Sen. Moran Criticizes HSUS Involvement in APHIS Meeting

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (Kan.) took to the Senate floor earlier this week to expose and criticize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for spending taxpayer dollars to provide a public forum for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to disparage animal agriculture. A memo issued by USDA last month authorized an "animal welfare scientific forum" to be planned by HSUS, other welfare advocacy groups and several agencies within the agriculture department. Moran said there is no mention of any agriculture organization or animal scientist being consulted for assistance in planning the event.

The senator reminded Americans that HSUS spends most of its multi-million dollar budget lobbying against animal agriculture. He said tax documents show HSUS spends less than 1 percent of its budget on grants to animal shelters.

"This is one more demonstration that this administration is no real friend of rural America or the American farmer and rancher," said Moran. "My purpose this morning is to inform my fellow senators on what I consider this troubling development at USDA and put the secretary on notice that this type of conduct from the department is unacceptable."

Reprinted in part from Drovers Cattle Network