Ag Gag Drones

In a recent edition of the Idaho Cattle Association newsletter, I saw this. Ag security opponent takes fight to the skies. A man fighting Idaho’s ‘ag-gag’ law is raising funds to buy drones to keep a watch on livestock operations from the air. William Potter is a plaintiff in lawsuits fighting both Utah and Idaho’s laws that prohibit people from taking secret photos or videos at farms, and is looking to raise $95,000 in order to buy two drones to conduct investigations at large-scale livestock operations, focusing on those states that are currently debating whether to adopt such laws, the newspaper reports. Needless to say, I called my buddy Wyatt Prescott at the Idaho Cattle Association: “your newsletter is so exciting. A drone going up to look over ag gag so-called? Yes. I really don’t know what to say about that one other than these folks are part of the group of plaintiffs who are suing the state of Idaho with regards to the ag security law that was passed this last legislative session. The bottom line is that article is out there, which is fine, we aren’t concerned about it, we don't have anything to hide. We are more concerned about the safety of our animals by having people on our operations that aren’t trained properly and that are lying about who they are handling those animals and taking care of them. Not only in the most humane way but the best animal husbandry known through science and through research and not just ocular observation on how they should or should not be handled.