Kistler 1

Paisley Kistler

Professor Sharp

Comp I

21 November 2016

SQ 777

State Question 777 would have protected the family farmers and ranchers rights to make

decisions regarding their livestock and crop production. It would have also allowed families to

access affordable food options from local famers and ranchers. If passed, farmers would be able

to defend themselves against unjust laws that could harm their way of life. SQ 777 could have

made the state of Oklahoma more appealing to farmers, and allow consumers to determine best

farming practices through a free market competition.

Larger corporations, such as ASPCA and HSUS, have targeted farmers and ranchers

regarding animal welfare for decades. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to

Animals stated 777 would give corporate farm operators a free pass to use more corner cutting

practices that endanger animals, sicken consumers, pollute water sources and make it nearly

impossible for more humane and sustainable farms to compete. This quote shows that the

majority of people against the bill, jump to conclusions about how the bill would affect the

welfare of livestock and the safety of Oklahomas resources. As a third generation farmer, I know

that a farmers best interest is always in the safety and well-being of the livestock. Many nights I

have assisted my dad with doctoring young calves who, if not treated, would not have survived

the night.

Jamee Suarez, President of Oklahoma Alliance for Animals discussed The so-called

Right to Farm state question 777, should more aptly be described as Right to Harm as it seeks
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to enshrine the bad practices of industrial agriculture and ties the hands of future legislatures

from making important reforms that directly impact animal welfare. This statement couldnt be

farther from the truth. Future legislatures are not the main point of the topic. Future farmers and

ranchers will be the ones directly affected by the bill. In the next few decades, our future farmers

and consumers will struggle with affordability of the crops and meat production prices. As prices

to maintain a healthy production of livestock and produce increase, so will the prices of local

produce. The food and produce market is constantly fluctuating in price, this bill would have

secured an affordable price for families in our state. This increase in prices will directly affect

families living below the poverty line. Oklahoma Policy Institute stated in 2015 that nearly

654,640 Oklahomans are food insecure. The inevitable price increase will also increase this

number significantly. Okpolicy.org also said, Oklahomans are more likely to be food insecure

than most Americans. Food is not a privilege, it is a basic human right. SQ 777 could have

made food more accessible to the families living below the poverty line.

Some people are hesitant of the bill because they are worried about the safety of

consumers. The Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation said, SQ 777 will protect your

right to choose the food you feel is appropriate for your family, with access to affordable, local

food options. Those choices are available when farmers and ranchers are afforded the freedom to

make production decisions based on their natural resources, landscape, weather patterns, insect

and disease pressures and family and business dynamics. SQ 777 would not have jeopardized

the safety or quality of crops from local farmers. One goal of a farmer is to feed and support the

people of our state and country. A farmer will work early mornings and late nights to ensure

crops and livestock are in the best shape possible.

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SQ 777 would have benefited not only the farmers and ranchers of our great state, but

also families trying to feed their families. Livestock production would have increased in quality,

because farmers would have been able to treat their livestock without being attacked by large

corporations, such as ASPCA. People who are not or have never been in a farming and ranching

lifestyle will never understand what it takes to be successful in this difficult way of life. Farmers

have fed this country since the beginning and will continue to feed it for many centuries. It is

time we be more supportive and cooperative with the people who put food on our dinner tables.

Farming is not just a hobby, it is a way of life and it is time we start treating it that way.
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Works Cited

@okpolicy. "Fact Sheet: Hunger in Oklahoma." Oklahoma Policy Institute. N.p., 30 Nov. 2015.

Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

"Yes On 777." Oklahoma Right to Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

"Oklahoma Right to Farm Amendment, State Question 777 (2016) - Ballotpedia." Ballotpedia.

N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

"No on 777." No on 777. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.