A pair of ballot measures representing the extreme ideologies of animal rights activists have made it onto November’s ballot in Denver.
One ballot measure would prohibit slaughterhouses in the city of Denver beginning in January 2026. That initiative seems targeted at Superior Farms, Inc., an employee-owned lamb abattoir that has been in business for 70 years in the city and employs 170 workers. Superior Farms is the only slaughterhouse inside the city, although several further processing plants for beef and pork are operating inside the city.
In a statement, the National Western Stock Show board of directors says the proposed ban is a direct attack on agriculture, “not only statewide but nationally, and we are deeply concerned that this is a ‘beachhead’ for the industry. The ripple effect could embolden a similar statewide effort.”
A second ballot measure would ban fur in the city of Denver. Led by the by the animal rights group Pro-Animal Future, the measure would prohibit the manufacture and sale of new fur in the city. The potential law would go into effect in 2025 and give exemptions for second-hand fur and Indigenous fur trading. Boulder passed a similar measure in 2021.
The fur ballot initiative would only “target the continued factory-farming and trapping of animals for luxury fashion sales,” Pro-Animal Future spokesperson Phoenix Huber said in a statement.
But the National Western Stock Show says the no-fur initiative would affect a broad range of products, including “coats, handbags, wallets, shoes, gloves, rugs, and cowboy hats. As a result, many of our Stock Show vendors would be unable to attend and sell their goods at our show, or anywhere in Denver.”
The Board of the National Western Stock Show has authorized funds to be invested into stopping both ballot measures this November.
For more information about the ban on slaughterhouses or make a contribution, visit: stopthebanprotectjobs.com.
A campaign to stop the fur ban is called “Keep your hands off my hat Denver.” Contributions can be mailed to 1580 Lincoln Street, Suite 1260, Denver, CO 80203. Please make checks payable to “Hands off my hat Denver”.
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