President Leo McDonnell Delivers Strong Message at Wyoming State Fair
(Douglas, Wyo.) - Resounding applause greeted R-CALF USA President and Co-Founder Leo McDonnell during the recent Cattlemen's Forum held here during the Wyoming State Fair. He was invited to address fair-goers about the court injunction against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the agency's Final Rule to reopen U.S. borders to live Canadian cattle.
McDonnell opened his speech saying, "Thousands of R-CALF USA members across the nation thank Wyoming's congressional delegation: Senators Thomas and Enzi, and Congresswoman Cubin, for standing with - and for - U.S. cattle ranchers."
McDonnell also thanked Del Tinsley, publisher emeritus of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, for organizing the program.
"Thanks to people like Del Tinsley, the truth gets told in Wyoming," said McDonnell.
"The border case is not against Canadian cattle ranchers, as some in the industry have tried to lead you to believe," McDonnell emphasized. "The injunction was against USDA and its attempt to liberalize our import, food safety and animal health standards and to reduce those standards well below internationally agreed upon and practiced standards, and if USDA is successful, such liberalizations will make a dumping ground out of the U.S. for meat and livestock other modern nations have banned."
McDonnell told the crowd there have been gross misrepresentations about what the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals did, and did not say, in reversing the preliminary injunction granted to R-CALF USA on March 2 to prevent the border from reopening to live Canadian cattle and additional beef products on March 7 as USDA had planned. The 9th Circuit's decision permitted live cattle and additional beef products to enter the U.S. from Canada since July 18. Canada is country reporting four cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) during the last 26 months.
"Some people, in the 'Beef Enquirer-type' of publications, have said the Appellate Court ruled against R-CALF's science, but that's simply not true," noted McDonnell. "The Appellate Court did not review the Administrative Record, which contained the science provided by not only the private sector, but also the scientific community.
"What the court did say was that government agencies have deference over the public when such disputes occur," he explained. "This is a chilling decision because it allows the government to govern themselves, instead of the people governing the government."
McDonnell also explained that USDA actions surrounding the BSE import liberalizations and the Canadian BSE findings provide several useful models, and have helped highlight not only USDA's agenda, but certain industry groups in the U.S. as well.
"Such extreme trade liberalizations, on top of the lack of international harmonization, help magnify USDA's failing trade policy, which has taken the U.S. from a nearly $30 billion trade surplus to a trade deficit this year," he pointed out. "In the case of our own industry, this explains the increasing lost market share to imports here in the U.S. not only during the past 20 years but also the current trade deficit in cattle and beef in both dollars and volume.
"The policies of USDA and groups like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), such as having to ''give access to get access' are destroying our cattle markets and are threatening the lifeblood of the industry - the grassroots producer," McDonnell continued.
"USDA's import liberalizations are striking at the heart of our food safety and animal health import standards and highlight why USDA and other industry activist groups that support such liberalizations are so opposed to Mandatory Country-of-Origin labeling," he said. "USDA's actions are an example of the free trade extremist's agenda, which is embedded in a cheap food policy."
McDonnell recalled the June 9 BSE Roundtable hosted by USDA in Minneapolis and how it highlighted the agency's cheap food policy plan. At the meeting, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns stated that U.S. beef prices were too high.
"The Secretary was flanked on one side by NCBA, and on the other side by the American Farm Bureau Federation," McDonnell noted. "One of his reasons for liberalizing BSE import standards for Canada is to 'fast-track' the opening of the border."
McDonnell received a round of applause when he noted that, "Only one national organization has objected to that statement on behalf of U.S. cattle producers, and that's R-CALF USA."
A few years ago, R-CALF USA started out by seeking a trade investigation into the damaging trade practices other nations inflicted on U.S. cattle producers.
"R-CALF has continued to work to ensure trade does not harm U.S. cattle producers by advocating for fair and equitable trade legislation that seeks to put Americans first," said McDonnell. "R-CALF also has worked diligently on mandatory labeling laws; opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement; the injunction against USDA; as well as helping to expose the onerous agendas of organizations like NCBA and AFBF.
"The amicus brief by NCBA and AFBF, along with some of their splinter organizations, was filed in support of USDA's appeal to overturn the Canadian border injunction, and it supported opening U.S. borders to further Canadian beef and cattle," McDonnell explained. "In fact, the opening statement in a court brief from NCBA and AFBA stated they supported USDA and encouraged the court to vacate the order granting the preliminary injunction.
"Cattlemen need to know which organizations are supporting them, and which organizations are opposing them, so I stand before you here today in the great state of Wyoming to say that R-CALF USA is your organization and it's representing your interests in an honest, forthright manner," he said. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished and I look forward to a brighter future for U.S. cattlemen. R-CALF USA will be the catalyst for a whole new era in the U.S. cattle industry."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members - over 18,000 strong - are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
(Douglas, Wyo.) - Resounding applause greeted R-CALF USA President and Co-Founder Leo McDonnell during the recent Cattlemen's Forum held here during the Wyoming State Fair. He was invited to address fair-goers about the court injunction against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the agency's Final Rule to reopen U.S. borders to live Canadian cattle.
McDonnell opened his speech saying, "Thousands of R-CALF USA members across the nation thank Wyoming's congressional delegation: Senators Thomas and Enzi, and Congresswoman Cubin, for standing with - and for - U.S. cattle ranchers."
McDonnell also thanked Del Tinsley, publisher emeritus of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, for organizing the program.
"Thanks to people like Del Tinsley, the truth gets told in Wyoming," said McDonnell.
"The border case is not against Canadian cattle ranchers, as some in the industry have tried to lead you to believe," McDonnell emphasized. "The injunction was against USDA and its attempt to liberalize our import, food safety and animal health standards and to reduce those standards well below internationally agreed upon and practiced standards, and if USDA is successful, such liberalizations will make a dumping ground out of the U.S. for meat and livestock other modern nations have banned."
McDonnell told the crowd there have been gross misrepresentations about what the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals did, and did not say, in reversing the preliminary injunction granted to R-CALF USA on March 2 to prevent the border from reopening to live Canadian cattle and additional beef products on March 7 as USDA had planned. The 9th Circuit's decision permitted live cattle and additional beef products to enter the U.S. from Canada since July 18. Canada is country reporting four cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) during the last 26 months.
"Some people, in the 'Beef Enquirer-type' of publications, have said the Appellate Court ruled against R-CALF's science, but that's simply not true," noted McDonnell. "The Appellate Court did not review the Administrative Record, which contained the science provided by not only the private sector, but also the scientific community.
"What the court did say was that government agencies have deference over the public when such disputes occur," he explained. "This is a chilling decision because it allows the government to govern themselves, instead of the people governing the government."
McDonnell also explained that USDA actions surrounding the BSE import liberalizations and the Canadian BSE findings provide several useful models, and have helped highlight not only USDA's agenda, but certain industry groups in the U.S. as well.
"Such extreme trade liberalizations, on top of the lack of international harmonization, help magnify USDA's failing trade policy, which has taken the U.S. from a nearly $30 billion trade surplus to a trade deficit this year," he pointed out. "In the case of our own industry, this explains the increasing lost market share to imports here in the U.S. not only during the past 20 years but also the current trade deficit in cattle and beef in both dollars and volume.
"The policies of USDA and groups like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), such as having to ''give access to get access' are destroying our cattle markets and are threatening the lifeblood of the industry - the grassroots producer," McDonnell continued.
"USDA's import liberalizations are striking at the heart of our food safety and animal health import standards and highlight why USDA and other industry activist groups that support such liberalizations are so opposed to Mandatory Country-of-Origin labeling," he said. "USDA's actions are an example of the free trade extremist's agenda, which is embedded in a cheap food policy."
McDonnell recalled the June 9 BSE Roundtable hosted by USDA in Minneapolis and how it highlighted the agency's cheap food policy plan. At the meeting, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns stated that U.S. beef prices were too high.
"The Secretary was flanked on one side by NCBA, and on the other side by the American Farm Bureau Federation," McDonnell noted. "One of his reasons for liberalizing BSE import standards for Canada is to 'fast-track' the opening of the border."
McDonnell received a round of applause when he noted that, "Only one national organization has objected to that statement on behalf of U.S. cattle producers, and that's R-CALF USA."
A few years ago, R-CALF USA started out by seeking a trade investigation into the damaging trade practices other nations inflicted on U.S. cattle producers.
"R-CALF has continued to work to ensure trade does not harm U.S. cattle producers by advocating for fair and equitable trade legislation that seeks to put Americans first," said McDonnell. "R-CALF also has worked diligently on mandatory labeling laws; opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement; the injunction against USDA; as well as helping to expose the onerous agendas of organizations like NCBA and AFBF.
"The amicus brief by NCBA and AFBF, along with some of their splinter organizations, was filed in support of USDA's appeal to overturn the Canadian border injunction, and it supported opening U.S. borders to further Canadian beef and cattle," McDonnell explained. "In fact, the opening statement in a court brief from NCBA and AFBA stated they supported USDA and encouraged the court to vacate the order granting the preliminary injunction.
"Cattlemen need to know which organizations are supporting them, and which organizations are opposing them, so I stand before you here today in the great state of Wyoming to say that R-CALF USA is your organization and it's representing your interests in an honest, forthright manner," he said. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished and I look forward to a brighter future for U.S. cattlemen. R-CALF USA will be the catalyst for a whole new era in the U.S. cattle industry."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA's membership consists primarily of cow-calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and feedlot owners. Its members - over 18,000 strong - are located in 47 states, and the organization has over 60 local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations. Various main street businesses are associate members of R-CALF USA. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
