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Animal cruelty legislation filed...
"We support the humane treatment of all domestic animals and wildlife. We urge the development of agricultural information and education programs that will give the public a clear, realistic and technically accurate perspective of animal rights issues relative to producer responsibilities."
This is Texas Farm Bureau policy regarding the important issue of animal agriculture and humane treatment of animals.
Livestock producers find it not only morally responsible, but also economically necessary, to provide appropriate care for their animals. The condition of livestock greatly impacts productivity and profitability. Individuals who fail to adequately care for their livestock may soon find themselves looking for another line of work.
However, normal agricultural practices are not always pleasant or easily understood by those outside the industry. Often, livestock get poked and prodded in ways that the feint of heart might not care to know. However, these procedures are done for a reason and must be safeguarded against attacks from the animal rights community.
Because of the risks posed by animal activists and others who don't understand agriculture, there are exemptions in the animal cruelty law for injuring or killing livestock as a part of normal farming or ranching practices. However, there are no agricultural exclusions or exceptions for clearly inhumane treatment of animals such as torture or causing animals to fight.
Unfortunately, there have been cases where bad people have done things to injure or kill livestock that does not belong to them. Often these cases involve livestock animals that are raised by 4-H and FFA youth for the purpose of exhibiting in stock shows. Since these "youth projects" are livestock, they are excluded from the injury and killing provisions. Therefore, prosecutors are not able to pursue the stiffer animal cruelty penalties against these criminals.
In response to these highly publicized cases, legislation has been introduced to amend the animal cruelty law. Unfortunately, this poses the risk that overreaching changes could be made that would jeopardize the livestock industry. Specifically, proposed legislation would remove the "exception from the law for animal husbandry" and replace it with a "defense to prosecution" provision. This would mean a livestock producer could be charged with animal cruelty and have to go before a judge to plead his case, and risk being found guilty.
Texas Farm Bureau will work to ensure that any legislation considered will not endanger the livestock industry. The legislation that has been proposed does not meet this criteria and will be opposed.
