A Sincere Threat

Those involved with the nation’s ag industry need to pay close attention to what’s currently playing out in Nebraska between the HSUS, the state’s governor, and Nebraska’s farming community. After Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman threatened to kick the HSUS out of the state in a speech to cattlemen earlier this month the “furs been flyin”, so to speak. The HSUS has now started a “We Are Nebraska” campaign in retaliation, posting pictures of farmers and ranchers who supposedly support the HSUS campaign. Reportedly, the Nebraska Farmers Union, the second largest general farm organization in the state, has joined with the HSUS to form the Nebraska Agriculture Council, and this is what should really draw the most attention. Divide and conquer is an ancient political and military strategy, get your enemy to quarrel amongst themselves and they become easy to defeat. While Governor Heineman could have perhaps spoke less bluntly, he was sincerely defending the ag industry in his state from an organization that has not been shy in promoting their political anti-animal agriculture campaign.