Good January OPRC Meeting in Mountain Grove
The Ozarks Property Rights Congress held their January meeting at the Hayloft Restaurant in Mountain Grove on January 26th.  Nearly 50 folks, including 147th District Representative Don Wells, came to hear updates on property rights issues.

OPRC research specialist, Doreen Hannes, represented OPRC as part of 18 concerned citizen groups whose members delivered a beautifully framed Declaration of Duty to each State Representative and Senator on January 4th in Jefferson City as part of the Consent of the Governed Rally. They greeted the legislators, “We’re the people and we’re here to help.” “It was a very, very positive thing,” Hannes said.

Hannes said that though it is still early in session, it is obvious that concerned citizens will need to go up to Jefferson City often to make their voices heard this year. She exhorted everyone to get involved with the legislative process. “It is our job, as citizens, to be vigilant, to be aware, to know what’s happening, to stand in the gap, and require the right action from our elected officials.”

“You don’t have memorize every word of a bill or know all of the State’s Revised Statutes to be effective, but you do have to know the bill’s ramifications for freedom,” she added. “In several cases we have been able to bring about a right action from our state legislators. They just have to know that we get it, that we understand the process, and that we’re not going to sit back and take whatever they want to do anymore. It’s up to us, also, to inform out friends and neighbors what is happening.”

Hannes reviewed some bills currently proposed in the Missouri General Assembly. “The Right to Raise Livestock is a returning bill. It sounds good until you carefully look at the wording. Basically, it gives Missouri citizens the right to raise livestock in a “humane manner.” That is humane manner as defined by the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri does whatever the USDA tells it to. The USDA has hired a former Humane Society of the US litigator to run the USDA Animal Welfare Division in the west half of the country. Knowing the beliefs of the HSUS, that sends up a big red flag on this bill. It opens the door to regulate animal owners with the USUS desired animal welfare practices.
“I’m for animal welfare.  I raise animals I want my animals to be as happy and healthy as possible, but I do not believe they have more rights than people. Animal cruelty is against the law already.”

Issues in Senator Brian Munslinger’s nuisance law suit bill SB490 are already covered by the Farm Freedom Act. Land use issues handled on a state wide level is zoning, pure and simple. We already have the capacity for redress. It is a local control issue and is best handled on the local level. This bill effectively gives Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) extra rights while pretending to protect farmers.”

Two bills that I feel we can support  is HB1444 which would prohibit the sterilizing, adopting out or euthanizing seized animals before the case has thoroughly decided.

SB547 the Right to Work Bill. Representative Wells commented, “This bill will bring companies with jobs to Missouri. Presently, companies are taking their jobs to “right to work” states.” Wells encouraged citizens to begin a letter writing campaign to the Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley to make their feelings know that Missouri needs this right to work legislation.

Attendees also heard a report from Carolin Burch who attended the Mountain Grove Lion’s club noon meeting. At the meeting, former State Treasurer Wendell Bailey presented his 15 Point priority list for a Ten County Plan designed to increase the income and educational levels in South Central Missouri. There will be more information on this as it develops.

Bob Parker took time off from the campaign trail to touch base with the home folks.  Speaking of being a fiscal conservative, Parker said, “We need to defund the non-elected, job killing regulatory agencies who place unreasonable, costly burdens on businesses and citizens. We have to cut off the money. Even if there is good in a bill, if it funds these agencies, a Congressman has to vote no, then explain to folks back home why the no vote was necessary.” In the August primary, Parker is facing JoAnn Emerson for the 8th Congressional District seat.

The next OPRC Meeting will be in Gainesville on February 9 and in Mountain Grove on February 23.

When asked by State Representative Don Wells for a show of hands by those opposing introduction of elk in Missouri, all but five of the 100 plus in attendance at the Ozarks Property Rights Congress(OPRC) August 26 meeting raised their hands.
    Wells, who said anyone releasing elk should be responsible for any damage caused, spoke at the meeting in Mountain Grove. The meeting also featured a presentation by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Forrest Supervisor Clint Dalbom  explaining the MDC proposal to establish free roaming elk in southern Missouri. Dalbom  was assisted by Aaron Jeffries,assistant to the director MDC.   
    The standing room only crowd also heard from Ray Cunio of Sullivan, who told of the same attempt  made by MDC ten years ago that was dropped because of public and legislative concerns over liability for damage caused by free roaming elk, disease and habitat. He said nothing has changed from the landowners standpoint from 10 years ago. Cunio pointed out that the stated reason MDC gives for the stocking of elk is to reestablish a species that was here up until the 1800`s.”This is no longer the 1800`s” he said. “Times, conditions, and Missouri have changed. We`re not interested in going backwards”. He said the only place elk herds should be established in the Ozarks is behind elk tight fences as domestic elk breeders have to do as there is no other way to insure the animals will not end up on private property where they will be destructive.
    Dalbom   said the plan is to release elk in an area straddling parts of Reynolds, Carter, and Shannon counties on mostly public owned land.  Dalbom  said MDC will devise a method of dealing with elk which stray from the designated area and keeping elk mainly on public land and away from where they are not wanted. He said hunting and establishing food plots will be used as  tools to keep the herd in check.
    Bob Parker, who identified himself as an avid elk hunter, “who loves elk” but doesn`t want them on the roads or on private property, told of his personal knowledge of the wide ranging elk’s ability to travel long distances in a short time.  He said ” If they are released, they will soon be in our back yard as the herd expands, and we don`t want them here.” Parker also related examples of bad experiences including automobile fatalities citizens are having with elk in other states.
    OPRC chairman Russell Wood said,” The simplified version of the groups opposition would be (ONE) We don`t believe that all elk can be contained in a prescribed free roaming area beyond perhaps the first few years. In  time  they will spread and we will all be feeding and sharing the roadways with elk regardless of the good intentions of our Governor and the MDC who want to get this done. (TWO) Elk will do damage to fences, pastures, crops, gardens, feed storage areas and worst of all people will be killed each and every year in car-elk collisions  Any perceived benefit from establishing a free roaming elk herd in southern Missouri cannot offset these inevitable consequences.”
    A former Arkansas resident who now lives in Missouri spoke of her personal knowledge of the problems caused by free roaming elk that have been reintroduced in Arkansas. She said she is adamantly opposed to elk being established here.
    The crowd broke into spontaneous applause after a local dairy farmer gave a detailed and emotional plea against having free roaming elk released to add yet another burden to his daily struggles.
    Since  the MDC representatives minimized the likelihood of accidents and damage caused by elk, Cunio suggested they recommend MDC go ahead and accept responsibility for damages as they consider it to be an insignificant matter.
    The five supporters of elk introduction in attendance spoke of the pleasures of having elk in the area, but didn`t appear to convince the landowners
    Everyone was encouraged to contact MDC and let their opinion on introducing elk in Missouri be known.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting public comment on their Elk Restoration proposal until October 1, 2010. You can mail your comments to them at Missouri Department of Conservation, Director’s Office, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180. Or you can make your comments online at www.mdc.mogov/contact-us/elk-restoration-comments

Umbrella Group Planned and Candidates Endorsed at
Private Property Rights Conference

    A group of private property rights protectors adopted a proposal  for a state wide umbrella organization and endorsed two candidates for the U.S. Congress at their gathering Saturday in Cabool. They also heard speeches outlining what can be done to “make a difference” in determining rules and regulations placed on the use of their land and influencing the people making those rules.
    The tenth annual Conference on Private Property Rights, sponsored by the Ozarks Property Rights Congress, heard from candidates running for offices to be decided in the upcoming elections. The OPRC group announced their endorsement of Bob Parker for the 8th congressional district seat and State Senator Chuck Purgason for the U.S. Senate.
    OPRC president Russell Wood proposed an action presented to the group by Ray Cunio to create an inclusive body to speak as one voice for the several property rights advocacy groups scattered throughout the state which were represented at the gathering. “The new entity will enable the various groups to speak with a larger voice on common matters when appropriate,”  Cunio said.
    Carolin and Bill Burch were honored with  the group’s REAL Conservationist award, given each year for extra ordinary work in the effort to preserve private property rights. Wood said their recognition was long overdue after years of tireless effort to the cause.
    Carolin Burch, when announcing the endorsement of Parker and Purgason,  pointed out that OPRC had never endorsed a candidate before, but felt they “are our people and deserve our support.”  On the state level, OPRC member Mike Lind is seeking nomination in the 143 state representative race.
    Featured speakers at the all day event, which was opened with a greeting by State Representative Don Wells, were Ray Cunio, Paul Hamby,  Doreen Hannes and Ron Calzone

DVDs of the 10th Conference on Private Property Rights are available
from Recording Masters – Rt. 1, Box 816, Cabool, Missouri 65689 
417-962-5688
Thanks Art Hoover of Recording Masters for doing the video this year.
DVDs are $20 each for the first and
$10 each for the next  when delivered to the same address,
payable in advance by Visa, Mastercard, or
checks made payable to Recording Masters.
Contact Art for special pricing on larger orders
The DVDs will also be available at the Mountain Grove meeting in August and at Gainesville in September.

SPEAKER SAYS NAIS IS NOT DEAD: JUST RENAMED

     Contrary to what you are being told the National Animal Identification System is not dead; just renamed, reworded and still very much alive, This was the message brought to the Ozarks Property Rights Congress meeting in Gainesville Thursday, February 11 by Bob Parker who said he hated to bring that news. “Being one of those who has worked hard over the past four or five years to stop NAIS, nothing would please me and my co-workers more than to be able to report that indeed NAIS has gone away. But sadly it is still here under a new name and coming at us with a reshuffled approach”.  Parker read excerpts from a fact sheet released by USDA Feb, 5th which outlined the new approach.
    The animal identification program will now be called  the Federal Animal Disease Traceability System and premise identification registration numbers are  now “unique location identifiers.”  Parker pointed out that the USDA paper says that since so much tax payer money has been spent on efforts to implement NAIS that as much of the failed program as possible must be salvaged and used in the new program such as use of the NAIS”840″ ear tags. They say it would be fiscally irresponsible to disregard all elements of NAIS.
    USDA acknowledged that massive public opposition to their proposed NAIS program has caused them to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach .
    Parker noted that while USDA says the frame work for the new  approach will emphasize states participation, they are very clear and emphatic on one major point which seems non negotiable in their view. They intend to enforce animal identification at the level of interstate commerce as they said they would do under the original NAIS plan. This would force Missouri producers into their program as the state has practically no in-state feed lots or major slaughter facilities causing nearly all of the states livestock production to cross state lines.
    Addressing the issue of states like Missouri which have passed laws prohibiting forced participation in NAIS, the fact sheet points out that this program is no longer called NAIS and the new framework will spell out what states must do for their animals to be able to move in interstate commerce.
    Parker expressed disdain for those elected officials who quickly put out news releases bragging how they were instrumental in stopping NAIS. “They evidently didn`t read the rest of the story and were quick to make political hay. They do their constituents  a real dis-service by touting a hollow victory.”

OPRC president Russell Wood said links to the the fact sheet Parker was referencing can be found at  www.r-calfusa.com or http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_traceability.pdf  under Questions and Answers: new animal traceability framework.