Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights
In the Agricultural World one of the most controversial issues right now is that between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights. Animal Rights activists are arguing that people are no more superior than animals are and Animal Welfare activists are resorting to the government to see that animals are being taken care of properly. Me personally, I'm for Animal Welfare because without the use of animals our global economy would soon fall. Our animal industry these days is doing more for us than many people realize. Our 4-H and FFA organizations are allowing our country's youth to own their own animals and the chance to earn money toward college. As a participant in such fairs the youth have the chance to learn responsibility in taking care of a livestock animal and the admiralty in knowing that they raised something to it's full potential. The money that the participants receive most of it is put toward their college funds. Animals are also being used in the class room. Many schools have a Agriculture class and the bases of these classes (not all) are animals and their uses in our economy. Some schools have a land lab which enables students to apply what they have learn in the classroom to actual situations. Some schools also have Show Teams. Show Teams are teams of students who don't have the land or the financial means of raising a livestock animal. The school then will provide an animal to keep at the school and the transportation to get the animal to shows for the students. This also gives the students a higher learning of their animal and learn professional showing practices to help them in their shows. I participate in every one of these activities and every one has benefited me in an indescribable way. There are over 47,000 4-H and FFA members in the U.S. alone and I'm sure that every single one of them will back me up when I say that 4-H and FFA are the building blocks of our future. As an Animal Rights activist I would be ashamed of myself because I'm one