Agricultural News
Protect The Harvest Condemns Attacks on Oklahoma Representative Skye McNiel
Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:22:46 CST
Protect The Harvest, a pro-agriculture and sportsmen advocacy group, today condemned the extreme tactics employed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights activists to intimidate Oklahoma State Representative Skye McNiel (R-Bristow).
Rep. McNiel has faced an onslaught of harassment from animal-rights activists since she filed House Bill 1999 to help alleviate abandonment and neglect among older horses by reintroducing humane horse slaughter to Oklahoma. A New-Mexico based group has filed a frivolous ethics complaint to further bully Rep. McNiel and rural legislators.
"Rep. McNiel is simply trying to further the discussion on humane horse treatment," said Protect The Harvest Board member Erik Helland. "The attacks on Rep. McNiel are reactionary and unproductive and we believe that animal-rights extremists led by HSUS are trying to intimidate rural legislators like Rep. McNiel because they stand up for agriculture."
This controversy follows on the heels of the announcement the Oklahoma legislature is considering placing permanent protections for agriculture in the state's constitution. The proposal, HJR 1006, is seen as a response to efforts by HSUS to restrict farming and hunting rights in other states.
"I don't think it is a coincidence that animal-rights groups are stepping up their activity in Oklahoma just weeks after HJR 1006 was filed to place permanent protections for agriculture in Oklahoma's constitution," Helland said. "Rural and pro-agriculture legislators are standing up to HSUS and other animal-rights groups and now the anti-agriculture activists are trying to intimidate them."
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