The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has long advocated for changing laws regarding the raising of livestock and how livestock is slaughtered. To achieve their goals, the HSUS has sought to use ballot measures in state elections to change state law to basically allow animals to stand and sit and move around in places where they are confined, among other desires of the organization. Readers of this blog know that Ohio Issue 2, which passed last fall, pre-empted the HSUS and could serve as a template for other states to do the same. One state that might not take the Ohio route is Vermont.In fact, as the Oklahoma Farm Report online writes, a bill has been introduced in the Vermont state legislature that would authorize, "An inspector who is a representative of a the humane society of the United States, a Vermont-domiciled humane society, or similar organization approved by rule of the secretary, shall be present to observe a slaughterer, packer, or stockyard operator when engaged in the practice of bleeding or slaughteringlivestock."
Such legislation goes way beyond Ohio’s Issue 2 Constitutional Amendment, which created a board, which would include a local humane society member, to determine the rules and regulation governing livestock production and slaughter. And in reality, the Vermont bill may be seen as a warning to other states as to how far the HSUS is willing to go to advocate their interests.
It remains to be seen what political legs this bill has in Vermont.
To read the Oklahoma Farm Report story click here.
To read the legislation click here.
