Agricultural News
Missouri Farm Groups Rally Voters of that State to Say Yes to Right to Farm
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 07:51:46 CDT
The following is an Op-Ed from the Missouri Corn Producers Association, one of many Missouri Farm organizations who have actively been supporting passage of the Missouri Right to Farm Constitutional Amendment.
Today is the day. Voters across Missouri will determine the outcome of Amendment 1, the Missouri Farming Rights Amendment. Pollsters are predicting only about 20 percent of Missourians will exercise their political freedom to vote. That means 20 percent of the population will decide on issues impacting 100 percent of the people. This proves how important it is to take the time to show up to the polls and vote Yes on Amendment 1. Every. Vote. Matters.
For weeks the debate has been ramping up, flooding newspapers, radio, television and even social media sites. There is still time to make a difference. Take five minutes to show your support on Facebook or Twitter. Talk to people when you're out today. Educate friends, family and neighbors on what Amendment 1 does, why we need it, who supports it and who opposes. Who supports Amendment 1? Every major agricultural group in the state - over 40 different organizations and thousands of Missouri farm families. Who opposes? Out-of-state animal rights groups with the goal of eliminating animal agriculture.
Campaign finance reports indicate the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has contributed $500,000 (cash and in-kind) to oppose Amendment 1. This represents 81 percent of opponents' total contributions. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has now contributed $50,000 (8 percent of opponents' total contributions). In other words, about 90 percent of opponents' campaign contributions have come from out of state. The facts make this issue very clear. We need everyone to show up and vote Yes on 1!
Here's what other supporters are saying about Amendment 1:
"If we cannot do more to protect farming, the most-important economic engine in the state, then where does that leave us? Simply put, we support family farmers and farming and believe Amendment 1 offers protection for Missouri agriculture."...Gary Marshall, Missouri Corn Growers Association CEO
"Amendment 1 is designed to protect all farmers from unjust, unnecessary and costly legislation. Something HSUS spends over half its 150 million dollar budget on trying to pass. (I must give credit to the group for the 0.43% of the budget that helped cats and dogs.) Amendment 1 was written to stop politicians from telling me what seeds to plant, what times I can harvest, who can provide health care to my livestock. It is written to keep the animal extremists, like your donors, from telling us how to do our jobs. This threat is very, very real in other states. They get it. They wish they would have passed right to farm before it was too late for them. And this threat will become very real here if we do not stop it on August 5."...Kate Lambert, Grain and Livestock Producer, Brookfield, Mo.
"I had the privilege of being heavily involved in the drafting of the language of Amendment 1. I approached this task from the perspective of being a small farmer myself. As I looked around at those helping with the language, I saw other small farmers and representatives of farmers and ranchers who just want to earn a living for their families. What I did NOT see were people advocating for foreign ownership of farm land, representatives of large corporations, or people pushing for loss of local control. This legislation was drafted by farmer/legislators for farmers and ranchers."...Senator Mike Parson
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