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Sound the bugle for successIt has been six years since I have had an interaction with the elk breeders of our nation. But, last Friday evening in Omaha, Neb., I was fortunate enough to be back in front of them at their annual convention. The North American Elk Breeders Association (NAEBA), as an association and as individual members, has defied all odds and is surviving. Honestly, six years ago I felt they brought me in as a last ditch effort for survival. They were beat up, lied about and tossed aside. But it appears the elk breeder has more intestinal fortitude than anyone could have ever imagined. Here is the best part--it would appear to me that they had the best convention ever. My hat is off to all involved. Joel Espe, the retiring president of NAEBA from Monticello, Wis., often refers to the elk as "majestic" creatures. That stands without question, but it does bring about mixed emotions. People, me included, simply marvel at the sight of such an animal with a rack way too big for its head--and the bugle, sure to attract attention. I think the term is absolutely accurate: Majestic. Along with that term majestic comes a rash of emotions that have worked against the best elk enthusiasts our nation has--the elk breeders. The more confining our lives get, the more we, as a society, press for freedom. You see, we have confined ourselves to the office, the cell phone, the e-mail and the text message and, when we think of majestic animals, we want what we don't have and that is the freedom to just roam. Consequently, 23 states now have laws that prevent individual property owners from using their property as they see fit. These 23 states have laws that will not allow ranch hunting or hunting of elk or deer behind a fence. And there is a considerable effort every year to increase that list of restricted states. The really tough thing for elk or deer breeders is that they are not only fighting against the likes of the animal rights community but they are, in some cases, fighting hunting enthusiasts. I cannot for the life of me understand why someone who enjoys and appreciates hunting would openly state that hunting behind a fence is bad. We need "fair chase" they say. Fair chase is between the buyer and seller. If I have a pen of steers here at my house and someone calls to buy a half of beef, should some neighbor or big brother tell me that I need to turn the steer back into the pasture and we will need to "hunt" him down where he has a chance to get away? No! It is my property. It is the respectful harvest and consumptive use of the product that matters. Even our nation's oldest conservationist, Theodore Roosevelt, suggested during his presidency that deer and elk farming should be a diversity for all farmers to consider. Our "society" making decisions for me and other property owners is where this is going in a real hurry. No one is telling the hunter where he must hunt. We are simply saying that uninvolved parties should not try to make decisions for others. But I must address another myth that continues to be perpetuated throughout our great land. That myth is the notion that cervid (deer or elk) breeders are the source of all diseases and genetic disorders afflicting the species and perhaps some diseases that haven't even been heard of yet. How can any human being ever rationalize those animals under human management and constant monitoring being in poorer health than those running wild? It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) can still be found in a few regions of the country but, in places like Wisconsin, the deer and elk farmers have implemented an aggressive monitoring program and will soon completely eradicate the disease. On the other hand, state owned deer are seeing slight increases in the presence of CWD. In fact, if the government would implement the same strategy as the deer and elk breeders, we would be well down the road to eradication. Again, how can anyone suggest that human management of a species is inferior to the wild random inbreeding and uncontrolled health of free-roaming animals? My final thought comes back full circle to the people involved in farm-raised elk. I did not hear one person whine or complain about what they were dealing with. I only witnessed individuals who continually find a way to survive and thrive. When I asked how they did it, the common response was that they would find something else to sell. They now sell ivory from teeth to jewelers, hides for leather, elk antlers for preventive health, meat for nutrition and breeding stock when possible. I am sounding the bugle on behalf of the elk breeders of our nation because they continue to find a way to follow their passion and do what they truly believe is right! Editor's note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or e-mail Trent at trent@loostales.com.
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