David Martosko said the well funded Humane Society of the United States is like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but with a nicer wristwatch.
“They want to put you out of business … You should regard them as the enemy,” said the director of research at the Centre for Consumer Freedom, spreading at the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan’s annual conference in Saskatoon Dec. 9.
“This is the group that has illegitimate authority, unearned credibility, gobs of money and they’re fighting a war against you,” he said.
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“When people in the animal rights movement say that they don’t think anybody should have the right to eat meat, we should never laugh it off,” he said.
The Centre for Consumer Freedom is a private interest group that campaigns against animal activists and other organizations that seek restrictions on consumer food choices. It is funded by food companies, restaurants and individuals.
Martosko said the rise in veganism translates into a drop in the livestock market and there will be farms and ranches that simply can’t stay afloat.
“If they can convince 10 percent of North America to do that, there are an awful lot of farmers who will not be able to handle the price fluctuations in the market. They want it to be cost prohibitive to stay in business if you’re a farmer or rancher.”
The war is on to win public opinion and the public is hungry for information.
Martosko said telling a better story about farming and employing a good offence is the best defence.
“It’s a bulwark against future attacks,” he said, citing newspaper ads, editorials, billboards and Facebook as tools for a campaign.
Keep the message simple, collaborate, look for inexpensive ways to be innovative, advertise and give an audience something to join and participate in, he said.
“The time to delegitimize your opponent is not when the wolves are at the door. It’s when they’re far enough that you can just see them.”
Martosko said the viewpoints of the U.S. humane society could be entrenched within the decade.
“At that point, they can march straight through and start dictating terms to farmers and dictating terms that will make it financially unviable to remain in the business.”
