XX URGENT! Oppose possible post for Sec. of Ag - Lobbyist FOR horse slaughter

[Guest guest]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has more influence on how animals in the United States are treated than any other department. It is important that President Obama appoint a Secretary of Agriculture that will be animal friendly.

 

 

The Secretary of Agriculture has a tremendous impact on the treatment of animals and the enforcement of a broad range of laws including puppy mills, humane slaughter, animal fighting, and food safety. Please appoint an animal friendly Secretary of Agriculture. Also, it is rumored that Charles Stenholm might be considered for this post. PLEASE oppose that appointment based on Mr. Stenholm's history in the Congress as a Representative from Texas, and his lobbying activities listed below. Unbelieveable! At bottom you can write to Obama and/or send

the letter from HSUS from the link provided.

 

 

 

CHARLIE STENHOLM'S RECORD AGAINST ANIMAL WELFARE

 

 

One name on the short list, however, should strike fear in the heart of every animal advocate in the nation: Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm of Texas was a leading opponent of animal welfare when he served in Congress. He led the fight against banning the processing of sick and crippled cattle for human consumption -- proclaiming on the House floor that no downer cow would ever enter the American food supply, only to be proven wrong six months later when a downed cow tested positive for mad cow disease. The news became public after beef from this cow was distributed across the country, causing the meat industry to take a major economic hit when more than 40 nations closed their borders to American beef. Animal welfare and food safety were compromised, but the industry also suffered because Stenholm and his short-sighted cronies were penny-wise and pound-foolish.

 

Stenholm is now a paid lobbyist in Washington, and he's made something of a cottage industry of fighting against animal welfare. His clients have included the Livestock Marketing Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Meat Association, and the National Pork Producers Council. He has even served as the chief lobbyist for the foreign-owned horse slaughter plants. With the Obama administration promising change, the worst thing it could do would be to tap a paid lobbyist who works for a "who's who" of industries that resist the most modest reforms on animal welfare.

 

If Obama broadens his gaze beyond the most widely mentioned suspects, he will find additional qualified and compassionate individuals who recognize there is a balancing of interests when it comes to the needs of agriculture, animal welfare, and consumer and environmental protection. We need a bridge builder who can bring animal advocates and agricultural interests to the table to find common ground and take into account humane treatment along with the economic interests of the industry. We need someone who will bring innovation to the sixth-largest federal department and will finally make food safety and animal welfare a priority. For far too long, the agency has given too much weight to the wishes of agribusiness producers, and not enough to the people who purchase and consume the products or the animals used by the industries.

 

 

(1) Go to the HSUS action alert site,

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/ FED_2008_obama_secretaryofag and send the message suggested.

 

 

 

 

(2) Go to the Obama website, http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision and send this message to Obama.