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R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
"Fighting for the U.S. Cattle Producer"
For Immediate Release Contact: R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson-Chambers
July 15, 2010 Phone: 406-672-8969;
Group Heralds Senate Passage of Sweeping Financial Reforms
Billings, Mont. – R-CALF USA is pleased with today's 60-39 Senate vote in favor of significant financial reforms. President Obama is expected to sign the measure into law sometime next week.
"This legislation will increase transparency, close down loopholes in the regulation of commodities futures markets and reduce volatility in commodity prices, which continues to wreak havoc on commercial businesses and consumers," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. "Real reform to the American economy regarding the improvement of the commodities futures markets is now within reach, and we believe this landmark legislation will benefit all American consumers and our nation's economy at large because the glaring shortcomings in our nation's commodity derivatives regulation framework will finally be addressed.
"Cattle producers – some of whom use futures markets to offset price risk – are vulnerable to any market distortions caused by beef packers that may not only participate in the futures market as physical hedgers, but as significant speculators as well," he continued. "The cattle futures market is susceptible to downward price movements – in contradiction of supply/demand fundamentals, when beef packers, who may hold a physical hedging position in the market, also engage in substantial speculative short selling of the market. The effect of the beef packers' speculative short selling is to lower not only the futures market price, but also the cash spot market price, which is intrinsically tied to the futures market.
"Independent U.S. cattle producers are among the most significant commodity end users in the country, and as such, we have suffered disproportionately due to the recent staggering volatility in commodity futures markets and the impacts that rampant speculation and inadequate regulation have had on those markets," Bullard added. "For years, we have been supporting efforts to provide regulators with significantly expanded authorities and mandates for overseeing commodity markets."
R-CALF USA member policy calls for fundamental reforms of the commodities futures markets to restore its purpose of providing U.S. cattle producers with accurate price discovery and a meaningful opportunity to offset price risk.
"This legislation represents significant progress in achieving our members' goal to reform the futures market so it can become a more useful management tool for U.S. cattle producers," Bullard concluded.
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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA directors and committee chairs are extremely active unpaid volunteers. R-CALF USA has dozens of affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.