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100 outfits oppose OTM rule

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Billings, Mont. – Monday, more than 100 agricultural organizations and livestock auction yards from around the country sent a letter to U.S. Senate leaders to seek help to prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implementing its proposed rule to allow Canadian cattle over 30 months (OTM) of age into the United States.

“Canada’s ongoing struggle with its bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic continues to disrupt international beef trade and continues to create hardships for the U.S. cattle industry when Canadian cattle and beef are mixed with U.S. cattle and beef,” the letter states in part. “USDA’s proposal is premature and will cause additional and potentially severe consequences for U.S. independent cattle producers…The following reasons justify congressional action against USDA’s proposed rule and demonstrate that Congress should intercede to protect the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd, the safety of the U.S. beef supply, and the viability of the U.S. cattle industry:

1. Allowing older Canadian cattle into the United States will further harm the United States’ ability to fully restore lost export markets.

2. The full magnitude of Canada’s BSE epidemic is still unfolding, but it is already much greater than what USDA has asserted and assumed.

3. Cattle over 30 months of age that originate in a BSE-affected country have an inherently higher risk for transmitting BSE.

4. As previously recognized by the Food and Drug Administration, and as recognized by international BSE experts, current BSE mitigation measures, principally the U.S. and Canadian feed bans, are inadequate to address the increased risk associated with older Canadian cattle.

5. Allowing older Canadian cattle into the United States will immediately harm the United States’ international disease risk profile.

6. The financial losses to U.S. cattle producers will likely be severe if the United States allows higher-risk Canadian cattle into the U.S. market.

Given the importance of the U.S. cattle industry to the economic well-being of Rural America, we trust that you will consider our request favorably,” the letter concludes. “Please contact any of the undersigned organizations should you have any questions regarding our position. We look forward to working with you on this important issue.”

A copy of the letter was submitted yesterday into the official record for USDA’s rulemaking proceeding on the OTM rule. The public comment period for those proceedings ended yesterday. The R-CALF USA CEO will hand-deliver the joint letter to U.S. Senate leaders while in Washington, D.C., this week.

Signatories include:
Albany County Stockgrowers Association – Wyoming
American Grassfed Association
Arkansas Animal Producer's Association
Belmont Fresh Meats – Wisconsin
The Butcher Shop – Wisconsin
Buckeye Quality Beef Association – Ohio
Calaveras County Cattlemen’s Association – California
Cass County Farmers Union – Minnesota
Cattle Producers of Washington
Cattlemen’s Weighing Association – North Dakota
Central Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Colorado Independent Cattlemen’s Association
Converse County Stockgrowers – Wyoming
Crowley-Kiowa-Lincoln Cattlemen’s Association – Colorado
Dakota Resource Council
Eagle County Cattlemen’s Association – Colorado
Glacial Ridge Cattlemen of Minnesota
Grant County Cattleman’s – Washington
Harding County Stockgrowers – South Dakota
Idaho County Farm Bureau – Idaho
Independent Beef Association of North Dakota
Independent Cattlemen of Iowa
Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
Kansas Cattlemen’s Association
Kit Carson County Cattlemen’s Association – Colorado
Madera County Cattlemen’s Association – California
McPherson County Farmers Union – Kansas
Merced Mariposa Cattlemen’s Association – California
Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association – Colorado
Mid Oregon Beef Co-Op
Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association
Minnesota Farmers Union
Mississippi Livestock Markets Association
Missouri's Best Beef
Missouri Bison Association
Modoc County Cattlemen’s Association – California
Modoc County Cattlewomen’s Association – California
Montana Cattlemen’s Association
Morrow County Livestock Growers Association – Oregon
Navajo County Cattlemen’s Association – Arizona
Nevada Live Stock Association
New Mexico Cattle Growers Asociation
North Washoe Unit, Nevada Cattlemen's Association – Nevada and alifornia
Northwest Stockmen of Minnesota
New York Beef Producers Association Southern Tier Region
Okanogan County Cattlemen’s Association – Washington
Oregon Livestock Producer Association
Organization for Competitive Markets
Perkins County Livestock Improvement Association – South Dakota
Powder River Basin Resource Council – Wyoming
Producers Livestock – Nebraska
R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
South Dakota CattleWomen
South Dakota Farmers Union
South Dakota Livestock Auction Markets Association
South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
Southern Colorado Livestock Association
Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association
Spokane County Cattlemen’s Association – Washington
Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association – Washington
TenStar Technologies – Montana
Washington County Stockmen’s Association – Colorado
Washington Cattlemen’s Association
Weiser River Cattle Association – Idho
West Carroll Cattlemen’s Association – Louisiana
Wisconsin Independent Livestock Dealers and Auction Markets
Wyoming Stock Growers Association

Livestock Auction Yards:
Aberdeen Livestock Sales Co. – South Dakota
Anderson Livestock Auction – Utah
Atkinson Livestock Market – Nebraska
Bassett Livestock Auction – Nebraska
Belle Fourche Livestock Exchange – South Dakota
Bloomington Livestock Exchange – Wisconsin
Buffalo Livestock Auction – Wyoming
Cortez Livestock Auction – Colorado
Crawford Livestock Market – Nebraska
Creston Livestock Auction – Iowa
Cuero Livestock Market – Texas
Decorah Sales Commission – Iow
Delhi Livestock Auction – Louisiana
Dunlap Livestock Auction – Iowa
Faith Livestock Commission – South Dakota
Fort Pierre Livestock Auction – South Dakota
Galesburg Livestock Sales – Illinois
Gordon Livestock Market – Nebraska
Herreid Livestock Market – South Dakota
Idabel Stockyards – Oklahoma
Imperial Auction Market – Nebraska
Lemmon Livestock – South Dakota
Martin Livestock Auction – South Dkota
Mobridge Livestock Market – South Dakota
Modoc Auction Yard – California
Nampa Livestock Markets – Idaho
Neel Cattle dba Dothan Livestock Co. – Alabama
Philip Livestock Auction – South Dakota
Presho Livestock Auction – South Dakota
Producers Livestock Marketing Association – Oregon
Riverton Livestock Auction – Wyoming
Sebastopol Livestock – Mississippi
Shasta Livestock Auction – California
Sheridan Livestock Auction Co. – Nebraska
Smithfield Livestock Auction – Utah
Southeast Mississippi Livestock
St. Francis Livestock Auction – Kansas
St. Onge Livestock – South Dakota
Treasure Valley Livestock Auction – Idaho
Valentine Livestock Auction – Nebraska
Verdigre Livestock Market – Nebraska
Watertown Livestock Auction – South Dakota
West Point Stockyard – Mississippi
Winner Livestock Auction – South Dakota
Winter Livestock – Kansas
 

Manitoba_Rancher

Well-known member
Sandhusker,

Can you or any of these groups prove to the public that Canada has a bigger problem than you do in the US? I ve talked to a few US ranchers that say themselves that the US likely has alot more Mad cows than Canada has but they are being covered up a lot better!!
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
Sandhusker,

Can you or any of these groups prove to the public that Canada has a bigger problem than you do in the US? I ve talked to a few US ranchers that say themselves that the US likely has alot more Mad cows than Canada has but they are being covered up a lot better!!

I think it's an easy sell, MR. Compare post ban cases and total number of cases vs total population. It's not even close.

Is the USDA covering up? Knowing that outfit, I wouldn't bet more than a nickel against it. However, put the case in a court of law. The numbers can be proven, the allegations of cover up can't.
 

RobertMac

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
Sandhusker,

Can you or any of these groups prove to the public that Canada has a bigger problem than you do in the US? I ve talked to a few US ranchers that say themselves that the US likely has alot more Mad cows than Canada has but they are being covered up a lot better!!

USDA can't track a load of calves for 24 hours, but they can cover-up all these BSE cases?????????????? That's logic!!!!!!
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
Happened to notice that the R-calf CEO was hand delivering the notice. And when you mention court thats about all R-calf knows isnt it?

Courts and money are the only things that talk in Washington, MR. If you don't own any anybody, court is all that you have left.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Manitoba_Rancher said:
Happened to notice that the R-calf CEO was hand delivering the notice. And when you mention court thats about all R-calf knows isnt it?

Courts and money are the only things that talk in Washington, MR. If you don't own any anybody, court is all that you have left.

Taken from Dennis McDonald's resignation letter
Consequently, I felt asking producers to continue to fund a losing effort without disclosing the long odds of success was immoral. Instead, many of us thought trying the case in the arena of public opinion and in the Congress was the proper course and could be done at far less expense. Producers need to be told that further litigation will cost over a million dollars and offers only a glimpse of hope.

This is coming from a founder of R-CALF who just happens to be a LAWYER. But you would rather take the word of a former rancher turned CEO with a ego problem. And a wing nut that would respond to one of R-CALFs founder that just happens to be a SITTING DIRECTOR ON THE BOARD like this http://www.swifthorses.com/timeline/c6.pdf
And a due paying R-CALF member like this http://www.swifthorses.com/timeline/e3.pdf :shock: :help: :shock:

You better get donating calves if you think you are going to have a Million plus to fund the next litigation that offers only a glimpse of hope. :wink: :roll:
 

Silver

Well-known member
Manitoba_Rancher said:
Sandhusker,

Can you or any of these groups prove to the public that Canada has a bigger problem than you do in the US? I ve talked to a few US ranchers that say themselves that the US likely has alot more Mad cows than Canada has but they are being covered up a lot better!!

There IS nothing to cover up because the Yanks never looked for it. Simple as that. Thats why I maintain that US beef is far more risky than Canadian beef. At least we have an idea of what we are up against.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
You're quite the dandy, Tam. Not long ago you were chastising Dennis McDonald;
Tam, "Dennis McDonald was quoted in a North Dakota paper as saying this about BSE, Quote:
"If there is a positive case again in the U.S., we as a beef producing nation, shouldn't market beef in cattle older that 20 months".

Now he is to be listened to. :shock: Whatever you can get the most mileage out of, eh?

You're just an obsessed turd stirrer, Tam.
 

Tam

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
You're quite the dandy, Tam. Not long ago you were chastising Dennis McDonald;
Tam, "Dennis McDonald was quoted in a North Dakota paper as saying this about BSE, Quote:
"If there is a positive case again in the U.S., we as a beef producing nation, shouldn't market beef in cattle older that 20 months".

Now he is to be listened to. :shock: Whatever you can get the most mileage out of, eh?

You're just an obsessed turd stirrer, Tam.

Funny how not long ago you were defending everything that came out of these guys mouths but now you are doubting they are telling the members and public the truth when they say the litigation will cost a million plus and has small chance of be a successful. Look at R-CALF's court success record Sandhusker. Look at the outstanding lawyers fees and tell us how this litigation will be cheap or successful. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
You're putting words in my mouth. I made no comment on the validity of Dennis' comments whatsoever. I was just showing how you flip flopped on McDonald's credibility to suit your negetive obsession.
 
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