Farm, animal rights groups align, to ire of other ag organizations

One farm group's attempt to find common ground with an animal rights group is not winning it friends among others in agriculture. The Nebraska Farmers Union said Tuesday it has reached an agreement with the Humane Society of the United States to develop standards and joint marketing efforts for humanely raised meat and other animal products. However, We Support Agriculture, an alliance of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Cattlemen and other ag groups, said the Farmers Union has thrown in its lot with an organization that aims to end animal agriculture. "We are shocked and disappointed that any Nebraska agriculture group would align itself with an extreme animal rights organization such as the Humane Society of the United States," said Pete McClymont, director of We Support Agriculture. But Farmers Union President John Hansen said he views joining forces with the Humane Society as a way to boost family farms in Nebraska...more