[A Letter to the Editor that will be delivered tomorrow to my local newspaper. I challenge all agricultural leaders to do the same.]

If you like to eat, then please continue reading. In the last few weeks, agriculture has been routinely under attack from groups such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Mercy For Animals (MFA). These groups are corporate, lobbyist organizations that have $100 million dollar budgets aimed at removing meat, dairy and eggs from our dinner tables.

Last week, the HSUS received a $100,000 donation from a winery that supplies the Yellow Tail brand of wine. Most people recognize the Australian made product by the prominently displayed yellow-footed wallaby icon, sometimes mistaken for a kangaroo.

According to a post on Yellow Tails Facebook site, the company decided to direct the $100,000 to HSUS to celebrate animals and for animal rescue. By conducting a simple internet search, Yellow Tail would have surfaced HSUS’ questionable financial records and the fact that HSUS does not own or operate a single animal shelter in the United States.

If they would have continued their search, they would have also found that the organization is led by radical animal activists such as J.P. Goodwin, who is not ashamed to admit his hatred toward agriculture, “My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” Another employee on HSUS’ payroll, Leana Stormont, is currently being investigated for her ties to the terrorist Animal Liberation Front (ALF).

It’s time that we as consumers take a stand for agriculture, and send a clear message to those who financially support groups that work to put farms out of business. If you sell Yellow Tail at your store, I encourage you to remove it from your shelves. If you sell the Yellow Tail brand in your restaurant, I urge you to strike it from your menus. If you purchase Yellow Tail wine on an individual basis, look for an alternative U.S. brand, or better yet a brand made in New York State.

As consumers we have the choice to vote with our wallets. By not purchasing Yellow Tail wine products, we are telling the company to high-tail it back to Australia. We are also telling our local farmers that we appreciate the hard work and long hours that they sacrifice, so that we may enjoy a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply.

It’s your plate. Don’t let someone else decide what you can put on it.