Saying anything just to get my way

Just like a little kid trying to talk their parents into a piece of candy or new pair of shoes, some people will say anything to get their way. Wisconsin State Rep. Tom Hebl must be no different. Check out what he said in an attempt to pass a bait law in the Manitowoc Herald.

Rep. Tom Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, said the bill didn’t go far enough, preferring a statewide ban on baiting and feeding as backed by the state’s professional wildlife experts. He feared the disease (CWD) could spread to the state’s dairy industry, though there have been no reported cases of that happening.

I am certain he would love to hear from you. Send him a message to quit attempting to use fear instead of science to make laws. His address is rep.hebl@legis.state.wi.us.

For over 10 years scientists have been trying to inflict cattle with Chronic Wasting Disease and have not been successful. Not to mention the fact that CWD has a fifteen-year incubation period. Rep. Hebl, you need to call your local dairyman and ask him how old his average cow is. Not many make it to fifteen. Furthermore, one of Wisconsin's own associations has the facts about CWD very well presented. Click here to learn more from the Wisconsin Commercial Deer and Elk Farmer’s Association.
According to public health officials and wildlife experts, there is no scientific evidence indicating that CWD can be transmitted to humans. In fact research conducted has determined a molecular barrier exists that significantly limits the susceptibility of humans, cattle and sheep.

Dr. Daniel H. Gould of Colorado State University

• Geographically targeted survey of adult-age cattle (five years or older) on 22 ranches where
cattle were co-mingled with free-roaming deer.

• No indications of chronic wasting disease, and no evidence of prion proteins detected in
any animal tissue.

"There are perceptions that CWD may somehow threaten human or traditional domestic livestock health. These perceptions clearly factor into motivations for managing CWD, even though data and experiences to date suggest those threats appear vanishingly small."
MICHAEL W. MILLER , D.V.M., PH.D.,COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

Weenie Roaster of the week

This week I had a ton of letters sent to me for submission for the Weenie Roaster but this one is just awesome. Click here to read the RFK, Jr. I shared with you on Monday that precipitated this letter. Congratulations to Oscar T Wenholm Jr, of Raymond, SD.

I am a small family farmer from South Dakota and I operate one of the supposed "factory farms" that Robert Kennedy speaks of in this article. However, my farm bears absolutely no resemblance to the fictitious description that Kennedy gives to my farm. My family and I would not trade the air we breathe, the water we drink or the land we live on for the urban atmosphere that city residents live in. The vast majority of university studies on air quality show that livestock operations do not pose a risk to their neighbors.

The manure generated from my 3300 head swine finishing operation never touches the soil until it is applied as organic fertilizer to my cropland in accordance with a state approved Nutrient Management Plan.

Kennedy states "Much of this production is handled through contract farms whose corporate owners dictate how animals will be raised, housed and fed while disclaiming any environmental responsibility and living far away from the consequences." This statement is pure baloney and demonstrates that he has never been on a contract farm. The environmental responsibility rests with the permit holder. That is the farmer landowner. That is exactly where responsibility should be, for no farmer is going to intentionally pollute his own land. That said, the company I contract feed for (Murphy Farms) has the finest environmental record of any in the country. MF company farms
have received Environmental Stewardship Awards from the National Pork Producers Council and all companies and contract farms under the Smithfield umbrella are moving toward ISO 14001 Environmental Certification (International Organization for Standardization) as well as ISO 9001 certification in production and USDA third party certification in Animal Welfare.

Oscar T Wenholm Jr
Raymond, SD