Wisconsin Farmers Speak Out for Safe Farms

FUR COMMISSION USA PRESS RELEASE, AUGUST 25, 1999
Wisconsin Farmers Speak Out for Safe Farms
By Teresa Platt, Executive Director, FCUSA (April 1998 – May 2011)
On August 26, farmers and other concerned citizens attended two public hearings in Plymouth, Wisconsin (population 7,093) and took their representatives on tours of the charred remains of a building on the outskirts of this tiny town. “Farmers for Safe Farms” they called themselves and “Enough is Enough!” was their rallying cry. Why were these farmers so angry?
In the first two weeks of August, a fringe group, calling itself either the Animal or the Earth Liberation Front (ALF and ELF), went on a Midwest crime spree. Actions included attacks on two Wisconsin mink farms, where thousands of the domesticated animals were set loose. Hundreds of good neighbors helped rescue the animals before they became road kill. But these raids were dwarfed by an August 9 fire that destroyed United Feeds, a $1.5 million feed mill in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Another terrifying incident in Michigan involved arson on a fishing boat stored in the driveway of a veterinarian while he and his family slept in the house nearby.
To a person, the farmers said, “Enough!” They gathered on August 26 at the arson site in Plymouth and demanded commitment from our government, from the FBI, ATF, law enforcement and our politicians. Joining them was local Congressman Thomas Petri and the Agriculture Committee of the State Assembly.
Who Are the Terrorists?
ALF and ELF are notorious for their attacks on medical research facilities, companies involved in producing food and fiber from animals, and anyone interacting directly with the Earth for commercial or recreational purposes such as miners, loggers, skiers, fishermen, hunters, etc. That’s everyone.
ELF’s most infamous act to date, in pure dollar terms, was the $12 million Vail Resorts arson in Colorado. This damage was justified by ELF as their way of setting aside potential habitat for the Canada lynx. The Canada lynx is native, of course, to Canada and rarely seen in the lower 48 which is home to one million of its relative, lynx rufus or the common bobcat.
But what is ALF and ELF’s manifesto of “liberation”? Where will this terrorist route lead? Will ALF and ELF and other eco-anarchists “save” the Earth by liberating it and its animal inhabitants from mankind? Should society turn a blind eye to these overzealous Machiavellian tactics en route to reaching such a “lofty” goal?
The Basics
Consider the basics: 75% of the Earth’s surface, about 10% of the land mass – or just 2.5% of the planet – can support agriculture to feed and clothe us. The other 97.5% of the planet can support grazers and predators and birds and fish, animals which consume what are to us inedible plants and animal life and convert them to food and clothing for our use – but we must take the lives of these animals to reap these benefits. Additionally, the domestication of animals over the last ten thousand years has contributed greatly to the Earth’s ability to provide for us all.
ALF and ELF’s goal is to “liberate” this world from human control. They imply that they will allow humanity, all 6 billion of us and counting, to organically farm the tiny percentage of the Earth that is arable land, oblivious to the fact that organic farming requires animal-based fertilizers. They have forgotten that 10,000 years ago, humans domesticated animals and their manure gave us fertile soil for crops. We raised our livestock and became farmers living in clusters, abandoning the hunting and gathering past when generations of nomads followed the migration patterns of the wild animals. They forget that every field of cotton or veggies replaces animal habitat.
To supply the food, clothing and shelter needs of modern man, we must maintain access to all the Earth’s surface, sustainably harvesting from its oceans, its fertile farmlands and arid range. Mankind must utterly reject the nonsensical philosophy and condemnable terrorist tactics of ALF and ELF and other eco-anarchists.
Costs of Terror Campaigns
Academics are discussing the motives and manifestos while government is analyzing the financial, social and environmental costs of these terror campaigns against farmers, ranchers, loggers, medical researchers and so many, many other vital sectors of our society. But let us focus, just for a moment, on the impact of acts of arson on agricultural infrastructure such as the United Feeds’ mill.
Consider the impact of this fire on the 15 employees of the mill whose jobs were disrupted, the employee who stepped on a rusty nail and developed complications, the impact on the hard-working Wisconsin fur farmers and their feed suppliers in the dairy, beef, poultry and fishing industries. Our U.S. fur farmers are animal experts, raising domesticated carnivores requiring fresh feed daily. Every day, United Feeds recycled tons of byproducts from food industries in several states, over 30 million pounds annually. Fires such as the one at United Feeds increase the costs of producing poultry, beef, fish and dairy products while adding more disposal materials to our landfills. Attacks on agricultural infrastructure are designed to terrorize the nation’s food producers while generating additional costs to law enforcement, increased security and processing costs. All these bills are passed on to the consumer and taxpayer.
In the process of recycling over a billion pounds of byproducts from our food production, our U.S. mink and fox farmers contribute an intensely beautiful, organic material to our cold weather clothing needs, competing globally with synthetic, petro-chemical alternatives. Fur farmers shouldn’t be standing in front of burned out buildings demanding “Safe Farms”. Fur farmers should be held up as examples of how to create a solid, sustainable, environmentally sound industry.
Save the Earth and the animals? Save the farmers.
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Click here for more Safe Farms Support Rally information.
See also:
Wisconsin State Representative Barbara Gronemus has introduced legislation that would increase the penalty for the unauthorized release of animals to a Class C felony and make the offender liable for damages and attorney fees. The bill has passed the Assembly and is awaiting Senate action. Click here to download the bill in PDF format.
Wisconsin Mink Farmers to Improve Security Measures After Vandalism Wisconsin State Journal. Reproduced with permission; Aug. 14, 1999.
Mink Break-In, Feed Mill Fire Reasons for More Punishment for Animal Rights Terrorists Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation press release; Aug. 12, 1999.
Animal-Use Abolitionists Continue 1999 Road Trip of Vandalism and Arson; Farmers Demand Action (HTML or PDF) FCUSA press release; Aug. 9, 1999.
Animal Rights Terrorists Vandalize Wisconsin Farm : 3,000 Domesticated Mink Released FCUSA press release; Aug. 3, 1999.
Stiffer Laws for Releasing Animals Sought From the Daily Press (Escanaba, Michigan). Reproduced with permission; July 20, 1999.
Engaging Political Will (HTML or PDF) Animal rights terrorism moves up FBI priority list; FCUSA commentary on animal rights / eco-terrorism; Mar. 4, 1999.
Congressional Testimony of FCUSA Executive Director Teresa Platt to the Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, Oversight Hearing on “Public and Private Resource Management And Protection Issues in the National Forest Systems” with particular reference to animal rights terrorism and eco-terrorism. (May, 1999)
Engaging Political Will Animal rights terrorism moves up FBI priority list. FCUSA commentary. Also available in PDF format. (March 1999)
Should Conflict Generation Be Rewarded by Non-Profit Benefits? Teresa Platt of FCUSA takes a look at the activites of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. (November 1997)
Report to Congress on the Extent and Effects of Domestic and International Terrorism on Animal Enterprises. Prepared by the Department of Justice. (September 1993)
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