In 1998, R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) was established as a foundation to represent and file three trade investigation cases on behalf of the U.S. cattle industry.
Throughout that process, R-CALF USA found that concerns of U.S. cattle producers were not being represented well in Washington, D.C., so in 1999, R-CALF USA expanded to a non-profit membership organization for cattle producers and independent feeders, with a mission to represent them on domestic and international trade and marketing issues to ensure the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. National headquarters are in Billings, Mont.
Today, R-CALF USA is the fastest growing national cattle association with more than 18000 members consisting primarily of cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders and feedlot owners across 46 states. The organization has more than 60 local and state affiliates, both from cattle and farm organizations. Various main-street businesses are associate members.
R-CALF USA's membership has grown by 35 percent to 50 percent annually in response to R-CALF USA's representation of the industry on issues such as trade, country-of-origin labeling, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). One year ago, membership totaled 8,100. New memberships are arriving daily, and R-CALF USA expects its growth to continue.
Calf sales for 2004 brought in approximately $475,000 in donations to R-CALF USA. From January 1 to March 31, 2005, hard-working producers have hosted enough calf sales to generate $886,000 in just the first quarter of this year, and the organization is tremendously grateful for such a strong showing of support.
Voting members must own cattle, and if in good standing, they are entitled to vote by mail-in ballot each spring on issues from the annual convention, which members are not required to attend to have voting rights. R-CALF USA's policy is one member/one vote. Associate members do not own cattle and do not have voting rights. Members are notified of election results in the R-CALF USA newsletter or magazine.
Membership to R-CALF USA is $50 per year, per member. Many members contribute well beyond the membership dues.
R-CALF USA has been very careful to advance issues important to U.S. cattle producers in a non-partisan manner. R-CALF USA does not align itself with any political party, nor does it endorse political candidates. To do so would endanger R-CALF USA's ability to effectively promote policy issues that benefit the economic interests of its grassroots members. The issues important to the future economic well being of our industry cross both philosophical and political lines. Those issues are not distinguishable as Republican or Democrat issues, and neither as conservative nor liberal issues. R-CALF USA members have worked hard to educate congressional members from both parties on the need to adopt meaningful market and trade reforms to ensure the economic strength of independent cattle producers who increasingly operate in a concentrated marketing structure and a global economy.
For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
2) How did the beef industry become so divided?
The U.S. beef industry is divided into several distinct industry segments, collectively referred to as the beef supply chain. This beef supply chain includes cattle producers and feeders, meatpackers and processors, importers and exporters, and wholesalers and retailers. Together these industry segments are integral partners who share a common interest in maintaining a viable and profitable beef supply chain. However, each of these segments also has an economic interest that is oftentimes in direct competition with the economic interests of the other industry partners. It is this continuing competition over the differing economic interests of the various industry segments that makes the beef industry a dynamic and tremendously successful industry in the United States.
In recognition of the intense competition over the differing economic interests that exist within the various segments of the beef supply chain, each segment has formed national organizations to effectively represent their unique economic interests so they can more effectively compete among and between their beef industry partners. For example:
The Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers of America represent the exclusive interests of wholesalers and retailers.
The Meat Importers Council of America and the Food Distributors International represent the exclusive interests of importers and exporters.
The American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association represent the exclusive interests of meatpackers and processors.
Prior to the mid-'90s the National Cattlemen's Association (NCA) was the only national association representing the exclusive interests of live cattle producers. But when the NCA merged with other segments of the beef industry, live cattle producers lost their exclusive, national voice. This placed the live cattle industry at a distinct disadvantage in the continuing competition that exists within the beef supply chain.
In 1999, R-CALF USA was formed to fill the void left when the NCA abandoned its role of exclusively representing the economic interests of live cattle producers. Since 1999, R-CALF USA has grown to become the largest and only national association that exclusively represents the interests of U.S. live cattle producers.
As a result of the re-establishment of a strong, national organization that exclusively represents the interests of live cattle producers, a new balance is now being struck in the competition among and between the various segments of the beef industry. What some segments are calling "divisiveness" within the beef industry is really a rebalancing of the relative strength of the each of the industry's various segments. R-CALF USA's elevation of the live cattle producer's interests is forcing other beef industry partners to give up the advantages they enjoyed while cattle producers were not adequately represented. This rebalancing has created a change that is not easy for other beef industry segments to take. However, the industry will now be better served because no longer will the better-represented segments – the meatpackers, processors, importers, exporters, wholesalers, and retailers – be able to exercise undue influence over policy issues that are adverse to the interests of live cattle producers.
Throughout that process, R-CALF USA found that concerns of U.S. cattle producers were not being represented well in Washington, D.C., so in 1999, R-CALF USA expanded to a non-profit membership organization for cattle producers and independent feeders, with a mission to represent them on domestic and international trade and marketing issues to ensure the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. National headquarters are in Billings, Mont.
Today, R-CALF USA is the fastest growing national cattle association with more than 18000 members consisting primarily of cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders and feedlot owners across 46 states. The organization has more than 60 local and state affiliates, both from cattle and farm organizations. Various main-street businesses are associate members.
R-CALF USA's membership has grown by 35 percent to 50 percent annually in response to R-CALF USA's representation of the industry on issues such as trade, country-of-origin labeling, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). One year ago, membership totaled 8,100. New memberships are arriving daily, and R-CALF USA expects its growth to continue.
Calf sales for 2004 brought in approximately $475,000 in donations to R-CALF USA. From January 1 to March 31, 2005, hard-working producers have hosted enough calf sales to generate $886,000 in just the first quarter of this year, and the organization is tremendously grateful for such a strong showing of support.
Voting members must own cattle, and if in good standing, they are entitled to vote by mail-in ballot each spring on issues from the annual convention, which members are not required to attend to have voting rights. R-CALF USA's policy is one member/one vote. Associate members do not own cattle and do not have voting rights. Members are notified of election results in the R-CALF USA newsletter or magazine.
Membership to R-CALF USA is $50 per year, per member. Many members contribute well beyond the membership dues.
R-CALF USA has been very careful to advance issues important to U.S. cattle producers in a non-partisan manner. R-CALF USA does not align itself with any political party, nor does it endorse political candidates. To do so would endanger R-CALF USA's ability to effectively promote policy issues that benefit the economic interests of its grassroots members. The issues important to the future economic well being of our industry cross both philosophical and political lines. Those issues are not distinguishable as Republican or Democrat issues, and neither as conservative nor liberal issues. R-CALF USA members have worked hard to educate congressional members from both parties on the need to adopt meaningful market and trade reforms to ensure the economic strength of independent cattle producers who increasingly operate in a concentrated marketing structure and a global economy.
For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
2) How did the beef industry become so divided?
The U.S. beef industry is divided into several distinct industry segments, collectively referred to as the beef supply chain. This beef supply chain includes cattle producers and feeders, meatpackers and processors, importers and exporters, and wholesalers and retailers. Together these industry segments are integral partners who share a common interest in maintaining a viable and profitable beef supply chain. However, each of these segments also has an economic interest that is oftentimes in direct competition with the economic interests of the other industry partners. It is this continuing competition over the differing economic interests of the various industry segments that makes the beef industry a dynamic and tremendously successful industry in the United States.
In recognition of the intense competition over the differing economic interests that exist within the various segments of the beef supply chain, each segment has formed national organizations to effectively represent their unique economic interests so they can more effectively compete among and between their beef industry partners. For example:
The Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers of America represent the exclusive interests of wholesalers and retailers.
The Meat Importers Council of America and the Food Distributors International represent the exclusive interests of importers and exporters.
The American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association represent the exclusive interests of meatpackers and processors.
Prior to the mid-'90s the National Cattlemen's Association (NCA) was the only national association representing the exclusive interests of live cattle producers. But when the NCA merged with other segments of the beef industry, live cattle producers lost their exclusive, national voice. This placed the live cattle industry at a distinct disadvantage in the continuing competition that exists within the beef supply chain.
In 1999, R-CALF USA was formed to fill the void left when the NCA abandoned its role of exclusively representing the economic interests of live cattle producers. Since 1999, R-CALF USA has grown to become the largest and only national association that exclusively represents the interests of U.S. live cattle producers.
As a result of the re-establishment of a strong, national organization that exclusively represents the interests of live cattle producers, a new balance is now being struck in the competition among and between the various segments of the beef industry. What some segments are calling "divisiveness" within the beef industry is really a rebalancing of the relative strength of the each of the industry's various segments. R-CALF USA's elevation of the live cattle producer's interests is forcing other beef industry partners to give up the advantages they enjoyed while cattle producers were not adequately represented. This rebalancing has created a change that is not easy for other beef industry segments to take. However, the industry will now be better served because no longer will the better-represented segments – the meatpackers, processors, importers, exporters, wholesalers, and retailers – be able to exercise undue influence over policy issues that are adverse to the interests of live cattle producers.
