Notes : Animal Agriculture Alliance Conference

-- Animal rights is an industry. It exists to make money. Refer to it as the
Animal Rights Industry, not as a group or organization. This underscores
that it's all about money.

-- Don't make the animal rights industry the subject. PETA is a gnat. Don't
talk to them or about them.

-- The ARs have money, but just throwing money at something does not mean
you will win.

-- We have to begin at the kindergarten level and go into the schools and
educate kids about our issues, not wait for the ARs to do it. (They already
are.)

-- State initiatives are a difficult problem: 41% of the ones proposed do
pass and they cannot be trumped. Cannot overrule with legislation (except
federal). Even if the ARs lose, they win because they call attention to the
issue.

-- If you doubt what we are dealing with, go to the Lewis & Clark Law School
site and listen to the recordings of previous animal rights conferences.
http://www.lclark.edu/org/saldf/past.html

-- We need to have the facts, but speak with the heart as well as the head.
These are emotional issues and we cannot ignore that.

-- Never defend bad animal practices. We have a moral obligation to take
care of our animals. There is enough information available about what
constitutes good care and how to provide it. If you are not caring for your
animals properly-- by our own reasonable definitions -- you should not have
them. Set ethical principles. "This is who we are." Do not allow the AR
industry to take that away from us or define who we are.

-- Pick your battlegrounds. Don't waste time on battles that are already
lost or don't matter.

-- What you can do: 1) Develop a speak-out program for your group; 2) Have
the facts, speak the truth, but with emotion; 3) Use social networks.

-- HSUS is trying to form religious coalitions because religious people give
more money, give consistently, and stay committed.

-- HSUS excels at market research, forming coalitions and framing issues.

-- Industry leaders have to lead; Washington will listen.

We noticed the phrase "animal well-being" used instead of animal welfare. I
thought that was interesting. Considering that AW has more or less been
hijacked by the ARs, it's nice to have another option.