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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif";
color:blue'>fyi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
ok-sus-bounces@lists.oksustainability.org
[mailto:ok-sus-bounces@lists.oksustainability.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Harlan
Hentges<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 13, 2009 9:33 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> ok-sus@lists.oksustainability.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [ok-sus] Between the Lines of Animal Agri. Legislation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> Oklahoman’s who live near
feedlots are literally breathing manure dust daily and literally drinking
groundwater contaminated with nitrates from manure. I have personally
breathed the dust and drank the water. Meanwhile, some legislators are
attempting to pass laws that those citizens cannot seek help from their local
governments or even the courts. I believe these efforts deserve
condemnation in the strongest terms because they damage Oklahoman’s health and
land purely for out-of-state economic interests. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><i><u><span style='color:black'>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</span></u></i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:black'>Contact:
State Rep. Don Armes</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:black'>Capitol:
(405) 557-7307</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:black'> </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:16.0pt;color:black'>Committee Votes to Streamline Livestock
Regulations</span></i></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='color:black'> </span></i></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>OKLAHOMA CITY – State lawmakers
voted today to streamline regulation of livestock operations in Oklahoma and
prevent radical groups (LIKE FARMERS WHO DON’T LIKE MANURE IN THEIR WATER AND
MANURE DUST IN THEIR HOUSES AND IN THEIR LUNGS?) from wreaking havoc with a
vital state industry.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
House Bill 2151, by state Rep. Don Armes, would simplify regulation of
livestock producers by making the state (I THOUGHT POWER WAS TO RESIDE IN THE
PEOPLE NOT IN THE “STATE”? ) the single-source regulator in Oklahoma (other
than the federal government).</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
The bill would eliminate the compliance problems created by patchwork-quilt
regulation (OTHER THAN MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES, HOW MANY FARMS ARE LARGE ENOUGH
TO BE IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS?) while also preventing fringe groups (LIKE
CONSUMERS WHO DON’T WANT FOOD FROM ANIMALS RAISED IN THEIR OWN FILTH?) from
imposing excessive regulations through local ordinances, (WHAT EVER
HAPPENED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT BEING MOST RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE?)
Armes said.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
“Unfortunately, there’s been a trend of over-reach by fringe groups who don’t
know much about animals, agriculture production, or the free market (Hee,
hee, hee, HE THINKS THAT A MARKET DOMINATED BE THREE MULTINATIONALS IS A
“FREE MARKET”), yet still feel the need to impose their version of ‘animal
Nirvana’ on local farmers and ranchers through arbitrary regulations,” said
Armes, R-Faxon. “ This bill will simply ensure that livestock regulations are
developed by experts at the state level who know what they’re doing.” (LIVE
NEXT TO FEEDLOT WITH 20,000 HEAD OF FEEDER CATTLE AND TELL ME HOW THAT’s BEEN
WORKING SO FAR?)</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
One recent example of regulatory overload occurred last fall in California,
where a ballot question actually created new regulations on the size of pens
for egg-laying hens, veal calves, and pregnant sows. (OH NO !! DIRECT
DEMOCRACY AT WORK…. WE CAN’T HAVE THAT)</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
Armes noted many urban voters have little practical knowledge of agriculture or
animal welfare. (HE MIGHT WANT TO ACTUALLY VISIT WITH SOME URBAN VOTERS INSTEAD
OF ASSUMING THEY ARE IGNORANT)</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
“Let’s be honest: The majority of people in San Francisco probably think the
chicken just magically appears ready to eat next to the arugula and tofu in the
grocery aisle,” Armes said. (ANY EMPIRICAL DATA ON WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY
KNOW OR DID HE JUST MAKE THAT UP?)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> “In a place like Oklahoma,
where there are literally more cattle than people and agriculture production
generates billions of dollars in gross state product, it just makes sense to
have trained experts making regulatory decisions.” (PERHAPS ARMES DOESN’T
RECALL THE WORDS OF RONALD REAGAN “THE SCARIEST WORDS EVER SPOKEN ARE “I AM
HERE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I’M HERE TO HELP.)</span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
House Bill 2151 passed out of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee
today and now proceeds to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>
Similar legislation has also advanced in the state Senate. (I HAD SO HOPED THAT
WHEN The REPUBLICANS CAME TO POWER IN OK. THEY WOULD BEHAVE LIKE LEADERS
INSTEAD OF LIKE TEENAGERS WHO FOUND THE KEY TO THE LIQUOR CABINET).</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='layout-grid-mode:char'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'>.</span><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'> Harlan
Hentges<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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