Letter to the Editor: R-CALF lawsuits are unfounded
Friday, August 17, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
To the Editor: R-CALF USA has recently filed, with producer dollars, two lawsuits against former directors and members of R-CALF who left the organization in disgust in February.
These lawsuits were sanctioned by the current R-CALF board of directors against hard-working industry leaders with absolutely no basis or proof of any wrongdoing. There was not even a letter written to the defendants prior to the filing of these lawsuits to determine the true facts. Thousands of producer dollars could have been saved if that had been done because the basis of the lawsuits are unfounded.
Instead, the board arrogantly, and with total disregard for the ranchers they supposedly financially represent, paid fees to their attorney to arbitrarily file these frivolous lawsuits. Their actions seem to prove the current board no longer has the best interests of the U.S. cattle producer in mind. Wasting thousands of producer hard-earned dollars on ridiculous, unfounded lawsuits when there are so many critical issues before the industry that must be addressed is not a legacy Leo McDonnell had in mind when he formed R-CALF many years ago. Unfortunately, R-CALF has now positioned itself, through its current board of directors and CEO, on a course of action lacking in integrity, competence and credibility.
I resigned my eight-year membership in R-CALF in February during the “power takeover” and became part of the new United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA), which was formed by all those who left R-CALF at that time. This group has moved forward, and I am proud to say they are really making a positive impact in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. Although there were hurt feelings when the takeover occurred, as most of those who left had been with R-CALF from the very beginning, there was never any vindictiveness on their part - they have moved on, continuing to work in a positive manner for the U.S. cattle producer.
You cannot say that about this current R-CALF board. These recent lawsuits are laced with vindictiveness. They are afraid they will lose members to USCA, and they probably will. In fact, I predict R-CALF membership will continue to rapidly spiral downward as this board's incredulous shenanigans further unfold, hard-earned dollars are carelessly wasted, and producers finally say “enough is enough.”
If you are a current R-CALF member you have a right and a duty to call the office and demand, in writing, an accounting of the monies spent on these lawsuits as well as an estimate of future costs. One of these cases is only just beginning the discovery process with depositions being taken in Colorado, Texas and California, costing R-CALF members even thousands more in attorney and travel costs. These lawsuits are not beneficial to cattle producers in any way, shape or form and you need to hold this out-of-control board accountable for their actions in how they are spending and wasting your money.
- Sharon McDonald
Melville, Mont.
Friday, August 17, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
To the Editor: R-CALF USA has recently filed, with producer dollars, two lawsuits against former directors and members of R-CALF who left the organization in disgust in February.
These lawsuits were sanctioned by the current R-CALF board of directors against hard-working industry leaders with absolutely no basis or proof of any wrongdoing. There was not even a letter written to the defendants prior to the filing of these lawsuits to determine the true facts. Thousands of producer dollars could have been saved if that had been done because the basis of the lawsuits are unfounded.
Instead, the board arrogantly, and with total disregard for the ranchers they supposedly financially represent, paid fees to their attorney to arbitrarily file these frivolous lawsuits. Their actions seem to prove the current board no longer has the best interests of the U.S. cattle producer in mind. Wasting thousands of producer hard-earned dollars on ridiculous, unfounded lawsuits when there are so many critical issues before the industry that must be addressed is not a legacy Leo McDonnell had in mind when he formed R-CALF many years ago. Unfortunately, R-CALF has now positioned itself, through its current board of directors and CEO, on a course of action lacking in integrity, competence and credibility.
I resigned my eight-year membership in R-CALF in February during the “power takeover” and became part of the new United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA), which was formed by all those who left R-CALF at that time. This group has moved forward, and I am proud to say they are really making a positive impact in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. Although there were hurt feelings when the takeover occurred, as most of those who left had been with R-CALF from the very beginning, there was never any vindictiveness on their part - they have moved on, continuing to work in a positive manner for the U.S. cattle producer.
You cannot say that about this current R-CALF board. These recent lawsuits are laced with vindictiveness. They are afraid they will lose members to USCA, and they probably will. In fact, I predict R-CALF membership will continue to rapidly spiral downward as this board's incredulous shenanigans further unfold, hard-earned dollars are carelessly wasted, and producers finally say “enough is enough.”
If you are a current R-CALF member you have a right and a duty to call the office and demand, in writing, an accounting of the monies spent on these lawsuits as well as an estimate of future costs. One of these cases is only just beginning the discovery process with depositions being taken in Colorado, Texas and California, costing R-CALF members even thousands more in attorney and travel costs. These lawsuits are not beneficial to cattle producers in any way, shape or form and you need to hold this out-of-control board accountable for their actions in how they are spending and wasting your money.
- Sharon McDonald
Melville, Mont.