I think the people behind PAUSE (Protect Animals from Unnecessary Suffering and Exploitation), the ballot initiative in the Colorado legislature that would criminalize some animal husbandry practices, should think twice about their intentions.

Think about the state of Colorado without any livestock. No sheep, goats, horses or cattle to graze and lessen the impact of wildfires. No income from livestock sales and exports. No tax money from producers and the businesses that support them.

So what happens next?

I’m sure the Colorado vegan contingent thinks this would leave more land for growing vegetables. Wrong. Grazing lands are typically grazed because the land isn’t fit for growing crops. Also, most of this land would need to be irrigated which would be costly. And, clearing all of the trees from this land in order to grow crops is frowned upon by the sustainability crowd.

So what’s going to happen to this grazing land?

I suspect that it will be used for housing developments and subdivisions, ski resorts, golf courses, shopping malls, swimming pools, sports fields and arenas, and more concrete and highways to connect all this new construction.

Make no mistake about it, ranchers who can be thrown in prison for performing certain animal husbandry practices and are told when they can send their animals to slaughter will leave the state.

Farmers and ranchers need to fight for their right to live and work in this state.

This whole situation defies logic.