Protecting A Noble Breed
I was pleased to learn that the U. S. House passed U.S. House passed H.R. 297.
H. R. 503, to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered for human consumption, is the real uphill battle. It makes the ban permanent.
DeKalb, IL, in Speaker Hastert’s 14th CD, is the horse slaughtering capital of the U. S. The other 2 locations are in TX. While not in Rep. DeLay’s CD, it’s close enough for government work -- & no surprise here.
Most members of this Congress are the Baby Boomers – my generation. We grew up watching Roy Rogers ride Trigger. Almost every boy insisted on a cowboy outfit for Christmas. They wanted to be Roy Rogers, Robin Hood of the Pecos. They wanted ponies (preferably a Palomino that looked just like Trigger) of their very own. People visit Branson, MO, just to see Trigger. Next to him are Buttermilk & Bullet.
After Harry Morgan joined the TV show, M*A*S*H, the Cavalry & horses became additional characters. His love for the animal practically jumped off the screen.
I know this is a question of a few jobs. Using the facility for an insourced horse slaughtering operation is simply bad public administration. People can grow industrial hemp anywhere. A university research grant to NIU down the road could use the facility to develop products from this resource. Industrial hemp can provide all the necesities: food, shelter, clothing, & medicine. If animal slaughtering is the only industry possible, bison is a better choice – ask any nutritionist.
I’ll never understand the need to starve & slaughter a beautiful, noble animal. Protecting them is a Democrat value. One I fully support.
posted by Philosophe Forum @ 19:46
5 comments
5 Comments:
Way off topic here, but could you change your fonts? Either I'm getting old or the type is way too small. Thanks. :)
Hey, great news, even if it isn't over yet. I wasn't aware that we had a horse slaughtering facility that ground up wild horses here in Il. until you brought it to my attention. Thanks. It's shameful.
Much better. Thanks. :)
Sadly its true Kankakee- right here in my DeKalb. I believe they slaughter 65 wild horses with more on the way before the Department of Interior and Ford intervened to stop it.
The manager of the DeKalb facility said at the time that DOI acted because it was PR problem for them- as opposed to a "they slaughter what for food?" problem I guess.
As for the bit about industrial hemp in the initial post- the DeKalb County board voted 23-1 to ask the state to allow research into it, a move supported by the Illinois Farm Bureau. Local State Rep and "friend to farmers" Bob Pritchard has not acted on that.
Peoria Pundit didn't understand why this issue saddens me. He also ignored the alternative uses I suggested. Healthy horses don't have to be starved & then slaughterted for food. I don't know how much of an income industrial hemp means to the employees, but the market potential is literally endless -- nationally & internationally. Feel free to pass along this info to State Rep. Pritchard:
It’s important that state university agriculture departments have the right to research hemp to determine which variety of hemp plant would flourish best in Illinois based upon the land and the types of businesses and industries that could reasonably be expected to use hemp in the manufacture of their products.
Too, there’s a rather long learning curve for farmers so that they can get the right kind of seed, how to raise, harvest and prepare for shipping to its destination. University agriculture departments should provide agriculture extension agents with the knowledge of what’s best, and how best to raise a hemp crop that’s going to be profitable to the farmer.
We don’t want farmers to have to learn by trial and error and likely go bankrupt in the process of trying to figure out what’s the best variety of hemp to grow given the market.
There are many different applications that hemp can be grown for. Some are:
1. Seeds
2. Confectionary, baked goods
3. Salad oils, human food, especially rich in Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs).
4. Cosmetics
5. Animal food
6. Industrial oil
Other products include:
1. Plastic-molded products, injection molding
2. Specialty paper
3. Construction fiberboard, plasterboard, drywall, plaster of Paris
4. Thermal insulation
5. Concrete additive
6. Foundations, walls, floors, ceilings of houses; ceramic tile, pellets for pellet stoves
7. Animal bedding
8. Biodegradable landscape
9. Matting and plant culture
10. Carpet
11. Upholstery
12. Fine textiles
13. All types of transportation vehicles – due to low density & weight
In the area of health:
1. Medical cannabinoids
2. Essential oils for flavor and perfumes
3. Insect repellant
Other uses:
1. Alcohol
2. Fuel – charcoal, methanol, methane, gasoline and ethanol
3. Silage
A good source of information for these kinds of applications can be found at:
http://www.industrialhemp.net/
under .pdf downloads
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