Now could be the time to buy local spuds, since it’s the start of the Connecticut harvest season and Friends of Animals, Inc., wants you to boycott Idaho potatoes after Gov. Butch Otter (don’t you think he’d be in favor of animals keeping their pelts?) endorsed – and plans to participate in – a so-called “trophy hunt” for wolves in September, after they were removed from that state’s endangered species list in May.
The FOA quoted him saying “I’m prepared to bid for the first ticket to shoot a wolf myself,” to a group of hunters The FOA claims the wolf hunt is an apparent effort to increase elk populations, also for the benefit of hunters for hunters. The wolf permit will cost $11.50 and Idaho wants to eradicate 220 wolves, said the FOA, quoting Otter from an article in The Idaho Statesman: “You can still hate them and respect their cunning and their place in nature.”
Friends of Animals’ president, Priscilla Feral said Otter should go to a dictionary for a better word. “Gov. Otter’s enthusiasm for wolf killing not only demonstrates a complete lack of conscience and understanding of the word ‘respect,’ it shows a lack of respect for nature and the ecosystem; wolves don’t need Gov. Otter—or anyone else—to manage them.”
This, Friends of Animals is calling for a boycott of Idaho potatoes. One third of the nation’s potato crop is grown there. “As long as Idaho is in the business of killing wolves, the nature-respecting public should stop buying potatoes there,” she said. The FOA suggests looking for potatoes grown in Maine, Colorado, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and other states. The Blogsteer says your local farmers markets have more than enough to keep the wolf from your door.
Friends of Animals: We are a non-profit, international animal advocacy organization, founded in 1957. Our goal is to cultivate a respectful view of non-human animals, freeing them from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.
Dear Ms. Feral, As a Idaho resident, hunter (with a wolf tag) and environmentalist, I would like to commend you on your stance to boycott Idaho potatoes. Just for different reasons.
Shouldn’t you be buying your potatoes locally? Or at least get them from a state that is much closer to CT than ID? If I still lived in CT, I sure wouldn’t be buying ID potatoes. Hopefully your boycott will help in reducing the amounts of carbon emmisions that are used by shipping said potatoes 2,200 + miles to satisfy your vegan diet.
Also, think about the thousands, if not millions, of mice, moles, voles, birds, etc that will be saved from a sure death during harvest if the ID farmers do not have to collect so many CT bound potatoes. I did not know that there was a different way of harvesting potatoes in Maine, Colorado, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and other states that do not kill harmless animals. Makes you give thought to the saying “meat and potatoes”, doesn’t it.
The best thing about it is that with the farmers needing less time to harvest potatoes due to your boycott, they can spend more time targeting wolves and protecting their livestock. Thanks again, Ms. Feral, you are doing a great favor for us Idaho wolf killers.
Comment by Robert Parkins — August 31st, 2009 @ 6:22 pm