Debbie Bruell
Farmers and ranchers in Colorado need to be at the table when decisions are being made regarding agriculture in our state. They are the ones who understand the everyday reality of growing crops and raising livestock. They have critical insights into how to be good stewards of the land and animals.
All too often, rural communities are left out of the process of designing laws aimed at rural communities. The proposed PAUSE Act, Colorado Initiative 16, is a case in point.
PAUSE was initiated by animal welfare activists seeking to protect farm animals from unnecessary suffering and exploitation. The lack of input from the ranching community into this initiative is evident. PAUSE is based on inaccurate information about raising livestock, outlaws practices that actually benefit animals, and could have a significant negative impact on ranchers’ ability to earn a living in Colorado.