Got newspaper ideas? Capital Press freelance writer

[mp.freelance]

Hey,

I'm a freelance writer based in Oregon, and have been corresponding for the Capital Press agriculture weekly, the largest ag newspaper in the West. Do you guys have any ideas for articles? Most of my correspondence relates to the Columbia Gorge area, but I'll consider other ideas. Specifically, I'm looking for developments in the ranching industry that have an effect on the Gorge Area. (I don't really need anything about the beef checkoff, since that seems to have been covered to death.) Please reply to this post with your ideas. I may re-post sometime in the future, in case anything comes up.

MP :???:

 

[HAY MAKER]

You can write an article about R CALF and their fight for fairness,How they are fighting over whelming odds for the grasss roots cattle man,Tell em R CALF is fighting for a fair market place ,and how we need to support the people that are supporting us,tell em we need their help...........good luck

 

[STAFF]

The new FDA rules for the food industry from Field to Fork will take the lead in the news sector very fast.Here is a url of press releases that might interest you at http://www.scoringsystem.com/press/ .

 

[Mike]

The new FDA rules for the food industry from Field to Fork will take the lead in the news sector very fast.Here is a url of press releases that might interest you at http://www.scoringsystem.com/press/ .

Staff, What is it you guys and soccer?

 

[Mike]

mp.freelance, I would do a story on the unwillingness of the USDA to allow "across the board" testing of cattle/beef destined for Japan. Their refusal to allow testing for those cattle has made the Japs leery of our beef. Consumer groups there are under the assumption that we will not allow it because we are hiding BSE. We could have been shipping long ago and not lost the market to the Aussies. It is estimated that $5 BILLION will be lost by the time we get back in the market at the previous shipping rate.

I have a sneaking feeling that Canada is going to beat us to the punch, causing us to do the same in the future. What good will the past 18 months of bickering with the Japs serve then? I want my $175 per head back!

 

[TimH]

mp.freelance, Perhaps you could do a hard hitting, investigative journalism-type report on how the IQ of the average R-calf member compares to that of the rest of the general population.
I'd be interested in that!! Just a suggestion!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Or maybe you could write an article explaining just why it is that EVERY article written about BSE/vCJD etc. contains the(disclaimer) phrases "it is believed", " scientists think" , "it is thought" etc. etc. etc. It sounds to me like those saying these things are either not 100% confident in what they are saying , or they are covering their butts. Either way, an in-depth, independant journalistic report on these matters would be more than welcome!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[PORKER]

That they build databases Mike,I read in Google about SSI that they have the world's largest database of soccer players and teams,must be they make a living running it.Best thing is they are the cheapest system by far.My rancher friend DON wanted to USE Aginfolnk system till he found out that its a sharedata system and the software costs $995 bucks and you still have to pay $1.25 per animal.He's now on the Scoring Ag system.

 

[Anonymous]

A good article would be on how R-CALF USA has misled consumers into believing that Canadian beef is unsafe when the U.S. has taken the exact same BSE precautionary measures as Canada.

R-CALF's "fear mongering" regarding Canadian beef is nothing more than a ploy to stop Canadian imports that would be devastating to the U.S. cattlemen if those same standards were applied to the U.S. in the event that a domestic animal was found to have BSE.

You could also do an article on Country of Origin labeling explaining how, under the current law, 75% of imported beef would be exempt and how mandatory ID was prohibited making the enforcement absolutely worthless.

You could do lots of articles on how R-CALF is fleecing cattle producers across America by presenting half truths and misinformation as fact.



~SH~

 

[Sandhusker]

A good article would be on how R-CALF USA has misled consumers into believing that Canadian beef is unsafe when the U.S. has taken the exact same BSE precautionary measures as Canada.

R-CALF's "fear mongering" regarding Canadian beef is nothing more than a ploy to stop Canadian imports that would be devastating to the U.S. cattlemen if those same standards were applied to the U.S. in the event that a domestic animal was found to have BSE.

You could also do an article on Country of Origin labeling explaining how, under the current law, 75% of imported beef would be exempt and how mandatory ID was prohibited making the enforcement absolutely worthless.

You could do lots of articles on how R-CALF is fleecing cattle producers across America by presenting half truths and misinformation as fact.



~SH~

Or you could do a lot of articles on how R-CALF is the only organization representing the US cattleman that has the guts to stand up to the USDA, challenged them in court when they'e trying to steamroll producers, and WIN.

 

[Anonymous]

R-CALF didn't win anything!

They stopped Canadian imports temporarily with an injunction using BSE as their catalyst because they are simply too ignorant to realize the consequences of such a short sighted action.

R-CALF represents the blaming segment of the cattle industry. They think government labeling mandates for generic beef and lawsuits against packers based on market manipulation conspiracy theories are their ticket to prosperity as opposed to self reliance.

If you want factual information on R-CALF, consult the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation. They have compiled quite a list of R-CALF falacies and conflicting arguments much to the disdain of those unable to support their positions with facts.


~SH~

 

[Sandhusker]

R-CALF didn't win anything!

They stopped Canadian imports temporarily with an injunction using BSE as their catalyst because they are simply too ignorant to realize the consequences of such a short sighted action.

R-CALF represents the blaming segment of the cattle industry. They think government labeling mandates for generic beef and lawsuits against packers based on market manipulation conspiracy theories are their ticket to prosperity as opposed to self reliance.

If you want factual information on R-CALF, consult the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation. They have compiled quite a list of R-CALF falacies and conflicting arguments much to the disdain of those unable to support their positions with facts.


~SH~

Do a little research on the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation before you quote them on anything. You're a journalist, you'll see what I mean.

Come to think of it, a story on the AFF might be in order.

 

[Anonymous]

How about an article on speculative research?



~SH~

 

[Sandhusker]

Look what you started, MP! :lol:

 

[Tam]

R-CALF didn't win anything!

They stopped Canadian imports temporarily with an injunction using BSE as their catalyst because they are simply too ignorant to realize the consequences of such a short sighted action.

R-CALF represents the blaming segment of the cattle industry. They think government labeling mandates for generic beef and lawsuits against packers based on market manipulation conspiracy theories are their ticket to prosperity as opposed to self reliance.

If you want factual information on R-CALF, consult the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation. They have compiled quite a list of R-CALF falacies and conflicting arguments much to the disdain of those unable to support their positions with facts.


~SH~

Do a little research on the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation before you quote them on anything. You're a journalist, you'll see what I mean.

Come to think of it, a story on the AFF might be in order.

Sandhusker Have you yet brought anything to this board to contradict what has been posted from AFF. Can you support your claims that AFF is not telling the truth about the lies R-CALF have been using to accomplish their agenda. Maybe a story on the brain washing technics that R-CALF uses on some of their members should be done and I suggest Haymaker and Sandhusker could be the subjects to study. :wink:

 

[Sandhusker]

R-CALF didn't win anything!

They stopped Canadian imports temporarily with an injunction using BSE as their catalyst because they are simply too ignorant to realize the consequences of such a short sighted action.

R-CALF represents the blaming segment of the cattle industry. They think government labeling mandates for generic beef and lawsuits against packers based on market manipulation conspiracy theories are their ticket to prosperity as opposed to self reliance.

If you want factual information on R-CALF, consult the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation. They have compiled quite a list of R-CALF falacies and conflicting arguments much to the disdain of those unable to support their positions with facts.


~SH~

Do a little research on the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation before you quote them on anything. You're a journalist, you'll see what I mean.

Come to think of it, a story on the AFF might be in order.

Sandhusker Have you yet brought anything to this board to contradict what has been posted from AFF. Can you support your claims that AFF is not telling the truth about the lies R-CALF have been using to accomplish their agenda. Maybe a story on the brain washing technics that R-CALF uses on some of their members should be done and I suggest Haymaker and Sandhusker could be the subjects to study. :wink:

Yes, I have, Tam. Feel free to browse the archives.

 

[Tam]

OH Please I'm not wasting any time looking for the one nit picking thing you found to discredit the man after all the times you were asked point blank to bring something to prove he wasn't telling the truth and you couldn't. If you brought it you should be able to remember what it was about or was it so long ago that your can't even remember. :wink:

 

[Sandhusker]

OH Please I'm not wasting any time looking for the one nit picking thing you found to discredit the man after all the times you were asked point blank to bring something to prove he wasn't telling the truth and you couldn't. If you brought it you should be able to remember what it was about or was it so long ago that your can't even remember. :wink:

One thing? :lol: Let's see, there was the part about R-CALF supporting only outsiders staffing the USDA, R-CALF supporting the unionization packing plants, R-CALF being against branded beef, R-CALF being in favor of only sustainable agriculture. Need I go on? :roll:

 

[cowsense]

MP Freelance: Perhaps an article is due on why all the Northwest beef processors are running at reduced capacity or are closed! Perhaps the producers in your area might be interested in the fact that they may completely lose their packing industry. This is the real legacy of R-calf policy and should be examined in depth!

 

[Beefman]

Cowsense wrote: "MP Freelance: Perhaps an article is due on why all the Northwest beef processors are running at reduced capacity or are closed! Perhaps the producers in your area might be interested in the fact that they may completely lose their packing industry. This is the real legacy of R-calf policy and should be examined in depth!"


Response to MP Freelance: Cowsense give you an excellent idea for your research project. Since you reside in the Pacific Northwest, you're in close proximity to those who'll feel a significant amount of pain related to the prolonged closure of the Canadian border to live cattle. Check out the effect on major processors in Hyram, UT, Pasco, WA and Toppenish, WA. Outside of major processors, research the effect this closure has on midsized and mom & pop processors. Visit with agricultural economists at the land grand universities for their opinion on the trickle down effect, and the effect plant closures could potentially have at the cow calf level.

The other, and perhaps saddest part of this story is how consumer groups, who've promoted anti beef messages in past, have been ushered to the front of the room by so called groups representing "cattle producers". (refer to link below for "R-CALF's strange bedfellows".)

http://beef-mag.com/mag/beef_rcalfs_strange_bedfellows/

The management at Consumers Union, Public Citizen, and Consumer Federation of America must be popping the champagne corks in their boardrooms when they see their influence at work at the grass roots level.

Beefman[/quote]

 

[Bill]

OH Please I'm not wasting any time looking for the one nit picking thing you found to discredit the man after all the times you were asked point blank to bring something to prove he wasn't telling the truth and you couldn't. If you brought it you should be able to remember what it was about or was it so long ago that your can't even remember. :wink:

One thing? :lol: Let's see, there was the part about R-CALF supporting only outsiders staffing the USDA, R-CALF supporting the unionization packing plants, R-CALF being against branded beef, R-CALF being in favor of only sustainable agriculture. Need I go on? :roll:

I recieve the AFF newsletter and don't recall seeing any of the above claims you have mentioned. What was your source Sandhusker?