Page 4 - MWC 04-01-2021s

GUEST EDITORIAL
BEWARE OF INITIATIVE 16 (PAUSE ACT) IN COLORADO
All Producers and Animal Lovers Need to Beware of Initiative 16 in Colorado
By Jaclyn Krymowski for
Protect the Harvest
A recent ballot initiative
being proposed in the state of
Colorado is a serious concern
for farmers, veterinarians,
and other animal welfarists.
The initiative, originally
called Protect Animals from
Unnecessary Suffering and
Exploitation (PAUSE), has
appeared before the title
board after it was filed with
Colorado’s Secretary of State.
After a successful title board
hearing, it is now called Ini-
tiative 16 in Colorado. This
means that once enough sig-
natures have been gathered,
Initiative 16 will appear on
the Colorado voting ballot for
the general public to deter-
mine. Initiative 16 is penned
and supported by two indi-
viduals who both have direct
ties to well-known animal
extremist groups, PETA and
Direct Action Everywhere. If
Initiative 16 passes in Colo-
rado, the impact will be much
farther reaching than most
realize and will restrict pro-
viding care to livestock and
other animals. Additionally,
it will also impact the avail-
ability of animal byproducts
used in countless everyday
items, the availability of
purpose bred pets, breeding
horses, the cost of dairy prod-
ucts and other grocery store Extending the Age of
items, and even the cost of Processing – Impacting
pet food.
Overreaching Changes to
Animal Statutes
Alarmingly, Initiative 16
calls for a change in criminal
cruelty to animal statutes
even though there are al-
ready protections in place for
animals. Initiative 16 would
expand animal statutes to
include criminalizing certain
animal husbandry practic-
es, including procedures for
common and routine animal
care and management treat-
ments. What is on the table?
Section 1 of the initiative
calls for amending (2), (2.9),
and (5) of the revised stat-
utes 18-9-201 – plus the ad-
dition of article (3.5).
The Midwest Cattleman · April 1, 2021 · P4
Banning Artificial section (1) of this section so Sanctuary volunteer since
Insemination, Pregnancy long as the animal has lived 2017 where he was “trained
Checks, Semen one quarter of their natural in animal care support.”
Collection, and More lifespan based on species, Sage also lists himself
The change in (5) and breed, and type of animal and as co-founder of Colorado
(3.5) are the two most nota- the animal is slaughtered in PAUSE where he says, “the
ble. Changing subsection (5) such a way that the animal focus of this campaign is
according to this new pro- does not needlessly suffer.” to define animal abuse for
posal would change “sexual This would essentially mean farmed animals; while allow-
act with an animal” so that that the age required for ing for animal agriculture to
it “also includes any intru- legal slaughter and harvest exist.”
sion or penetration, however is greatly increased – which, “To exist” is a broad term,
slight, with an object or part in the case of cattle, would be but also tiptoes around the
of a person’s body into an an- a full five years according to notion that many of the stip-
imal’s anus or genitals.” the language in this proposed ulations on the ballot would
This also strikes out the change. make many common animal
current language that reads, Such a move would dev- husbandry and processing
“nothing in this subsection astate not only farmers and procedures nearly impossi-
shall be construed to prohib- ranchers, but also everyone ble.
it accepted animal husband- involved with the livestock, Luvin Arms – Home of
ry practices,” and replaces meatpacking, feed, and pro- Radical Vegan Extremists
it with “…to prohibit any tein industries through all This animal extremist es-
person from dispensing care levels. Subsequently, this tablishment is well-known
to an animal in the interest would greatly increase the and has become common
of improving that animal’s cost of animal protein prod- ground for some notable fig-
health.” ucts for consumers at the re- ures in the Colorado animal
Essentially, this is a direct tail and food service levels. rights camp. Marlon Reis, the
attack against common and Initiative 16 is Written by partner of Governor Jared
accepted husbandry practic- Animal Extremists with Polis – who has recently come
es such as artificial insemi- No Animal Husbandry under fire for embracing a
nation, palpation and preg- Background statewide “#MeatOut Day”
nancy checks just to name a Alexander Sage of Broom- discouraging meat consump-
few. Such an inhibition would field, and Brent Johannes of tion – sits on the sanctuary’s
make overall management Boulder are the two individ- board.
and production extremely uals directly behind the pen- Luvin Arms pushes a fully
difficult. It would even make manship of this proposal and vegan diet and cites sever-
veterinarians have to recon- its promotion. What might be al other extremist groups in
sider methods for treating inspiring their interest? Let their information. They were
their patients so they would us look at their backgrounds also vocal supporters of the
avoid being criminalized. and affiliations. state’s recent Meat Out Day
Alexander Sage – and promoted it on their
platforms.
Sustainability, Animal Software Engineer and Luvin Arms and Ellen
Animal Extremist
Welfare, and Cost to Alexander Sage is hard- Kessler – Radical Vegan
Consumers ly an animal welfare expert. from Colorado Veterinary
Adding a new subsection According to his LinkedIn Medical Board
(3.5) would define the “nat- profile, he is currently a ma- Luvin Arms is also the
ural lifespan” of animal spe- chine learning engineer, with sanctuary that vegan and an-
cies as the following: “a cow work in data analytics and imal extremist Ellen Kessler,
lives to 20 years, a chicken software development on his Polis’ pick for the Colorado
lives to 8 years, a turkey lives resume as well. His animal Veterinary Medical Board, is
to 10 years, a duck lives to 6 experience, however, includes
years, a pig lives to 15 years, being a Luvin Arms Animal continued on page 15
a sheep lives to 15 years, a
rabbit lives to 6 years.”
Section 3 then goes on to
incorporate this change by “ ”
adding in another subsection
(1.9) which reads as follows:
“any person who slaughters
livestock in accordance with
accepted agricultural animal
husbandry practices does not
violate the provisions of sub-
@