R-CALF: 3rd Annual Regional Meeting In Reno

[HAY MAKER]

R-CALF: 3rd Annual Regional Meeting In Reno Just Days Away

7/2/2007 10:16:00 AM


R-CALF: 3rd Annual Regional Meeting In Reno Just Days Away



Billings, Mont. – For the third consecutive year, R-CALF USA will host a regional meeting at 5 p.m. PDT, on Tuesday, July 10, in the Silver Legacy Hotel's Exposition Hall, 407 N. Virginia St., in Reno, Nev.



R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the organization's animal health committee, and R-CALF USA Region I Director Margene Eiguren will speak about issues that impact U.S. cattle producers' economic survival and membership-set policies that address those issues. Thornsberry joined R-CALF USA in 2001. Eiguren joined R-CALF USA in 1998 and also serves as R-CALF USA Oregon Membership Chair.



"R-CALF is the only organization that represents individual and independent cattle producers and cattle feeders," Thornsberry said. "To be a voting member of R-CALF, you must own cattle. Policy is established by R-CALF voting members, and the R-CALF Board of Directors carry out that policy.



"The R-CALF Board of Directors is attempting to concentrate on four major issues this year," he continued. "No. 1 is the importation of cattle from Canada, particularly Canadian cattle over 30 months of age. No. 2 is working to implement country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef. No. 3 deals with competition issues, particularly the strengthening the enforcement of the existing Packers and Stockyards Act. And, No. 4 is working to improve rules and regulations in free trade agreements to benefit independent U.S. cattle producers."



Thornsberry said although all R-CALF USA policy is important, R-CALF USA is forcibly addressing these four issues because the board of directors considers them the most significant at this time.



"R-CALF USA members have representation every day in Washington, D.C.," said Eiguren, as she elaborated about the benefits of an R-CALF USA membership. "Members have a CEO and staff, a board of directors and a whole group of volunteers working on their behalf every day to address issues that affect U.S. cattle producers.



To become involved within the organization, Eiguren said potential members should contact their R-CALF USA state membership chair or contact the R-CALF USA national office. Eiguren emphasized the importance of having a state organization that supports R-CALF USA, because it provides producers with the opportunity to have a formal voice for producers in their respective state.



"Right now is the pivotal time if we are going to get the competition reforms needed to restore open competition to our markets," she emphasized. "We need producers to support the organization that supports them. If you want healthy, open competitive markets, you need to support the organization that is working to get that done for you."



Eiguren is a founder of the Oregon Livestock Producers Association (OLPA), and currently serves as its secretary. Eiguren said OLPA was created with the explicit purpose of affiliating with R-CALF USA so that Oregon producers would have the opportunity to support the only national organization that exclusively represents their interests.

 

[QUESTION]

Thanks for putting it out there HM. The focus of the R-CALF group are listed in order of importance according to you
1 - importation of canadian cattle
2- implementing COOL
3 - packers
4 - improving the rules to benfit the US cattlemen under free trade deals.

So r-calf wants to shut the canadian cattle out of the US market but increase the amount of US beef shipped into canada and other countries it has FTA with. WHAT WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN! :roll:
This shows me exactly what r-calf is about. A bunch of hypocrites. :evil:

 

[Sandhusker]

Thanks for putting it out there HM. The focus of the R-CALF group are listed in order of importance according to you
1 - importation of canadian cattle
2- implementing COOL
3 - packers
4 - improving the rules to benfit the US cattlemen under free trade deals.

So r-calf wants to shut the canadian cattle out of the US market but increase the amount of US beef shipped into canada and other countries it has FTA with. WHAT WORLD DO YOU LIVE IN! :roll:
This shows me exactly what r-calf is about. A bunch of hypocrites. :evil:

You just don't get it.

 

[QUESTION]

It is so clear that what R-CALF USA wants - absolutely no imports of beef at all, ever but acess to every market in the world that consumes beef while banning all imports to the US market. Basically a captive market in the US and unfettered acess to the rest of the world. That is what the statement says. Wanting something and getting it are 2 totally different things entirely.

 

[Sandhusker]

It is so clear that what R-CALF USA wants - absolutely no imports of beef at all, ever but acess to every market in the world that consumes beef while banning all imports to the US market. Basically a captive market in the US and unfettered acess to the rest of the world. That is what the statement says. Wanting something and getting it are 2 totally different things entirely.

That's not what the statement says and that's not what R-CALF wants.

 

[QUESTION]

Cmmon Sand H the R-Calf board is going to focus on those issues this year. Are you saying they are focusing on increasing the numbers of canadian cattle coming into the US, or do they want to open the US market to more foreign beef. I don't think so. Lets be realistic R-CALF is a anti trade protectionist group, the drive behind this group is simply greed , not protecting the cowherd or public safety. That is the reality.[/quote]

 

[Ben Roberts]

Question- "Lets be realistic R-CALF is a anti trade protectionist group, the drive behind this group is simply greed , not protecting the cowherd or public safety. That is the reality."[/quote][/quote]


My kind of post, few words, alot of truth said.

 

[Sandhusker]

Cmmon Sand H the R-Calf board is going to focus on those issues this year. Are you saying they are focusing on increasing the numbers of canadian cattle coming into the US, or do they want to open the US market to more foreign beef. I don't think so. Lets be realistic R-CALF is a anti trade protectionist group, the drive behind this group is simply greed , not protecting the cowherd or public safety. That is the reality.

[/quote]

Horse crap. If we were driven by greed, wouldn't we try to close the border to ALL imports? If we were protectionist, why have we endorsed a couple FTA's? Why are we working to get certain provisions in FTA's instead of trying to kill them all?

I get really tired of being labeled a protectionist simply because we demand the USDA do what they said was necessary, what they did 22 consecutive times, and what they arbitraily changed for special interests. Finger pointers seem to forget that, why the border was closed in the first place, and the reasoning behind it. You call me a protectionist, I call you a practitioner of selective memory and proponent of corrupt government. OR, maybe you could point out where the original BSE policy was based on faulty science - the USDA can't.

Protectionist and anti-trade my fat...

 

[QUESTION]

Are you kidding me , not trying to close the US border to all cattle ? call a spade a spade a court injunction to stop all canadian cattle or don't you remember that. And still no OTM cattle across even thought the OIE says the US and Canada have the same BSE status a 3rd party that is impartial. And stiil r-calf is saying canada has a worse problem. That is laughable. As far as r-calf being protectionist it is the truth just look at the past and present positions they are taking. There is still rules on canadian under 30 month cattle how many have tested positive for BSE a big ZERO and still r-calf doesn't think they should be allowed in. OTM's and rule 2 first it was BSE then public safety now the impact on the US market of course R-CALF is a protectionist group. I find it so hypocritical r-calf doesn't want cattle from a nation with BSE yet BSE is present in the US and they feel they shouldn't be shut out of any markets and cry when it happens like in Korea, Japan. But i am sure you just see R-CALF as a producer group that is promoting US beef what change that to a protectionist group is the injuntion to close the US border to canadian cattle.

 

[Sandhusker]

Are you kidding me , not trying to close the US border to all cattle ? call a spade a spade a court injunction to stop all canadian cattle or don't you remember that. And still no OTM cattle across even thought the OIE says the US and Canada have the same BSE status a 3rd party that is impartial. And stiil r-calf is saying canada has a worse problem. That is laughable. As far as r-calf being protectionist it is the truth just look at the past and present positions they are taking. There is still rules on canadian under 30 month cattle how many have tested positive for BSE a big ZERO and still r-calf doesn't think they should be allowed in. OTM's and rule 2 first it was BSE then public safety now the impact on the US market of course R-CALF is a protectionist group. I find it so hypocritical r-calf doesn't want cattle from a nation with BSE yet BSE is present in the US and they feel they shouldn't be shut out of any markets and cry when it happens like in Korea, Japan. But i am sure you just see R-CALF as a producer group that is promoting US beef what change that to a protectionist group is the injuntion to close the US border to canadian cattle.

The US imports beef from how many countries and R-CALF asking for restrictions on ONE of them makes them protectionist and anti-trade? :roll: Geeeeeeze.

I see you don't eat at Burger King anymore, I guess you're anti-burger.

So tell me, where was the faulty science that the original policy was based on?

 

[Ben Roberts]

Sandhusker wrote "The US imports beef from how many countries and R-CALF asking for restrictions on ONE of them makes them protectionist and anti-trade? :roll: Geeeeeeze."


You are wrong again Sandhusker, The US does import beef from other countries, not live cattle. The ONE that R-CALF want to have the restrictions placed on, just happens to be the largest importer of live cattle.

 

[Sandhusker]

Sandhusker wrote "The US imports beef from how many countries and R-CALF asking for restrictions on ONE of them makes them protectionist and anti-trade? :roll: Geeeeeeze."


You are wrong again Sandhusker, The US does import beef from other countries, not live cattle. The ONE that R-CALF want to have the restrictions placed on, just happens to be the largest importer of live cattle.

Doesn't most of that live cattle from Canada end up as beef shortly after coming down? Come on, Ben, protectionists would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada?

Also, why the hell doesn't anybody want to talk about what was behind the original BSE policy? If it was put together to protect us, doesn't it stand to reason that reversing it puts us at risk? If you can't tell how the USDA was wrong in that policy, you sure can't say R-CALF is wrong for wanting it followed - like it was for everybody else EXCEPT Canada.

 

[QUESTION]

SandH i am not antiburger but i do boycott certain establishments. BK dropped it's slick hide program not that they could prove they ever implemented it . I found it funny they were trying to apease the animal rights people and how many ate burgers ? LOL I was there picketting arbys who were importing roasts for their sandwiches from the US when the border first closed. Now they arbys up here use only canadian beef. the next targets are a few restaurants that advertize CAB which is a US product when Canadian beef could be used. They have to learn who their customers are and to say how high sir when customers say jump.
The problem i see with the US and BSE is shutting the border when the have a problem with the same disease that is the same if not worse. The practice of dragging downer cows into the plant and putting them in the human food chain has to STOP NOW. But according to the USDA is still going on and companies are getting fined, how about close the plant for 1 yr and sieze it on 2nd offence. The faulty science is that there is no more risk of aquiring BSE from US beef than from Canadian beef. So we are the same risk level so why is it more risky to accept canadian cattle imports into the US. The answer is it is not and the border being closed is a move to protect the US producer from other cattlemen. So yeah the action is a protectionist one as well is the groups that pushed for keeping the border closed. If the shoe fits.

 

[Mike]

? wrote: the next targets are a few restaurants that advertize CAB which is a US product when Canadian beef could be used.

Protectionist!

 

[Sandhusker]

Let's see if I have it straight; R-CALF has a problem with one of the countries we import from and they're protectionists because of it - you have a problem with one burger joint, you protest another because they're not using Canadian beef, you talk about taking actions with others that use US instead of Canadian and that's nothing? Who is the protectionist?

We don't have the same disease you do, and if we did, how can you heal if you don't stop the bleeding? You know why we're the same level according to the OIE? Two reasons; The US lobbied to have the categories changed so that everybody is bunched tighter to blur the lines and two, the USDA declined to pursue the US getting "neglible" status, even though we clearly qualify for it, because they WANT us to be the same rating so that you and they can say "We're the same risk". The science isn't faulty, it's the "figures don't lie but liars figure" deal.

 

[RobertMac]

? wrote: the next targets are a few restaurants that advertize CAB which is a US product when Canadian beef could be used.

Protectionist!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Ben Roberts]

Sandhusker wrote "Doesn't most of that live cattle from Canada end up as beef shortly after coming down? Come on, Ben, protectionists would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada?"


Sandhusker, In R-CALFs announcement of their Reno meeting, the first issue on their agenda was, 1st, The importation of cattle from Canada! 2nd, working to implement Country-Of-Origin labeling (COOL) for beef!

There is a difference between the two, even with R-CALFs limited knowledge, they recognize the difference.

Sandhusker, you are 100% correct when you say, "Come on, Ben, protectionist would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada"----- Sandhusker, have you forgotten about the Anti-Dumping case that R-CALF lost against Mexico?

 

[Sandhusker]

Sandhusker wrote "Doesn't most of that live cattle from Canada end up as beef shortly after coming down? Come on, Ben, protectionists would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada?"


Sandhusker, In R-CALFs announcement of their Reno meeting, the first issue on their agenda was, 1st, The importation of cattle from Canada! 2nd, working to implement Country-Of-Origin labeling (COOL) for beef!

There is a difference between the two, even with R-CALFs limited knowledge, they recognize the difference.

Sandhusker, you are 100% correct when you say, "Come on, Ben, protectionist would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada"----- Sandhusker, have you forgotten about the Anti-Dumping case that R-CALF lost against Mexico?

No, I haven't forgotten. I also haven't forgotten that NCBA was on board then, as well. However, that was nearly 10 years ago. Wouldn't a protectionist organization be a little more "active"?

 

[QUESTION]

To prove a point you have to fight fire with fire. The arbys roast were they from a BSE tested animal or from a downer? It is a concern that i have you guys say how inept the inspectors are. As far as me being a protectionist i believe that if the US did't allow in canadian beef at that time canadians shouldn't be eating US beef. The CAB on menus is about the potential for harm as you guys say how inept the USDA is, also that the AAA sued the CAA over the copywrite of CAB. My thinking is if a US based multinational food services company wants to promote a US product i have the right to say why not use our native product. But i don't go out and get court injuntions, spend the hard earned money of other cattlemen to cause harm to US cattlemen and celebrate by whooping and hollering like a idiot. So no i'm not a protectionist i don't go to court to stop US beef from coming in ,just exercise my right to free speach.
Now for some different news I got the chance to sit down and have a quick chat with my federal Ag minister and a coffee and a couple of quick words with the PM. Quite the evening. Does this happen in the US where you guys could get a chance to bend the ear of the Ag secretary and President ? I hope they look into some of the stuff we talked about. They were focused on the the Bio-feul thing and it was interesting , there is some potential there if done right.

 

[HAY MAKER]

Sandhusker wrote "Doesn't most of that live cattle from Canada end up as beef shortly after coming down? Come on, Ben, protectionists would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada?"


Sandhusker, In R-CALFs announcement of their Reno meeting, the first issue on their agenda was, 1st, The importation of cattle from Canada! 2nd, working to implement Country-Of-Origin labeling (COOL) for beef!

There is a difference between the two, even with R-CALFs limited knowledge, they recognize the difference.

Sandhusker, you are 100% correct when you say, "Come on, Ben, protectionist would go for Mexico, too and all beef. Why would a protectionist stop at Canada"----- Sandhusker, have you forgotten about the Anti-Dumping case that R-CALF lost against Mexico?

Ben,you are losing a lil credibility here with your far fetched reasoning,Canada is high on R CALF's priority list because of their BSE history,nothing more,nothing less.................good luck