August 24, 2006 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail:
[email protected]
Dubuque Regional Meeting Only 2 Weeks Away
(Dubuque, Iowa) –
R-CALF USA Region VII Director Eric Nelson, a feedlot owner and operator in western Iowa, will host a regional meeting here slated for 5 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, Sept. 6, at the Holiday Inn, located at 450 Main St.
“The Midwest is an extremely important region because it holds promise for rebuilding the U.S. cattle industry,” Nelson said. “Our industry has been in a state of contraction during the past two decades, with thousands of independent feeders exiting the industry.
“Given the abundant feed supplies and the large number of cattle producers in our area, if producers would become actively involved in directing the course of the U.S. beef industry through R-CALF USA, profitability can be restored for independent feeders and the Midwest can become a leader in rebuilding the U.S. cattle industry,” he continued.
“Producers should know that R-CALF is the only national grassroots organization dedicated to serving the needs of independent cattlemen,” Nelson noted. “By bringing producers together, we will continue to make a difference.”
R-CALF USA President and Region V Director Chuck Kiker will inform producers about his recent trip to Australia to observe Australia’s live cattle and beef industry, as well as the country’s mandatory National Livestock Identification System.
Kiker said producers who are informed and involved in all aspects of their ranching business will naturally have a grasp of what their business needs and the direction it needs to go in order to do well.
“I would really like to see some unity from producers coming together from all over the state and bringing their concerns and ambitions relating to their ranching operations to a forum where those items can be discussed and considered,” Kiker said. “The result should be a unified group of men and women with a plan to keep their ranching operations profitable, the cattle industry vibrant and their communities economically prosperous.
“R-CALF USA is the organization that has provided the forum for cattle producers in this country to speak with a unified voice and to change the direction of the beef industry so cattle producers can share in more of the profits the beef-supply chain enjoys,” he remarked.
R-CALF USA Vice President and Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, DVM, will discuss USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
“It is important for U.S. cattle producers to know that USDA and state departments of agriculture have received millions in funding to attempt to persuade the cattle industry that individual electronic animal identification is for the producer’s benefit,” Thornsberry said. “Congress appropriated millions of dollars to develop this program. These taxpayer moneys are being utilized to fund professionally produced radio and print advertisements encouraging cattle producers to obtain premise identification numbers. These numbers are the first step in the National Animal Identification System.
“Producers should become educated about individual electronic animal identification,” he continued. “Animal ID is mandatory in only two countries, Australia and New Zealand. A telephone call to producers in those countries will be enough to dissuade most U.S. producers from desiring to participate.
“It is one thing to use individual electronic animal identification for personal use, or for source verification, or for database management, but quite another issue altogether for USDA to require that all food-producing animals be electronically identified before the agency will allow them to enter commerce,” Thornsberry emphasized.
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard will present an overview of the multi-segmented beef industry and provide independent producers with a plan to keep their segment of the industry profitable and viable.
Bullard said producers are involved in a multi-segmented beef-supply chain in which the various segments are both integral partners (they all want to increase beef consumption), as well as economic competitors (they all want to maximize their profits).
“Until producers begin to aggressively compete for their competitive share of the consumers’ beef dollar and their competitive share of the domestic and international beef market, retailers and meatpackers will continue capturing a disproportionate share of the available profits within the U.S. beef supply chain,” Bullard noted.
“The tools producers need to regain control of their industry – including Mandatory Country-of-Origin labeling and captive-supply reforms – are within the grasp of independent producers,” he continued. “To actually accomplish this, we need the Midwest’s help in growing R-CALF USA into the largest and most influential voice for the U.S. live cattle industry.”
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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization and is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on both domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has more than 60 affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.