Dan Steenson, attorney for the Idaho Dairymen’s Association and the drafter of SB 1337, told the House Ag Committee this afternoon that “extremist groups implement vigilante tactics” to go after farmers. Steenson said “so-called investigators who masquerade as employees to infiltrate farms” do so in hopes of getting evidence of “what they believe to be animal abuse,” and “publishing edited recordings and advocating that the producer’s customers go elsewhere.”

Said Steenson, “Facing this type of assault in the court of public opinion, farmers have no opportunity to defend themselves.” That’s why farm groups proposed SB 1337, he said.