Agricultural News
AFBF President Bob Stallman in Oklahoma to Hand Out the Golden Plow to Senator Jim Inhofe
Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:32:30 CST
The President of the American Farm Bureau describes a letter sent to the Wine maker YellowTail as the "high road" in the controversy stirred up by the company annoucning they were donating $100,000 to the Humane Society of the US. Stallman sent a letter to the company, explaining that Farm Bureau believes that HSUS is very much against production agriculture and livestock production in the US and globally- and that Yellowtail's contribution is really ammunition to be used against farmers and ranchers. (we have the text of the letter at the bottom of this story)
Stallman's comments led off a Q&A with members of the media at the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Ag Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon. Stallman broke away from the American Farm Bureau Commodity Conferences underway this week in San Antonio to be in Oklahoma City to present the Golden Plow Award on Monday evening to Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe.
Besides the Yellowtail issue and the award to Senator Inhofe, Stallman was asked about current weather conditions around the US and how farmers and ranchers are faring, and was asked about the concept being promoted by House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson to start early on farm bill hearings for the 2013 Farm Bill.
Click on the Listen Bar below to hear the comments of the President of the nation's largest general farm organization.
The following is the text of the letter from American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman was sent by FAX and E-Mail to Mr. John Casella on Wednesday, Feb. 10.
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Mr. John Casella
Managing Director
Casella/Yellow Tail Wines
Dear Mr. Casella,
As managing director of the Casella wine family, I am sure you have noticed the recent spontaneous and very genuine engagement effort of many American farmers and ranchers who were shocked to learn of Yellow Tail Wine's decision to support the Humane Society of the United States. Like you, we take our role in the food production system very seriously. We are bound by the morals of caring for our farm animals and respecting our natural resources as we produce food for the world. As you know by now, the HSUS had made its political mission to call into question the very values that I am sure your family shares with us. That is why this news of your donation was even more disturbing.
I am hopeful your decision was made without knowledge of the full HSUS agenda, but supporting one arm of this extreme group props up it misguided mission in other areas. My research shows that some of your other charitable support, such as grants to rural women leaders in Australia, is more compatible with your proud agricultural heritage. I applaud you for that.
While I am disappointed in your decision, I am fully aware that once a decision is made, it is next to impossible to take it off the table. I do not write to judge your decision to stick to your word, especially knowing the behind-the-scene tactics of the recipient group. I am hopeful, however, that you will reconsider any kind of visible marketing partnership with this group, which has a traceable record of wanting to squash modern livestock production in the United States. Since your goal was to support animals, I am also hopeful you will target your future support to groups focused on the true animal welfare cause, rather than one that publicly cloaks itself in that cause while pursuing a completely different shadow agenda of extreme animal rights.
While the backlash must be alarming, I am confident a clear statement from you in support of agriculture and denouncing the recipient group's tactics would restore goodwill and the positive reputation your products enjoyed among rural Americas and others supporting American agriculture. If I can assist in spreading that news, I would be glad to help. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Bob Stallman, President
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