Animal Handling, who cares?


Yesterday’s anti-Christian message certainly did get your attention. One response was from Phil Clemens President of Hatfield Quality Meats. I have a great deal of respect for Phil, as does anyone who has ever met him. Hatfield Quality Meats has been in his family for 106 years – WOW that is impressive! Phil was kind enough to share with me his presentation to the 2002 Animal Handling Conference and I think you should read it. This is an excerpt from the speech and the “mindset” that has allowed this Pennsylvanie family to be the meat business for 106 years. Thank you Phil.

A cynical person may say - you are raising these animals to be slaughtered, then you are actually slaughtering them - how can that be looking out for the animals welfare? I believe it is very clear. God has given them to us to have dominion over - that means to use under our direction. To raise animals for food is very natural. But, it requires that animals are raised in the best possible conditions, transported in the kindest way and then processed by the most humane treatment.

"People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do"

The lowest of the low that I know

Any of you who do not believe animal agriculture is under attack will think this story is some fairy tale. Actually it has hit me so hard I am trying to find someone to punch, look out Kelli. Top Producer has an article this month about Karl Shank, chairman of the Yankton county planning and zoning committee. He was arrested and tried for perjury because he supports animal agriculture. Read whole story; here is a sample:

The state of South Dakota has charged Schenk, a Mission Hill, S.D., farmer with perjury. If found guilty at his trial this month, he faces a possible 10-year jail sentence.
His real crime, Schenk and his defenders say, isn’t failing to tell the truth. It’s the belief that animal agriculture is good for rural communities, their grain farmers and their tax base. “Livestock is the only economic development program you don’t have to subsidize,” the 200-head cow-calf operator and grain producer says in his defense.

Update: Mr Shank was found NOT guilty on two counts last Thursday. My sources tell me that jurors had no doubt that the county attorney received the minutes and attempted to frame Mr. Shank. Unbelievable even to me. I wish only the best to the Shank family for what they have gone through.

Please note correction

Amy and I must have had a communication problem. Yesterday, I told you the neighbors who filed the lawsuit against them lived up to nine miles away. I was wrong, the neighbors range from .9 to 1 mile. Thank you Amy for the correction.