This is a critical time for animal agriculture in North America. It outlines the challenges and identifies some of the choices that need to be made.

The chief executive officer of the multi-million dollar Humane Society of the United States once stated that his personal goal was the abolition of all animal agriculture. I'm happy to say, he's lost a very important battle today, and animal agriculture won.

These radical groups are determined to stop the meat processing industry with whatever it takes?full page ads in the New York Times or filing frivolous lawsuits with no standing. In the meantime, I've not seen them put one penny of their money toward actually caring for unwanted horses. It's a problem they'd like to sweep away and pretend doesn't exist.

Halting operations at the U.S. processing plants takes away U.S. jobs, reduces U.S. exports, and most importantly eliminates a valuable end-of-life option for horse owners.

There is an increasing divergence between the performance of U.S. agriculture and the performance of rural America.

I live in a 'sky island,' a unique mountain valley environment where half the animal species of North America can be found.