Protect The Harvest | Colorado Gov. Polis Transparently Undercuts Agriculture

Elections have consequences. Nowhere is that more obvious than Colorado where Gov. Jared Polis has been transparent in his efforts to further the cause of animal rights activists.

A governor can effect change through his appointments to various governmental agencies, and by influence on other appointments that are not under his/her direct supervision. In 2020, Polis appointed Ellen Kessler to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, a move that was widely criticized by ranchers since Kessler is a self-proclaimed vegan/animal rights activist.

Rancher concerns about Kessler proved well-founded. Last month she had to step down after a controversial Facebook post where she called ranchers “lazy” and “nasty” and alleged ranchers would use “a cow to bait” wolves so they could collect compensation from the state. “What a racket. What a scam,” she declared.

Gov. Polis accepted her resignation and issued a statement calling Kessler’s words “hurtful.” He promised to appoint a new board member “that better shares his strong respect for Colorado’s hard-working ranchers and helps builds confidence in the practice of veterinary medicine across our state.”

Stubbing his toe on the Kessler appointment might lead you to think the governor would be inclined to help turn the rhetoric down a notch by making appointments that are less controversial.