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Deputy Ag Sec and R-Calf

Mike

Well-known member
Deputy ag boss gets earful from R-CALF USA
By Larry Dreiling

The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America heard the highest-ranking government official ever to speak to the group during its recent annual convention at Denver.

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner told the group that keeping the U.S. beef market competitive to help producers get a fair price is a priority and that beef trade should be based on the Golden Rule.

He also reiterated the new U.S. Department of Agriculture position that an animal identification system would now be voluntary rather than mandatory.

In response, R-CALF USA members questioned Conner at length about the wisdom of USDA's decision-making process.

"I openly admit to you that fact-based, science-based decision making within the Department of Agriculture is probably more often than not the most popular decisions we make," Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention. "It is fundamental that we review science carefully."

Market restoration

In his confirmation hearings, Conner said, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns would keep pushing for beef trade to be restored to normal levels.

"At that time, about 60 percent of our market had been shut down over one Canadian cow. We continue to regain our beef markets, although candor would have me say that the process is a lot slower than we'd like and a lot slower than the patience of most of the cattlemen I know in the countryside."

When 45 countries closed their borders to U.S. beef, $4 billion in trade has since been lost, Conner said.

"USDA has worked hard to reopen these markets. The good news is U.S. beef exports in 2006 were 65 percent higher than the year before," Conner said. "They reached $1.4 billion, which is a noteworthy improvement. We've reopened and maintained markets in 25 countries that either had been closed or had been threatened with closure.

"There are some markets that are open to certain beef cuts only, but they are effectively closed because of various unjustified and unscientific restrictions and by what I'd characterize as protectionist prohibitions."

Conner especially noted South Korea, with its large budget surplus against the United States and Japan with its numerous restrictions on product entry as nations reducing U.S. beef trade.

"Our goal is to normalize beef trade based upon the best science and the best international standards that are available. The U.S. is committed to making sure that our regulatory approach keeps pace with scientific knowledge and international guidelines that are set to the best scientific standards."

Minimal risk rule

Conner noted that USDA had just a few days earlier published an additional proposed minimal risk rule that would expand the list of allowable exports that have a minimal risk of introducing BSE into the U.S.

"As you know, Canada is the only country recognized by the Department of Agriculture," Conner said. "The proposal permits the entry of any live bovine into the U.S. born after March 1, 1999. We believe it would facilitate fair and science based trade. This is the basic rule that was taught to us by our parents--the Golden Rule--that is essential if we are to grow our overall exports that will reach a record population growth going forward."

The intent, Conner said, is for international trade in all meat products based on fact and science, not politics and emotion.

"We will not hesitate to face the legal challenges of the WTO process to generate fair market access to our farmers and ranchers who work hard for it," Conner said. "Let me stress that we work hard to keep the U.S. free of foreign animal disease. We are working aggressively to slow the spread of H5N1 virus overseas. While it doesn't impact the beef sector, it is important."

Voluntary ID pushed

Conner said anyone who cares about animals can benefit from the now voluntary animal ID system, but those whose livelihoods depend on animal agriculture have the greatest stake.

"The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in this country is, indeed, very real," Conner said. "We pray the outbreaks we've seen around the world never arrive and that we never have to put our National Animal ID System into full implementation, but if we have that one occasion, I think we will be glad we fought this battle and did everything we could to put this system in place.

"NAIS is a modern streamlined system that will help authorities respond to animal disease events. Voluntarily registering your premises insures that you will be notified quickly if one of these events ever affects your farm or puts your animals at risk."

Conner stressed the system has only one expressed purpose, that of protecting animal health.

"USDA has no plan to make any component of this system mandatory or compensatory for all producers. Individual states are free to do that but it is not a federal mandate," Conner said. "Registering premises does not commit producers to the tagging and tracking of animals of the system that will come down the road.

"Right now we have over 348,000 premises registered under the system and that is just shy of the 25 percent goal for premises registration that we set for Jan. 31."

Questions galore

Then came the questions--and lots of comments--from R-CALF members.

One of the first comments drew a large amount of applause.

"I've been on the bottom for 35 years. You're on the top and I've been wanting to talk to you," said one man from Idaho. "Thomas Jefferson said government is the eternal enemy of the people. As far as I'm concerned you people are living up to that statement in spades. If it were up to me I'd say 'Mr. Korea, you don't make a damn thing over there in your country that we got to have in our country. So why don't you turn your stinking little boats around back to Korea.'

"Also, I'd pull our troops out of Korea, not tomorrow but today, and put them down on our southern border. It's about time you people get out of the purple palace of Washington, D.C., and start listening to the people."

Another question: "What is the benefit of the USDA to open the Canadian border? Is it to benefit the U.S. consumer and cattlemen or is it to benefit the U.S. packer that seems to be running the USDA?"

"There's 100 million head of cattle in the U.S. inventory. If what you say is correct, by using the standards of the OIE, does that mean USDA would permit 100 cases of BSE wandering around in this country?"

The question left Conner only with one answer.

"Before I say something that may be worth printing that could set the cattle markets on edge," he said, "let me say I'll get back to you on that?"

More comments on animal ID were like these:

"How can we have an animal ID system when we can't control our borders. You think your border inspection system is working and I'm here to tell you it's a failure. It doesn't work, it hasn't worked and it will never work because of your system of paperwork doesn't work. Let protect our own borders first before we worry about an animal ID system."

"Tell us where

are we wrong"

Herman Schumacher, an R-CALF founding member, asked a series of questions:

"Do you agree that we lost our market because of one cow in Washington state imported from Canada? If so, what makes USDA so sure we will gain any market share sooner if we import Canadian cattle over 30 months of age?"

Conner, in turn, challenged Schumacher to prove the risk assessment plan incorrect.

"We can't set double standards for each country," Conner said. "Our ability to reopen those markets is based on our risk assessment. Tell us where we are wrong."

Another R-CALF USA member combined his thoughts in several questions.

"The cattle market keeps falling. We've got dead cattle from a snowstorm. Japan keeps sending us that beer-fed beef. Why don't we stop them when they stop us? They knock us around and where have you been to help us? Every stitch of clothing I wear is labeled where it came from. Why can't beef? All this ID system is going to do is make money for eartag companies. Why not use brands?"

Conner told the crowd what he knew of the regulatory process.

"For all the table pounding you do for mandatory country-of-origin labeling, there are people from other groups who pound the table equally hard who say no. It sparks debate from both sides of the issue. If the law is still on the books in 2008, we will follow the law."

It was like that for most of the R-CALF appearance for Conner, who was given Secret Service protection for the event, a rarity for a deputy secretary on the road.

Leader faces criticism

Even Chuck Kiker, R-CALF USA's president, wasn't immune from criticism. As a newly-minted member of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, he had to defend his position on the beef checkoff and why members aren't seeing "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" advertising on television and radio in rural areas as much as they used to.

"TV is extremely expensive and it depends on where you put that commercial," Kiker said. "Here we have just $24 million for advertising and when ads cost $200,000 most places to as much as $2.5 million for a 30-second spot on the Super Bowl. You start clicking off $300 or $400,000 at a time and it goes pretty quick.

"They show you where it all goes, to where we're trying to concentrate on TV ads and magazine ads. They'll build beef up where people aren't eating a whole lot. They show you where it's going, like to advertising and so much to research."

In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006. A change in the way memberships among family members were counted and market conditions were accounted for the membership decline.

"This will force some tough decisions from your board in the weeks ahead," Bullard said. "Just like you have tough decisions to make sometimes in your operations. We should expect difficulties until we reach a critical mass of membership. We can do that as we continue to capture the attention and respect of cattlemen and those who support us. There are forces out there wo would like nothing more than to see us go backward, but there should be no reason why we shouldn't reach 30,000 members."

Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at [email protected]

B

1

2/12/07

4 Star NE

Date: 2/8/07
 

TimH

Well-known member
Mike said:
Deputy ag boss gets earful from R-CALF USA
By Larry Dreiling

The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America heard the highest-ranking government official.....


........ Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention...... "



....In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006.....



Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at [email protected]

B

1

2/12/07

4 Star NE

Date: 2/8/07

Wow!! A whole 300 people at the convention. That is exactly 10% of how much the membership shrunk last year.
:D
 

Manitoba_Rancher

Well-known member
In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006.....


Must be a few smart thinking Ranchers getting out while they still can!!
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Heard on the radio tonight that a special meeting was held Thursday (last night) and that a vote (effective immediately), took Chuck Kiker out (President of R-CALF USA, having assumed his duties at the 2006 convention) and Thornsberry in.
 

Tam

Well-known member
"I openly admit to you that fact-based, science-based decision making within the Department of Agriculture is probably more often than not the most popular decisions we make," Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention. "It is fundamental that we review science carefully."
I guess the rest of the membership was working at their other jobs. :wink:

"At that time, about 60 percent of our market had been shut down over one Canadian cow. We continue to regain our beef markets, although candor would have me say that the process is a lot slower than we'd like and a lot slower than the patience of most of the cattlemen I know in the countryside."
Have to wonder what affect R-CALF's court cases had on this??? :wink:

The intent, Conner said, is for international trade in all meat products based on fact and science, not politics and emotion.
Yea right with R-CALF in the picture. :roll:


"The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in this country is, indeed, very real," Conner said. "We pray the outbreaks we've seen around the world never arrive and that we never have to put our National Animal ID System into full implementation, but if we have that one occasion, I think we will be glad we fought this battle and did everything we could to put this system in place.
I guess the Alabama cow wasn't enough of a reason :roll:

"NAIS is a modern streamlined system that will help authorities respond to animal disease events. Voluntarily registering your premises insures that you will be notified quickly if one of these events ever affects your farm or puts your animals at risk."
Just think how it could have helped in the Native BSE cases!! :wink:

It was like that for most of the R-CALF appearance for Conner, who was given Secret Service protection for the event, a rarity for a deputy secretary on the road.
Kind of tells you how stable the USDA thinks R-CALF members are doesn't it. :shock:


Even Chuck Kiker, R-CALF USA's president, wasn't immune from criticism. As a newly-minted member of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, he had to defend his position on the beef checkoff and why members aren't seeing "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" advertising on television and radio in rural areas as much as they used to.
Wonder if he hired a body guard too :wink:

In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006. A change in the way memberships among family members were counted and market conditions were accounted for the membership decline.
SHRUNK by 3000, what happen to the fastest growing cattle organization guys? :lol:
" A change in the way memberships among family members were counted" Does this mean two year olds can't count as members anymore? :wink:
The market conditions affecting memberships. Could this be because your calf auctions aren't doing so well and the free $50 memberships aren't being handed out? :wink:

This has got to be the best news I've read today. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:



This will force some tough decisions from your board in the weeks ahead," Bullard said. "Just like you have tough decisions to make sometimes in your operations.
Yes I can see it now which Lawyer gets the new Hummer and which one has to drive last years model, how do we choose? Oh hell let them both get new ones we'll just con a few more ranchers into donating calves to fund our next court case. :roll:


I'm with you Bill no wonder not much was said. not good when the Secret Service has to be called in to get a government official out alive. :shock: :lol:
 

ocm

Well-known member
Tam said:
"I openly admit to you that fact-based, science-based decision making within the Department of Agriculture is probably more often than not the most popular decisions we make," Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention. "It is fundamental that we review science carefully."
I guess the rest of the membership was working at their other jobs. :wink:

"At that time, about 60 percent of our market had been shut down over one Canadian cow. We continue to regain our beef markets, although candor would have me say that the process is a lot slower than we'd like and a lot slower than the patience of most of the cattlemen I know in the countryside."
Have to wonder what affect R-CALF's court cases had on this??? :wink:

The intent, Conner said, is for international trade in all meat products based on fact and science, not politics and emotion.
Yea right with R-CALF in the picture. :roll:


"The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in this country is, indeed, very real," Conner said. "We pray the outbreaks we've seen around the world never arrive and that we never have to put our National Animal ID System into full implementation, but if we have that one occasion, I think we will be glad we fought this battle and did everything we could to put this system in place.
I guess the Alabama cow wasn't enough of a reason :roll:

"NAIS is a modern streamlined system that will help authorities respond to animal disease events. Voluntarily registering your premises insures that you will be notified quickly if one of these events ever affects your farm or puts your animals at risk."
Just think how it could have helped in the Native BSE cases!! :wink:

It was like that for most of the R-CALF appearance for Conner, who was given Secret Service protection for the event, a rarity for a deputy secretary on the road.
Kind of tells you how stable the USDA thinks R-CALF members are doesn't it. :shock:


Even Chuck Kiker, R-CALF USA's president, wasn't immune from criticism. As a newly-minted member of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, he had to defend his position on the beef checkoff and why members aren't seeing "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" advertising on television and radio in rural areas as much as they used to.
Wonder if he hired a body guard too :wink:

In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006. A change in the way memberships among family members were counted and market conditions were accounted for the membership decline.
SHRUNK by 3000, what happen to the fastest growing cattle organization guys? :lol:
" A change in the way memberships among family members were counted" Does this mean two year olds can't count as members anymore? :wink:
The market conditions affecting memberships. Could this be because your calf auctions aren't doing so well and the free $50 memberships aren't being handed out? :wink:

This has got to be the best news I've read today. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:



This will force some tough decisions from your board in the weeks ahead," Bullard said. "Just like you have tough decisions to make sometimes in your operations.
Yes I can see it now which Lawyer gets the new Hummer and which one has to drive last years model, how do we choose? Oh hell let them both get new ones we'll just con a few more ranchers into donating calves to fund our next court case. :roll:


I'm with you Bill no wonder not much was said. not good when the Secret Service has to be called in to get a government official out alive. :shock: :lol:

Tam, I think the Secret Service kid stationed himself by the donut table in the Trade Show area. Don't make too much of it.
 

Tam

Well-known member
ocm said:
Tam said:
"I openly admit to you that fact-based, science-based decision making within the Department of Agriculture is probably more often than not the most popular decisions we make," Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention. "It is fundamental that we review science carefully."
I guess the rest of the membership was working at their other jobs. :wink:

"At that time, about 60 percent of our market had been shut down over one Canadian cow. We continue to regain our beef markets, although candor would have me say that the process is a lot slower than we'd like and a lot slower than the patience of most of the cattlemen I know in the countryside."
Have to wonder what affect R-CALF's court cases had on this??? :wink:

The intent, Conner said, is for international trade in all meat products based on fact and science, not politics and emotion.
Yea right with R-CALF in the picture. :roll:


"The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in this country is, indeed, very real," Conner said. "We pray the outbreaks we've seen around the world never arrive and that we never have to put our National Animal ID System into full implementation, but if we have that one occasion, I think we will be glad we fought this battle and did everything we could to put this system in place.
I guess the Alabama cow wasn't enough of a reason :roll:

"NAIS is a modern streamlined system that will help authorities respond to animal disease events. Voluntarily registering your premises insures that you will be notified quickly if one of these events ever affects your farm or puts your animals at risk."
Just think how it could have helped in the Native BSE cases!! :wink:

It was like that for most of the R-CALF appearance for Conner, who was given Secret Service protection for the event, a rarity for a deputy secretary on the road.
Kind of tells you how stable the USDA thinks R-CALF members are doesn't it. :shock:


Even Chuck Kiker, R-CALF USA's president, wasn't immune from criticism. As a newly-minted member of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, he had to defend his position on the beef checkoff and why members aren't seeing "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" advertising on television and radio in rural areas as much as they used to.
Wonder if he hired a body guard too :wink:

In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006. A change in the way memberships among family members were counted and market conditions were accounted for the membership decline.
SHRUNK by 3000, what happen to the fastest growing cattle organization guys? :lol:
" A change in the way memberships among family members were counted" Does this mean two year olds can't count as members anymore? :wink:
The market conditions affecting memberships. Could this be because your calf auctions aren't doing so well and the free $50 memberships aren't being handed out? :wink:

This has got to be the best news I've read today. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:



This will force some tough decisions from your board in the weeks ahead," Bullard said. "Just like you have tough decisions to make sometimes in your operations.
Yes I can see it now which Lawyer gets the new Hummer and which one has to drive last years model, how do we choose? Oh hell let them both get new ones we'll just con a few more ranchers into donating calves to fund our next court case. :roll:


I'm with you Bill no wonder not much was said. not good when the Secret Service has to be called in to get a government official out alive. :shock: :lol:

Tam, I think the Secret Service kid stationed himself by the donut table in the Trade Show area. Don't make too much of it.

ocm did you not see it is a RARITY that they send one out with the Deputy. They must have figured their was a possible threat to do it. :lol:

And Did you get that inside info on the stationing of the SS man from the same source that told you that Rule Two didn't included OTM beef. :wink:

BTW ocm I was told last June that R-CALF was in trouble and their fund raising and memberships were off I guess my source was right. :wink:
 

ocm

Well-known member
Tam said:
BTW ocm I was told last June that R-CALF was in trouble and their fund raising and memberships were off I guess my source was right. :wink:

It's been no secret membership is off a bit. But fund raising has been a different story. Your source was only half right.

I was joking about the SS kid. I never even saw anybody. It's a joke to think that there was any real threat. I've heard more vocal differences arguing about what make of pickup is best.

Whatever the words look like in print, the questioners asked their questions with respect due the speaker and with an appropriate tone. Some were obviously adamant, but there is almost always more disrespect shown at Presidential news conferences by reporters than by R-Calf members to the Under Secretary.
 

Bill

Well-known member
Could Mike or someone post this over at Cattle Today as well?
:shock:

Deputy ag boss gets earful from R-CALF USA
By Larry Dreiling

The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America heard the highest-ranking government official ever to speak to the group during its recent annual convention at Denver.

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner told the group that keeping the U.S. beef market competitive to help producers get a fair price is a priority and that beef trade should be based on the Golden Rule.

He also reiterated the new U.S. Department of Agriculture position that an animal identification system would now be voluntary rather than mandatory.

In response, R-CALF USA members questioned Conner at length about the wisdom of USDA's decision-making process.

"I openly admit to you that fact-based, science-based decision making within the Department of Agriculture is probably more often than not the most popular decisions we make," Conner told the approximately 300 people in attendance at the convention. "It is fundamental that we review science carefully."

Market restoration

In his confirmation hearings, Conner said, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns would keep pushing for beef trade to be restored to normal levels.

"At that time, about 60 percent of our market had been shut down over one Canadian cow. We continue to regain our beef markets, although candor would have me say that the process is a lot slower than we'd like and a lot slower than the patience of most of the cattlemen I know in the countryside."

When 45 countries closed their borders to U.S. beef, $4 billion in trade has since been lost, Conner said.

"USDA has worked hard to reopen these markets. The good news is U.S. beef exports in 2006 were 65 percent higher than the year before," Conner said. "They reached $1.4 billion, which is a noteworthy improvement. We've reopened and maintained markets in 25 countries that either had been closed or had been threatened with closure.

"There are some markets that are open to certain beef cuts only, but they are effectively closed because of various unjustified and unscientific restrictions and by what I'd characterize as protectionist prohibitions."

Conner especially noted South Korea, with its large budget surplus against the United States and Japan with its numerous restrictions on product entry as nations reducing U.S. beef trade.

"Our goal is to normalize beef trade based upon the best science and the best international standards that are available. The U.S. is committed to making sure that our regulatory approach keeps pace with scientific knowledge and international guidelines that are set to the best scientific standards."

Minimal risk rule

Conner noted that USDA had just a few days earlier published an additional proposed minimal risk rule that would expand the list of allowable exports that have a minimal risk of introducing BSE into the U.S.

"As you know, Canada is the only country recognized by the Department of Agriculture," Conner said. "The proposal permits the entry of any live bovine into the U.S. born after March 1, 1999. We believe it would facilitate fair and science based trade. This is the basic rule that was taught to us by our parents--the Golden Rule--that is essential if we are to grow our overall exports that will reach a record population growth going forward."

The intent, Conner said, is for international trade in all meat products based on fact and science, not politics and emotion.

"We will not hesitate to face the legal challenges of the WTO process to generate fair market access to our farmers and ranchers who work hard for it," Conner said. "Let me stress that we work hard to keep the U.S. free of foreign animal disease. We are working aggressively to slow the spread of H5N1 virus overseas. While it doesn't impact the beef sector, it is important."

Voluntary ID pushed

Conner said anyone who cares about animals can benefit from the now voluntary animal ID system, but those whose livelihoods depend on animal agriculture have the greatest stake.

"The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in this country is, indeed, very real," Conner said. "We pray the outbreaks we've seen around the world never arrive and that we never have to put our National Animal ID System into full implementation, but if we have that one occasion, I think we will be glad we fought this battle and did everything we could to put this system in place.

"NAIS is a modern streamlined system that will help authorities respond to animal disease events. Voluntarily registering your premises insures that you will be notified quickly if one of these events ever affects your farm or puts your animals at risk."

Conner stressed the system has only one expressed purpose, that of protecting animal health.

"USDA has no plan to make any component of this system mandatory or compensatory for all producers. Individual states are free to do that but it is not a federal mandate," Conner said. "Registering premises does not commit producers to the tagging and tracking of animals of the system that will come down the road.

"Right now we have over 348,000 premises registered under the system and that is just shy of the 25 percent goal for premises registration that we set for Jan. 31."

Questions galore

Then came the questions--and lots of comments--from R-CALF members.

One of the first comments drew a large amount of applause.

"I've been on the bottom for 35 years. You're on the top and I've been wanting to talk to you," said one man from Idaho. "Thomas Jefferson said government is the eternal enemy of the people. As far as I'm concerned you people are living up to that statement in spades. If it were up to me I'd say 'Mr. Korea, you don't make a damn thing over there in your country that we got to have in our country. So why don't you turn your stinking little boats around back to Korea.'

"Also, I'd pull our troops out of Korea, not tomorrow but today, and put them down on our southern border. It's about time you people get out of the purple palace of Washington, D.C., and start listening to the people."

Another question: "What is the benefit of the USDA to open the Canadian border? Is it to benefit the U.S. consumer and cattlemen or is it to benefit the U.S. packer that seems to be running the USDA?"

"There's 100 million head of cattle in the U.S. inventory. If what you say is correct, by using the standards of the OIE, does that mean USDA would permit 100 cases of BSE wandering around in this country?"

The question left Conner only with one answer.

"Before I say something that may be worth printing that could set the cattle markets on edge," he said, "let me say I'll get back to you on that?"

More comments on animal ID were like these:

"How can we have an animal ID system when we can't control our borders. You think your border inspection system is working and I'm here to tell you it's a failure. It doesn't work, it hasn't worked and it will never work because of your system of paperwork doesn't work. Let protect our own borders first before we worry about an animal ID system."

"Tell us where

are we wrong"

Herman Schumacher, an R-CALF founding member, asked a series of questions:

"Do you agree that we lost our market because of one cow in Washington state imported from Canada? If so, what makes USDA so sure we will gain any market share sooner if we import Canadian cattle over 30 months of age?"

Conner, in turn, challenged Schumacher to prove the risk assessment plan incorrect.

"We can't set double standards for each country," Conner said. "Our ability to reopen those markets is based on our risk assessment. Tell us where we are wrong."

Another R-CALF USA member combined his thoughts in several questions.

"The cattle market keeps falling. We've got dead cattle from a snowstorm. Japan keeps sending us that beer-fed beef. Why don't we stop them when they stop us? They knock us around and where have you been to help us? Every stitch of clothing I wear is labeled where it came from. Why can't beef? All this ID system is going to do is make money for eartag companies. Why not use brands?"

Conner told the crowd what he knew of the regulatory process.

"For all the table pounding you do for mandatory country-of-origin labeling, there are people from other groups who pound the table equally hard who say no. It sparks debate from both sides of the issue. If the law is still on the books in 2008, we will follow the law."

It was like that for most of the R-CALF appearance for Conner, who was given Secret Service protection for the event, a rarity for a deputy secretary on the road.

Leader faces criticism

Even Chuck Kiker, R-CALF USA's president, wasn't immune from criticism. As a newly-minted member of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, he had to defend his position on the beef checkoff and why members aren't seeing "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" advertising on television and radio in rural areas as much as they used to.

"TV is extremely expensive and it depends on where you put that commercial," Kiker said. "Here we have just $24 million for advertising and when ads cost $200,000 most places to as much as $2.5 million for a 30-second spot on the Super Bowl. You start clicking off $300 or $400,000 at a time and it goes pretty quick.

"They show you where it all goes, to where we're trying to concentrate on TV ads and magazine ads. They'll build beef up where people aren't eating a whole lot. They show you where it's going, like to advertising and so much to research."

In his report to the membership, CEO Bill Bullard said R-CALF USA's membership rolls had shrunk from 18,000 to 15,000 and suffered a $276,000 budget shortfall in 2006. A change in the way memberships among family members were counted and market conditions were accounted for the membership decline.

"This will force some tough decisions from your board in the weeks ahead," Bullard said. "Just like you have tough decisions to make sometimes in your operations. We should expect difficulties until we reach a critical mass of membership. We can do that as we continue to capture the attention and respect of cattlemen and those who support us. There are forces out there wo would like nothing more than to see us go backward, but there should be no reason why we shouldn't reach 30,000 members."

Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at [email protected]

I doubt that Oddtimer will.
:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Thanks
 
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