Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 11/2/16


Kevin Fulton, a Nebraska rancher and former chairman of the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) National Agricultural Advisory Council, disputes the animal activist organization’s version of his departure from the group.

“There’s a lot more to the story, and the part about the alleged threat is an attempt by HSUS to deflect attention from the real issue,” the owner of Fulton Farms, an organic grazing operation in Litchfield, Neb., told Meatingplace.

“On August 14th, Wayne (Pacelle) asked me to leave the ag councils, which I was agreeable to, but then went on to suggest we script it in a way that suggested I 'needed to take a break because of all the obligations in my life,’ ” Fulton said, in a subsequent email to Meatingplace. “I told Wayne I didn't need anybody to script anything for me! I told him the truth worked just fine for me!

This was yet another example of damage control, deception and an unwillingness to take ownership in actions and decisions.

This was a continued pattern at HSUS that I found disturbing and it caused a great deal of dissension between HSUS and some of the farmers on the ag councils.”

For one thing, Fulton pointed out, he left the national council in mid-August, but no public statement was made on his departure until Oct. 12, when HSUS Senior Director of Rural Outreach and Equine Protection Marty Irby sent an email to state and national agriculture advisory council members with the organization’s official statement:

“We are immensely grateful for five years of volunteer service from Kevin Fulton, who chaired our HSUS Agriculture Council and came up with the idea in the first place. He’s done an amazing job, working as a member of HSUS to promote more humane and sustainable agriculture, grow our state Agriculture Advisory Councils and create awareness about the range of problems with factory farming. We are stronger because of so many of the great things Kevin did. He was a frequent speaker on behalf of HSUS, he appeared in our magazine and other publications and he was featured in the recently released documentary 'At the Fork.’ Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO, says he’s proud to have featured Kevin in his first book, 'The Bond.’

Kevin remains a friend and a fierce advocate for animals and family farmers. I know we’ll continue to work in concert on a wide range of projects — from fighting “ag gag” and right to farm measures, to ending the era of extreme confinement, to seeking reform of check-off program abuses.”

HSUS Senior Director of Public Relations Anna West said, in response to an inquiry from Meatingplace, that the organization still stands behind its previous statement on the matter.

This item has been updated to include HSUS's response.

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