NCBA President Jim McAdams March 18, 2005: "NCBA has outlined eleven key issues that must be addressed before our border is opened to Canadian cattle. This litigation has pre-empted our ability to resolve these issues."
McAdams on March 1 before the House Ag Committee: "Many of our concerns have already been addressed. We must expand access to get access. USDA's rule (to reopen borders) is generally consistent with NCBA policy. We realize there can't be progress made on some of our 11 points. We are more confident that we can absorb the flow of cattle from Canada. We support moving forward with the border reopening."
Reality Check for President McAdams: Without litigation U.S. borders would have been reopened on March 7 which USDA's own economic analysis said would cost U.S. cattlemen $2.7 billion in losses. NCBA did absolutely nothing to prevent the March 7 border reopening. R-CALF did. In fact, despite what its membership told NCBA leadership in its 11 point directive, the outfit is now pressing in every direction to reopen borders -through testimony before Congress; opposition of the House Resolution of Disapproval; and lobbying hard in Washington for the border reopening with individual congressional members. Not only is NCBA misrepresenting its grassroots membership, NCBA is advocating deception of U.S. consumers suggesting that, by telling the truth about the risks of BSE, consumer confidence is being compromised. NCBA chooses to lick the boots of its packer masters rather than partnering with the cattle industry's greatest asset - THE CONSUMER.
McAdams on March 1 before the House Ag Committee: "Many of our concerns have already been addressed. We must expand access to get access. USDA's rule (to reopen borders) is generally consistent with NCBA policy. We realize there can't be progress made on some of our 11 points. We are more confident that we can absorb the flow of cattle from Canada. We support moving forward with the border reopening."
Reality Check for President McAdams: Without litigation U.S. borders would have been reopened on March 7 which USDA's own economic analysis said would cost U.S. cattlemen $2.7 billion in losses. NCBA did absolutely nothing to prevent the March 7 border reopening. R-CALF did. In fact, despite what its membership told NCBA leadership in its 11 point directive, the outfit is now pressing in every direction to reopen borders -through testimony before Congress; opposition of the House Resolution of Disapproval; and lobbying hard in Washington for the border reopening with individual congressional members. Not only is NCBA misrepresenting its grassroots membership, NCBA is advocating deception of U.S. consumers suggesting that, by telling the truth about the risks of BSE, consumer confidence is being compromised. NCBA chooses to lick the boots of its packer masters rather than partnering with the cattle industry's greatest asset - THE CONSUMER.
