Today, the Board of Mesa County Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution to declare its opposition to statewide Initiative 16: Laws Concerning Cruelty to Animals.
The Board urges citizens to decline to sign any petition supporting placing Initiative 16, also known as Protect Animals from Unnecessary Suffering and Exploitation (PAUSE), on the November 2022 ballot. If Initiative 16 (PAUSE) is placed on the November 2022 ballot, the Board urges citizens to vote "no."
Initiative 16 (PAUSE) will disrupt meat production, sales, and export in Colorado.
Meat production in Mesa County is part of a $3.4 billion industry in Colorado with a $40 billion economic impact that accounts for 10% of Colorado’s total export sales.
"The creators of Initiative 16 are either completely delusional about the impacts this will have on the industry, or extremely disingenuous and misleading about their intent," Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis said. "Make no mistake, this will destroy the livestock industry in Colorado."The Board considers it to be in the public’s interest to encourage the maintenance of a healthy, diverse, and vibrant economy in Mesa County, including agriculture as a key component.
The resolution states: "This anti-agriculture initiative would dramatically increase the cost of doing business in the State of Colorado, creating a hostile business climate that scares away investment from all sectors of our economy."
To read the entire resolution, click here.