Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has announced verification of signatures for a ballot proposal sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society of Missouri, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation.

The announcement of the pending ballot initiative is clearly a disappointment to members of Missourians for Animal Care (MOFAC), a coalition of mainstream agricultural and animal owner groups in the state, according to a news release from the group.

MOFAC says the ballot initiative provides a series of redundant mandates on kennel owners who are already covered by massive amounts of state and federal regulations. The problems are funding and enforcement, two issues not addressed in the proposal.

MOfAC says that’s especially disappointing, considering the fact that HSUS’ huge budget is used almost exclusively for fundraising, lobbying, corporate salaries, executive pension plans and ballot initiatives rather than hands-on animal care. A former HSUS chief investigator noted in the U.S. News & World Report, “The Humane Society should be worried about protecting animals from cruelty. It’s not doing that. The place is all about power and money.”

Reputable family kennels will be put out of business by this ballot initiative, MOFAC says. While the current HSUS effort is about stopping dog breeding and pet ownership, its ultimate goal is ending animal agriculture and meat consumption, hurting family farmers and livestock producers represented in MOFAC.

Unfortunately, it will be Missouri consumers who pay the ultimate price with a more expensive, less secure food supply, MOFAC says.

Members of MOFAC include Missouri Agribusiness Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Egg Producers, Missouri Equine Council, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, Missouri Livestock Marketing Association, Missouri Pet Breeder Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Soybean Association, The Poultry Federation, Professional Pet Association, FCS Financial and MFA Incorporated.