2-17 IAT Dairy Videos
Surreptitious videos a no in dairies.
I have to admit that I am totally torn on this one. The AP reported that Idaho's $2.5 billion dairy industry went on the offensive against agricultural espionage, where camera-wielding animal-rights activists spy on farms in hopes of catching cruelty to cows on tape. The legislation, backed by some of the nation's largest milk producers, would put people who surreptitiously film their operations in jail for up to a year and slap them with a $5,000 fine. The measure follows Utah and Missouri, states that have already enacted so-called "ag gag laws." You all know I am a huge fan of the dairy industry. And it is not the dairy industry that is to blame for the atrocities that occurred to dairy cattle at the hands of dairy workers who were clearly mentally ill. On the other hand, having seen the footage of cows being tortured, that made me both physically and mentally ill. If surreptitious videos could prevent that kind of horrendous abuse in the future, you can make an argument in favor of these practices. But then again, people like the folks at PETA and the Humane Society can use such videos to foster negative feelings toward the dairy industry. Truthfully, this is one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’t situations. It is not the dairy industry that is at blame, it is allowing sadistic mad men to walk our streets and find work in a noble industry. How about this. Get caught mauling a cow, go to prison for no less than 25 years.
