10/25/2018
Please vote NO on Amendment 13!
Tallahassee, FL ā A coalition made up of Floridaās farmers, ranchers and sportsmen have teamed up to warn Floridians about embedding language in our Constitution that could have devastating consequences. The coalition, made up of Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Cattlemenās Association, NRA, Unified Sportsmen of Florida, Future of Hunting in Florida and Florida Sportsmen United Political Committee, implores Floridians to consider the impacts on our businesses, our food providers and our rights to hunt and fish, and vote no on Amendment 13.
āAmendment 13 could have wide-ranging impacts on Floridaās farmers and our ability to provide food for Americans,ā said Dr. Liz Steele, a veterinarian in Zolfo Springs, a member of the Florida Farm Bureau and a member of the executive committee for the Florida Cattlemenās Association. āI am seriously concerned about adding language like this to our stateās Constitution. For our farms, for our families, for our dinner tables, vote no on Amendment 13.ā
Amendment 13 will be on the ballot November 6 and requires 60 percent of the vote to pass. The language describing the amendment, which voters will see on the ballot when they go to the polls, merely states: āends dog racing.ā But the language added to Floridaās Constitution if this ballot initiative passes is whatās concerning to Floridaās farmers and sportsmen. The Amendment states that the āthe humane treatment of animals is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida.ā This type of vague, undefined declaration in Floridaās Constitution is likely to be exploited by activist groups to bring lawsuits against family farms and sportsmen.
āAmendment 13 could seriously hinder the rights of Floridians to hunt and fish,ā said Bill Marvin, chairman of the Future of Hunting in Florida. āAdding this language to the Constitution could destroy our culture. Not to mention, it would eviscerate our stateās reputation as the Fishing Capital of the World, which draws thousands and thousands of tourists to our waters every year.ā
Amendment 13 is supported by extreme animal rights activists who have expressed their desire to shut down family farms and ban hunting and fishing.
āThis amendment is a Trojan Horse,ā said Marion Hammer of the NRA. āWe cannot be fooled. This is an attack on our rights as Floridians and as Americans.ā
