Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is talking with the Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation, Michael Kelsey, about battles over animal agriculture rights in the state of Oklahoma.
“There is a more organized animal rights push in the state of Oklahoma,” Kelsey said.
As these groups are becoming more active, Kelsey said it is going to be important for groups such as the OCA to watch and play defense on matters like petition initiatives either through the legislature or through the signature-gathering process.
“I think they have shown their cards, and I think they have been very upfront that they want to see state law reflect their ideals of animal management,” Kelsey said. “That includes the ideas of Prop 12, cage size, prohibition of cages, etcetera.”
While some initiatives may not include cattle, Kelsey said the OCA recognizes cattle are still going to be targeted eventually.
“They want to adjust how we manage cattle, and they have ideas in terms of state law,” Kelsey said. “I think we are going to have to be very vigilant on that…”
As animal activist groups continue to gain funding and become more aggressive in their agendas, Kelsey said it will be an ongoing battle even after the next legislative session is closed.
“I am not going to be shocked at all if we don’t see a handful of bills that are filed,” Kelsey said. “(They) probably won’t go anywhere. We will sure try to keep them from going anywhere, but a handful of bills that are filed that are very anti-animal agriculture (in the next 2024 Legislative Session).”
At the Federal Level, the OFF Act is another example of an attempt at anti-animal agriculture legislation, Kelsey said, because checkoff programs help to promote products such as beef.
“It is definitely very much an anti-animal and anti-agriculture stream,” Kelsey said.
Groups that are promoting the OFF Act are still hopeful that it could be slipped into the next Farm Bill that will likely be drafted in 2024.
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