A
Anonymous
Guest
December 6, 2006
Copy By: Judie Manuel, National Membership Co-Chair
Media Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected] For Immediate Release
Fund-Raiser Breaks $11,000
Lewistown, Mont. – Lester and Carol Sluggett of Roy, Mont., and Lyle and Julie Deegan, of Moccasin, Mont., organized a very successful R-CALF USA fund-raiser on Nov. 7 at the Lewistown Livestock Auction, as more than $11, 000 was gathered from the 100-plus ranchers and agri-businesses that participated in the event.
“Special thanks go to Lyle and Jan Allen of Lewistown Livestock Auction,” noted Carol Sluggett. “They have stood with ranchers since the start of R-CALF.”
”This is the second R-CALF USA fund-raiser in Montana this fall, with each one grossing over the $10,000 mark,” explained Lyle Deegan. “It makes one proud to see the growing support for our national cattle organization: R-CALF USA.”
R-CALF USA Co-Founder and Past President Leo McDonnell, of Columbus, Mont., spoke at the event and told the crowd that the organization has come a long way in building a national voice for the U.S. rancher.
“You are the largest segment of the cattle/beef industry, and it’s irrational from a business standpoint not to have a strong, clear voice for our segment of the industry – independent of downstream segments that benefit from suppressed cattle prices and socially integrated production models,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell also commented that in the 1990s, ranchers were told that it was not possible to pass Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) through Congress, but R-CALF USA went to work and got COOL signed into law through the 2002 Farm Bill. Also along the way, he noted, U.S. cattle producers found out their greatest opposition was not Congress, but from within our industry instead.
McDonnell added that also in the ‘90s, ranchers were told imports were not hurting U.S. producers even though the low of the cycle was extended by increasing import supplies. However, he explained, the May 2003 Canadian BSE, which caused the United States to ban Canadian cattle and beef imports, caused U.S. fed cattle to move from a $67/cwt average in 2002 to $100/cwt by the fall of 2003.
“There’s nothing like seeing a real-time market function – along with improved demand transparencies for U.S. cattle – to take the spin out of some of the nonsense we’ve witnessed surrounding the impacts of imports”.
McDonnell also noted it was because of R-CALF that USDA backed down from making its proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS) mandatory.
“It makes no sense to burden ranchers with such a costly program, and at the same time, liberalize our import standards to those foreign countries that are sources of animal-disease contamination,” McDonnell continued. “This is not sound science, and it allows the government to come in and manage your business, as well as interfering with commerce and potentially taking the premiums out of individual source-verification programs.”
McDonnell also noted the United States’ ability to maintain high safety standards on imports have been compromised by the fragmented voice this industry sends to Capitol Hill, and unfortunately, our ability to implement COOL has been compromised by these fragmented messages. The ability for U.S. ranchers to receive meaningful safeguards and other risk-protection tools in free trade agreements (FTAs) will continue to be compromised as long as it is perceived those in our industry are sending two conflicting messages.
“One thing has become very clear,” he said, “That elusive ‘level playing field’ in global trade is being tipped farther away from you – not because you haven’t done your homework and not because you don’t have a responsible, positive solution-oriented trade message, but because your message as U.S. producers is being compromised by groups within your own industry.”
“Many of the issues we face today are billion-dollar issues that will shape the future and structure of our industry,” McDonnell concluded. “There are a lot of dogs after the bone, and it is important U.S. ranchers continue to have representation at a national level that helps them achieve their goals. That’s the purpose of R-CALF.”
Thanks to the following contributors to the Lewistown event: Lewistown Tire Factory; Central Montana Co-Op; Lester and Carol Sluggett; Dean Newton Cadillac-GMC; Fred and Leslie Colver; Dale Cox; Patrick and Neta Fordyce; Ron and Cathy Dvorak; Basin State Bank; Nutra Lawn; Fergus County Federal Credit Union; Courtesy Chevrolet Pontiac Buick; Edgewood Building Supplies; Don's; West Feed Co.; Lewistown Propane; Fleet Wholesale; Stockton Oil Co.; Ace Hardware; Central Montana Panels; Moccasin Mountain Art Gallery; Shobe Auction and Reality; Westfeed's Moorman's; Walt and Judie Manuel; Big Dry Saddlery; Moodie Implement; Torgerson's; Lewistown Honda; Stevenson's Diamond Dot; Hilltop Angus; Arntzen Angus; Baird Angus; Stevenson Angus; First National Bank of Lewistown; Wells Fargo Bank; Rex Bohn; Robert and Kathie Fink; Mel and Judy Hoge; Roy Peters; Roger Peters; Bill Mikkelson; Grimsrud Farms; Michael and Eva Wickens; Roy and Lisa Koch; Mark and Terry Lewis; Russ and Delilah Duffy; Lyle and Julie Deegan; Edward Butcher; Walter and Clara Vannoy; Ayers Colony; William and Gloria Miller; Jerry, Shelly and Andy Van Haur; Matt Fisher; and Pete Walters.
# # #
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.
Copy By: Judie Manuel, National Membership Co-Chair
Media Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: [email protected] For Immediate Release
Fund-Raiser Breaks $11,000
Lewistown, Mont. – Lester and Carol Sluggett of Roy, Mont., and Lyle and Julie Deegan, of Moccasin, Mont., organized a very successful R-CALF USA fund-raiser on Nov. 7 at the Lewistown Livestock Auction, as more than $11, 000 was gathered from the 100-plus ranchers and agri-businesses that participated in the event.
“Special thanks go to Lyle and Jan Allen of Lewistown Livestock Auction,” noted Carol Sluggett. “They have stood with ranchers since the start of R-CALF.”
”This is the second R-CALF USA fund-raiser in Montana this fall, with each one grossing over the $10,000 mark,” explained Lyle Deegan. “It makes one proud to see the growing support for our national cattle organization: R-CALF USA.”
R-CALF USA Co-Founder and Past President Leo McDonnell, of Columbus, Mont., spoke at the event and told the crowd that the organization has come a long way in building a national voice for the U.S. rancher.
“You are the largest segment of the cattle/beef industry, and it’s irrational from a business standpoint not to have a strong, clear voice for our segment of the industry – independent of downstream segments that benefit from suppressed cattle prices and socially integrated production models,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell also commented that in the 1990s, ranchers were told that it was not possible to pass Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) through Congress, but R-CALF USA went to work and got COOL signed into law through the 2002 Farm Bill. Also along the way, he noted, U.S. cattle producers found out their greatest opposition was not Congress, but from within our industry instead.
McDonnell added that also in the ‘90s, ranchers were told imports were not hurting U.S. producers even though the low of the cycle was extended by increasing import supplies. However, he explained, the May 2003 Canadian BSE, which caused the United States to ban Canadian cattle and beef imports, caused U.S. fed cattle to move from a $67/cwt average in 2002 to $100/cwt by the fall of 2003.
“There’s nothing like seeing a real-time market function – along with improved demand transparencies for U.S. cattle – to take the spin out of some of the nonsense we’ve witnessed surrounding the impacts of imports”.
McDonnell also noted it was because of R-CALF that USDA backed down from making its proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS) mandatory.
“It makes no sense to burden ranchers with such a costly program, and at the same time, liberalize our import standards to those foreign countries that are sources of animal-disease contamination,” McDonnell continued. “This is not sound science, and it allows the government to come in and manage your business, as well as interfering with commerce and potentially taking the premiums out of individual source-verification programs.”
McDonnell also noted the United States’ ability to maintain high safety standards on imports have been compromised by the fragmented voice this industry sends to Capitol Hill, and unfortunately, our ability to implement COOL has been compromised by these fragmented messages. The ability for U.S. ranchers to receive meaningful safeguards and other risk-protection tools in free trade agreements (FTAs) will continue to be compromised as long as it is perceived those in our industry are sending two conflicting messages.
“One thing has become very clear,” he said, “That elusive ‘level playing field’ in global trade is being tipped farther away from you – not because you haven’t done your homework and not because you don’t have a responsible, positive solution-oriented trade message, but because your message as U.S. producers is being compromised by groups within your own industry.”
“Many of the issues we face today are billion-dollar issues that will shape the future and structure of our industry,” McDonnell concluded. “There are a lot of dogs after the bone, and it is important U.S. ranchers continue to have representation at a national level that helps them achieve their goals. That’s the purpose of R-CALF.”
Thanks to the following contributors to the Lewistown event: Lewistown Tire Factory; Central Montana Co-Op; Lester and Carol Sluggett; Dean Newton Cadillac-GMC; Fred and Leslie Colver; Dale Cox; Patrick and Neta Fordyce; Ron and Cathy Dvorak; Basin State Bank; Nutra Lawn; Fergus County Federal Credit Union; Courtesy Chevrolet Pontiac Buick; Edgewood Building Supplies; Don's; West Feed Co.; Lewistown Propane; Fleet Wholesale; Stockton Oil Co.; Ace Hardware; Central Montana Panels; Moccasin Mountain Art Gallery; Shobe Auction and Reality; Westfeed's Moorman's; Walt and Judie Manuel; Big Dry Saddlery; Moodie Implement; Torgerson's; Lewistown Honda; Stevenson's Diamond Dot; Hilltop Angus; Arntzen Angus; Baird Angus; Stevenson Angus; First National Bank of Lewistown; Wells Fargo Bank; Rex Bohn; Robert and Kathie Fink; Mel and Judy Hoge; Roy Peters; Roger Peters; Bill Mikkelson; Grimsrud Farms; Michael and Eva Wickens; Roy and Lisa Koch; Mark and Terry Lewis; Russ and Delilah Duffy; Lyle and Julie Deegan; Edward Butcher; Walter and Clara Vannoy; Ayers Colony; William and Gloria Miller; Jerry, Shelly and Andy Van Haur; Matt Fisher; and Pete Walters.
# # #
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.