ALL of Agriculture

So, the results are in from the quick poll I ran. 25% say ethanol production IS beneficial for agriculture and 75% say it is not. I am with the latter group. Ethanol in the US is primarily made from corn which is an agricultural product, seeming to make it, on the surface, a good thing. If we dig a little deeper, however, a monster rears its ugly head. Ethanol production is heavily subsidized by the US government. If this money is cut off, the bubble is going to collapse, simply because corn ethanol is not sustainable. It actually costs more to produce, in energy terms, than we get from it. There is also considerable data available that shows we will actually increase our carbon emissions by nearly 100% if we continue our current rate of land clearing for ethanol production. This is not good for anyone, whether they are a farmer, a rancher or an urban dweller. We should leave ethanol to Brazil. They have the right kind of plants to make it sustainable.