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"R-Calfs open letter" from Jay Platt

Longcut

Well-known member
R-CALF USA: An Open Letter To The U.S. Cattle Industry

Sharon McDonald, wife of former R-CALF USA director Dennis McDonald, and former member Judie Manuel have been submitting letters to various publications that mislead readers by asserting that litigation against former directors and members has absolutely no basis, that the lawsuits are frivolous and wasting producer dollars.

No organization is without occasional problems and disagreements. Normally, their letters should not merit a response; however, R-CALF has had major impacts for producers with its positions on BSE, the Canadian border, and in its role in resolving the problems with COOL – placing it back on track as originally intended: the labeling of foreign cattle/products as such, and not the costly, surrogate program for domestic Animal ID, which COOL had become.

The livestock industry should therefore be informed as to the nature of the lawsuits. It should also be aware of the fact that R-CALF was granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in May. Courts do not grant TROs on claims which are totally lacking in basis as Mrs. McDonald and Mrs. Manuel assert to be the case.

One lawsuit has settled. It involved ownership of the R-CALF USA magazine, which was in dispute. The settlement established that R-CALF owns the magazine.

The remaining lawsuit addresses questions of confidentiality and nondisclosure. Directors, past and present, of any nonprofit organization owe that organization a legal fiduciary duty of loyalty and confidentiality, regardless of whether they agree with all positions taken by that organization.

In order to enhance efficiency, a confidential study was commissioned pursuant to which a number of R-CALF staff, directors, and officers were interviewed, with the understanding that they could respond openly and frankly as answers were confidential. That study was leaked and even appeared on the Internet.

Certain R-CALF documents were turned over to a law firm, one of whose members was former General Counsel for USDA and who was adversarial to R-CALF’s interests on both BSE and COOL.

Additionally, one of the defendants had in his possession an R-CALF computer that was not returned until Aug. 30. This individual resigned in February. Various other documents such as membership lists also are in the possession of one or more of the defendants.

R-CALF’s board demonstrated integrity and loyalty by seeking to prevent the dissemination of confidential materials, especially those relating to interviews with employees. Indeed, the argument could be made that the board was under an affirmative duty to act as it did to protect employees and preserve confidential information.

In short, one lawsuit has been settled in R-CALF’s favor and the remaining lawsuit seeks 1) the return of its property, including all lists and documents, and 2) the prohibition of further dissemination of R-CALF lists, documents, and information by the defendants.

Sincerely,

H. Jay Platt

R-CALF USA Region IV Director
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Longcut-- you researching R-CALF so you can start one? now that your getting China chicken and Canada gets the M-COOL that goes with it...You know thats the problems that come with growing up- and standing on two feet...But we'll support you...
We wouldn't want you choking on your Chinese chicken... :wink: :lol: :lol:
 

Longcut

Well-known member
Did you see what the letter was called Oldtimer? R-CALF USA: An Open Letter To The U.S. Cattle Industry I am sorry if I recieved a copy before you did and that you had to find out about it here but that is something you need to take up with them. They really should look after those on their payroll like yourself. This fetish you seem to have with the Chinese is getting more than a little weird.
 

Longcut

Well-known member
Cattle Editorial: Response To R-CALF’s Open Letter To Industry

In response to some R-CALF director letters of last week, they assert that the “livestock industry should be informed as to the nature of the lawsuits” filed against former founders, directors, and members. Well, shouldn’t that have been done months ago? R-CALF has always been a member-driven organization. Did the R-CALF board ask membership if they wanted their dollars used on these ridiculous suits? Was a vote by membership taken? Is there policy in place for these actions? The answer on all counts, of course, is “no”.

According to R-CALF’s non-profit filing application, the organization was formed to work on “trade issues”. That is what R-CALF members believe they are paying dues for. I have no problem with any R-CALF member who believes, after being told the true facts, these suits should have been filed and tens of thousands of dollars spent. However, I do have a problem with R-CALF members not being notified by the board when their money is essentially being flushed down the toilet, or when facts are “spinned”. Not only was membership denied the opportunity to vote on whether these suits should be filed, but from what I have been able to ascertain, there was never any notification to members either through the newspapers, through the R-CALF website, or through newsletters advising membership of these suits. On other occasions when R-CALF files a suit they proudly announce it – why not this time?

The first lawsuit was regarding ownership of the Cattlemen’s Journal and it was settled last week with the owner of the Cattlemen’s Journal assigning his rights to R-CALF. The only reason this suit was settled is because it was against a young family with two small kids; their legal bill was in the $6,000 range and they just couldn’t afford, financially or emotionally, to continue to fight this suit, even though they believed they would have won in the end. Keep in mind R-CALF didn’t even try to negotiate prior to the filing of this suit. With an open pocketbook to work with, I guess filing expensive lawsuits is a first step rather than a last resort for the current R-CALF leadership.

The second lawsuit wrongfully accuses three former directors of using the R-CALF mailing list to solicit membership in the newly formed United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA), which was organized on April 1, 2007, by all those who left R-CALF after the blow-up in February and wanted to continue the hard work they had been doing for years on behalf of cattle producers. R-CALF membership lists were never used, nor would any of the accused directors even consider doing such a thing. It is a paranoiac insult to their integrity. Besides, don’t cattle producers have an inalienable right to join either or even both groups?

This suit also accuses these directors of releasing the Larsen Report, a report prepared to help fix personnel problems occurring in the R-CALF office. Several others had the report but were not named in the suit. Why not? By the way, that report cost around $8,000 and was paid for with producer dollars. Since this is a non-profit membership organization, isn’t it every member’s right to view a document that was paid for with membership money and provides information that has a direct affect on the daily operations of the organization? The judge in this case said as much at the last hearing.

With regard to Ms. Eiguren’s comments about the swifthorses.com website, all documents posted on that site were accurate. The only purpose of the site was to inform members of what happened to the organization in February and to explain why so many original founders, committee chairs, and members left R-CALF to start another organization. If they had stayed, they felt their integrity and all they had worked for would be compromised. These were the folks who originally formed R-CALF and were its backbone. They have never had any desire to destroy R-CALF as Mr. Smith asserts. They just morally could not continue to support the organization in the direction it was headed. If R-CALF does not survive, it will solely be because of the actions of those currently on the board and the bad decisions they are making.

This is a public membership organization, which now seems to be run like a private corporation. There should be no “secrets” or ”confidential” documents – where is the transparency? Why is this board keeping information from its membership? When a member walks into the office and asks for a financial report, why is that being denied? Why are documents screened before being given to a member? This is no way to maintain and operate a non-profit outfit. This board works for the membership and unless they want to lose their non-profit status, they better start being more forthcoming and truthful with their members. The “spin” on why they filed these latest lawsuits against fellow cattle producers is disgraceful and laughable!

I stand by my assertion that these suits are frivolous, particularly in view of the enormous amount of time and money being spent on them, the “secrecy” in which they were filed, and the lack of any benefit to the producer’s bottom line when all is said and done. Even the judge in this case said at the last hearing it was a total waste of money!


Sharon McDonald

Melville, Montana
 
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Anonymous

Guest
POLITICS-- Her husband is a former Californian, and an attorney, who is the head of the Democrat party in Montana, and he wants to be the next Governor or Senator....She forgets to add that many of the initial problems would have not came to be without the actions of dear old hubby...

Just more of the Californication of Montana.....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
I'll say it again, if Sharon etal can't take it, they shouldn't of dished it out. Take your medicine and shut up.

Funny how some Canucks were blasting McDonalds when they were in R-CALF - calling them liars and what not - now they're posting their quotes as gospel! :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

Longcut

Well-known member
What only Canada? Not able to work your chicken or Chinese fetish into this again???????????

Funny how some Canucks were blasting McDonalds when they were in R-CALF - calling them liars and what not - now they're posting their quotes as gospel!
Funny how some R-Calfers were supporting the McDonalds when they were in R-CALF - calling them heros and such - now they're criticising their quotes as lies!

Before they were upstanding R-CALFERS and now they are CALIFORNIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :roll: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You two need to get a life or at least go outside and get some fresh air.
 
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