South Dakota Cattlemen's Association

[P Joe]

South Dakota Cattlemen's Association members at their convention Nov. 29 and 30 approved policy resolutions regarding estate-tax reform, environmental issues, animal disease control and animal identification.


Members of SDCA voted to:

-- Support legislation to reduce the federal estate-tax burden for family-owned farms and ranches by working to increase exemptions; to index values to cap inflation; and to cap the estate-tax rate at no more than 15 percent, according to a news release. The policy also supports the ultimate goal to repeal the estate tax.

-- Support a proposal by the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts to correct inaccurate assumptions in the original legislation establishing the Soil and Water Conservation Grants Fund. The proposal would increase funding for the fund and value-added agriculture initiatives in South Dakota by changing the formula that determines the amount of unfunded gas taxes.

-- Direct the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service to investigate opportunities for carbon sequestration on range and pasture lands and establish priorities for Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program measures that support producers.

-- Oppose the designation of additional wilderness areas in South Dakota.

-- Support provisions in the 2007 Farm Bill including adequate funding for priority conservation programs and eliminating all federal subsidy supports of new cropland acres put into production by breaking native grassland with no previous cropping history.

-- Urge Congress to reinstate funding for inspection at horse and mule slaughter plants and to strongly oppose opposing any attempt to ban horse slaughter.

-- Support construction of a high-containment addition to the current Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Lab on the SDSU campus

in Brookings.

-- Support the concept of the U.S. Animal Health Association's recommendation for additional tracking of breeding-age livestock, in the event of an animal-health incident.

-- Direct staff and leadership to continue working with USAHA to implement its proposed animal-identification program.

-- Reaffirm support of proposals to allow the free movement of state-inspected beef products across state lines.

[P Joe]

What is the big beef with the creation of a new wilderness on the national grasslands?

[Badlands]

Hey P Joe, why don't you PM me your address so I can mail you a big spoon?

Be careful about licking the spoon that comes from the big potfull of $hit that you like to stir.

I doubt if anybody is willing to respond to you anymore on these sorts of rancher issues.


Badlands

[P Joe]

No, seriously now.

The current ranchers that lease it are for the idea, why is the cattlemans association against it? I don't have an opinion on the matter, just wondering what was going on.