NMA Files Appeal against R-CALF Preliminary Injunction
HASTINGS, Neb. (DTN) - As reported by John Harrington, DTN livestock analyst, the National Meat Association, a trade organization serving the meat packing industry, has filed an appeal of the preliminary injunction won by R-CALF which halted the March 7 scheduled opening of the border to Canadian cattle. U.S. exporters sold less corn and wheat last week than the previous week but soybean export sales increased, USDA reported Thursday morning.
NMA filed papers in San Francisco Tuesday, asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite hearing of NMA's appeal of the injunction granted to R-CALF and the denial of NMA's Motion to Intervene in R-CALF's suit against USDA. The filing said:
"NMA, certifies that to avoid irreparable harm, relief is needed in less than 21 days; in the absence of expedited treatment, irreparable harm will occur to NMA and consumers in the United States. The effect of the District Court's rulings will be to continue an unfair business environment under which NMA's members are unable to import live cattle from Canada while competitors with slaughterhouses in Canada are permitted to buy cheaper cattle in Canada, slaughter those cattle in Canada and import certain beef products into the United States. NMA seeks a level playing field, which the District Court's rulings prevent."