Who's looking out for producers?

[Hanta Yo]

Here, we have so much controversy. Why can't you R-Calfers (and MCA) come to an NCBA or CBB board of directors meeting?? To hear about how the money is spent?? I'm speaking of the checkoff dollars, and I think they have been spent well. Who hasn't heard, "BEEF, It's What's For Dinner"???

When I am in a checkoff booth, and when someone comes up to me and puts his face in my face and says his money is best spent with R-Calf, "just because", I have a hard time listening to them. I know absolutely they don't want to hear from us (most of them stay away, only the idiots have the courage to come into the booth and TRY to start a fight.) The idiots have NO CLUE what they are talking about and it angers me they won't listen. So there. You guys arguing all the time in Bull Sessssssssssssion (would like to call it something else) are wasting your breath. Those on the north side of the border think their own, those in R-Calf think their own, those of us who would like to think of ourselves as "informed" think our own. We are so independent, yet so vulnerable. How can we all make this work!!???

[mrj]

Reader 2, you said "I expect that NCBA did not rush to urge that we adopt the measures adopted by the EU on SRMs or testing".

I am not certain of the comparisons between what EU does and what USDA does about BSE.

I AM certain that NCBA called for proper actions dictated by the best available science as suggested or required by the OIE, given the rate of BSE incidence at the time, for Canada and the USA.

Whether you choose to believe that or you don't will not alter those facts.

From the time we first heard the of BSE in Great Brittain in the '90s and realized it could become a threat to our cow herd, NCBA leaders and staff have worked to prepare for day it emerged on the North American Continent. The best available science on the disease was studied, and plans were made, government agencies involved were asked for their assistance, and encouraged to prepare for the worst case scenario in order for the diminish the possible threat to our industry and our consumers (our families are consumers, too , which is sometimes forgotten by those blaming us for problems of food safety).

Few people outside NCBA understand, acknowledge, or appreciate the work done by that organization and the value it has had in the outcome to date of the BSE problem on this continent. While it wasn't undertaken for possible praise, but to protect our industry, it would be great if people would at least check the facts before attacking NCBA on the BSE issue.

MRJ