MRJ, "Most interesting is the pointed differences in reacting to that fact between NCBA and R-Calf: NCBA members educate themselves and work to do what may be achievable to maintain a level playing field in international trade for US cattle producers. NCBA members recognize that there will be opportunities for cattlemen who are paying attention to business."
That all sounds great, MRJ, but reality doesn't show that. I try not to bash the NCBA as I have good friends and customers as members and I don't think you can raise yourself up by putting others down. However, what exactly has the NCBA done do keep "a level playing field in international trade"?
[I will try to find some material to post showing what NCBA has done in international trade. It is probably as available to you as it is to me on the beef.org website. I have stated many times that marketing and trade are not my strong points in the organization or area of study or interest. There are other members of my family who pay more attention to that. There is a great bunch on that committee of NCBA and to imply as you did that they have never done anything in that area is an insult! As Jamie Willrett stated on the NCBA RFD-TV show, when people in our country question it[the science involved in BSE precautions as stated and implied by R-CALF propaganda aimed at keeping the Canadian border closed], the Japanese people become nervous about US beef and put pressure on their leaders to keep it out. NCBA leaders have been involved in some ways in helping to open Japan to our beef. One way, which I heard mentioned on KRVN radio at Lexington, NE just this forenoon, was by conducting consumer education in Japan. I do know that work of that sort was also done years ago via the Beef Checkoff and the then National Livestock and Meatboard, now the Federation div. of NCBS. That was why US beef was accepted into Japan previous to our BSE case. Both NCBA Dues/Policy div. and the Federation div. have long been involved in promoting sales of beef to other nations. Leaders and members are very aware that the 94% of the world population who are not citizens of the USofA are a growing, probably THE growing market for our beef, among other products.]
R-CALF members also know there will be opportunities. They also know our opportunities are hamstrung when we only seem to establish open trade agreements with beef exporting nations. R-CALF has also brought up the fact that there is a huge imbalance on tariffs between us and the rest of the world. Has NCBA addressed those problems?
[Briefly, certainly NCBA has addressed these problems. Were it not for NCBA and others' work in Congress, and elsewhere, the improving lowering of tariffs for our product would most likely not have happened. That is and will continue to be an ongoing effort. If, as you claim, R-CALF was always aware of the opportunities, why did Bullard state that we did not need to export, but close our imports of beef? The NCBA take on that idea is that we must give some access to our markets in order to gain the far larger access to that 94% of the worlds population beyond our borders]
MRJ, "R-CALF insists on trying to turn back the clock and close our borders to trade, insulating producers from potential profits from trading with the 94% of the world population outside US borders and whose citizens are growing their disposable incomes, some quite rapidly."
You are wrong, MRJ. It upsets me when people who are generally R-CALF bashes talk about R-CALF's views on trade and what not, and are totally wrong. I would be happy to fax you articles from their magazine so you can understand what they are trying to do straight from horse's mouth.
[Hopefully, my machines will soon be Fax capable again and I will advise you. Meanwhile, aren't the R-Calf press releases indicative of their views? That is what I have based my viewpoints on.]
MRJ, "Tragically, while supposedly fighting against the large packing companies they like to portray as evil,...."
[That simply doesn't work, Sandhusker! Of course Leo doesn't have to e the villain saying bad things about others. He has Johnny Smith, Dennis Hanson, Herman Schumacher, and other auction market owners with their "market reports" on radio and in newspapers, as well as other vocal people who in the same breath as they tell ranchers that packers are taking advantage and trying to put them out of business or to make them "serfs on their own land", they urge everyone to donate to and join R-CALF. Pretty effective and R-CALF can officially maintain clean hands.....just like their "no official stand against the Beef Checkoff" mantra! They don't have to make a committment....others lead the cheers and jeers for them.}
You are wrong again, MRJ. R-CALF has not portayed large packers as evil. Once again, you need to get you information on their views from them and not an alternate source. I'd be happy to send you an article by Bullard that addresses big packers directly. He does NOT say they are evil. His stand is that they are simply companies pursuing legitimate business plans using their means to achieve their goals. Not evil - LEGITIMATE. The problem is that thier vision puts US cattlemen in a bad spot, and the US cattleman had better speak up for themselves and exert some like pressure to achieve OUR goals, or we won't be happy.