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CattleNetwork_Today 3/21/2007 11:46:00 AM
Jolley: What’s Going On At R-CALF?
Maybe I should call this “Three rounds with Dr. Max Thornsberry. I contacted the R-CALF offices after reading an article by Steve Kay, editor and publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly, which suggested that R-CALF was on its last legs. Shae Dodson, R-CALF’s Communications Coordinator, was shocked at the content and tracked down Thornsberry, their new president, to get answers to several questions I had asked.
Dr. Max was upset at the allegations, insisting that the group is still healthy and calling into question the accuracy of Kay’s story. His quick response shows that R-CALF is still the feisty, ready-to-do-battle organization it always has been. To read an earlier interview from January, 2006, “Five minutes with Dr. Max Thornsberry,” click here.
Thornsberry wanted to make the following comment before he answered my questions:
This piece is in response to an article authored by Steve Kay with several inaccuracies, which was posted Monday at www.MeatPoultry.com, at http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=84254 . Kay stated in part that the creation of a new producer group “will likely lead to R-CALF’s demise…” and that “Several affiliated groups…dropped their affiliation with R-CALF.”
R-CALF USA President Max Thornsberry wants to ask Kay if he can be considered as a viable source of information for the cattle industry, when he has never owned any fat cattle, does not feed fat cattle, and has no money invested in the industry. “He once told me he was a journalist,” Thornsberry said. “If in fact, Mr. Kay is a journalist and not a cattle expert, should he not be held to a higher degree of accountability, and should he not check his sources before publishing such an article?”
1. Who is manning the Washington office and what are their responsibilities?
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard has been working in the Washington, D.C., office three days each week. Given the importance of the issues facing the U.S. cattle industry, R-CALF USA wanted an experienced representative in its Washington, D.C., office. R-CALF USA is currently seeking a candidate to assist Bill in advancing R-CALF USA’s membership-developed policies in Washington, D.C.
2. The consulting firm, AgWorks Solutions, consisting of former top USDA officials Bill Hawks and Valerie Ragan, has reportedly stopped representing R-CALF as lobbyists. Is there any truth to that report? And, if so, why?
Yes. The former USDA officials were retained by R-CALF USA in early 2006 to help R-CALF USA work more closely with the USDA. The expectation was the pair could help R-CALF USA to begin changing USDA policies by working from within, rather than being perceived as being adversarial on issues like COOL and animal identification. However, the effect of having these former USDA officials inside R-CALF USA was that they began to moderate R-CALF USA’s message and its efforts to prevent the USDA from relaxing import standards for countries with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
This reached a critical point in early January 2007 when these former USDA officials assisted then-president Chuck Kiker in writing and sending a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture that effectively negated R-CALF USA’s efforts the day before to advance a legal argument R-CALF USA had previously made in its legal challenge against USDA’s minimal risk region rule and the organization’s effort to delay the publication of the agency’s over 30-month rule, until USDA made public its full intentions regarding the importation of Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months of age.
The letter that was drafted with the assistance of the former USDA officials and sent by the past president was dated January 8, 2007. That letter negated the letter supported by the majority of the R-CALF USA Board of Directors that was sent on January 7, 2007. Both letters are a part of the public record and are available by contacting R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson at [email protected] As a direct result of the objections raised by the majority of the R-CALF USA’s Board of Directors over AgSolutions involvement in this matter, Bill Hawks and Valerie Ragan ended their relationship with R-CALF USA.
3. Swift Horses.com has made some harsh comments about R-CALF. What are your reactions to their claims?
This anti-R-CALF USA website appears to be the work of a small group of individuals who disagree with R-CALF USA’s ongoing commitment to carry out the policies established by R-CALF USA members. R-CALF USA will not change its present course as a result of the inappropriate material posted on this website.
4. After the recent resignations, what does the R-CALF management structure look like and who are the key executives?
On Feb. 8, 2007, a majority of the R-CALF USA board voted that Missouri veterinarian Max Thornsberry should succeed Chuck Kiker as president. Thornsberry will continue in his roles as Region VI Director and chair of the R-CALF USA Animal Health Committee.
The board recently voted – again by a majority – R-CALF USA Region II Director Randy Stevenson into the vice president position. He also chairs the organization’s marketing committee.
The treasurer slot is served by the organization’s accountant, and the board recently voted that Bullard would serve as the group’s secretary.
Past Region IV Director Jon Wooster resigned, so the board must appoint a volunteer to fill that post. Director Chuck Kiker, resigned his post as Region V (Texas) Director, so the board must appoint someone to this post, as well.
Due to term limits, there are three directorships up for election this spring: Region VII, which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan; Region VIII, which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina; and, Region IX, which includes Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and Ohio Members will soon receive their mail-in ballots, and an outside firm will tabulate the results. Winners likely will be announced in mid-April.
5. Let's do a wellness test on R-CALF. It has lost some membership and some key players. How healthy is the organization?
Just as the great Missouri philosopher Mark Twain said rumors about his death were greatly exaggerated, so are rumors of R-CALF USA’s demise greatly exaggerated.
Membership numbers from 2005’s all-time high of 18,000 have dropped off to about 15,000, and that was expected. During the record-breaking fund-raisers of 2005, many families signed up every single member of their family. Now, they’re decided to renew, but only under the ranch name, or only under the name of a single individual.
Negative reaction to the leadership changes has been minimal, and seems to be generated from the small group of individuals that chose to leave R-CALF.
Only one affiliate organization, ICA – the Independent Cattleman’s Association of Texas – has chosen to disaffiliate with R-CALF USA, but it is assumed that group will continue to work closely with NCBA. Interestingly, it was the ICA that brought forward policy against USDA’s proposed OTM rule, which R-CALF USA membership overwhelmingly voted into policy. To obtain ICA’s letter of disaffiliation, as well as R-CALF USA’s response to ICA, contact Dodson at [email protected]
This very week, cattle producers in Wyoming are organizing the Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming, I-COW, which plans to affiliate with R-CALF USA. The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association also renewed its affiliation status. And affiliates like the Independent Cattlemen of Iowa (ICI) and the Buckeye Quality Beef Association (BQBA) continue to see tremendous growth in membership.
R-CALF USA has over 60 affiliated organizations, but R-CALF USA’s strength lies in its 15,000 individual members. Only individual cattle-owning members have a right to vote in R-CALF USA. Affiliated organizations do not have a vote and are not involved in the governance of R-CALF USA.
R-CALF USA has risen to a very prominent position within the U.S. cattle industry in a very short period of time. It is not surprising that our dynamic growth, in both numbers and influence, would also bring about minor, internal conflicts. This is not the first time and probably won’t be the last. The important point is that R-CALF USA continues to remain true to its membership-developed policy and it continues to work aggressively to implement those policies. We’re in a battle against extremely influential forces in both Washington, D.C., as well as at the international trade-negotiating table that do not consider the maintenance of a profitable and viable U.S. cattle industry a priority. This is why R-CALF USA is so important to independent cattle producers today.
Jolley: What’s Going On At R-CALF?
Maybe I should call this “Three rounds with Dr. Max Thornsberry. I contacted the R-CALF offices after reading an article by Steve Kay, editor and publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly, which suggested that R-CALF was on its last legs. Shae Dodson, R-CALF’s Communications Coordinator, was shocked at the content and tracked down Thornsberry, their new president, to get answers to several questions I had asked.
Dr. Max was upset at the allegations, insisting that the group is still healthy and calling into question the accuracy of Kay’s story. His quick response shows that R-CALF is still the feisty, ready-to-do-battle organization it always has been. To read an earlier interview from January, 2006, “Five minutes with Dr. Max Thornsberry,” click here.
Thornsberry wanted to make the following comment before he answered my questions:
This piece is in response to an article authored by Steve Kay with several inaccuracies, which was posted Monday at www.MeatPoultry.com, at http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=84254 . Kay stated in part that the creation of a new producer group “will likely lead to R-CALF’s demise…” and that “Several affiliated groups…dropped their affiliation with R-CALF.”
R-CALF USA President Max Thornsberry wants to ask Kay if he can be considered as a viable source of information for the cattle industry, when he has never owned any fat cattle, does not feed fat cattle, and has no money invested in the industry. “He once told me he was a journalist,” Thornsberry said. “If in fact, Mr. Kay is a journalist and not a cattle expert, should he not be held to a higher degree of accountability, and should he not check his sources before publishing such an article?”
1. Who is manning the Washington office and what are their responsibilities?
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard has been working in the Washington, D.C., office three days each week. Given the importance of the issues facing the U.S. cattle industry, R-CALF USA wanted an experienced representative in its Washington, D.C., office. R-CALF USA is currently seeking a candidate to assist Bill in advancing R-CALF USA’s membership-developed policies in Washington, D.C.
2. The consulting firm, AgWorks Solutions, consisting of former top USDA officials Bill Hawks and Valerie Ragan, has reportedly stopped representing R-CALF as lobbyists. Is there any truth to that report? And, if so, why?
Yes. The former USDA officials were retained by R-CALF USA in early 2006 to help R-CALF USA work more closely with the USDA. The expectation was the pair could help R-CALF USA to begin changing USDA policies by working from within, rather than being perceived as being adversarial on issues like COOL and animal identification. However, the effect of having these former USDA officials inside R-CALF USA was that they began to moderate R-CALF USA’s message and its efforts to prevent the USDA from relaxing import standards for countries with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
This reached a critical point in early January 2007 when these former USDA officials assisted then-president Chuck Kiker in writing and sending a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture that effectively negated R-CALF USA’s efforts the day before to advance a legal argument R-CALF USA had previously made in its legal challenge against USDA’s minimal risk region rule and the organization’s effort to delay the publication of the agency’s over 30-month rule, until USDA made public its full intentions regarding the importation of Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months of age.
The letter that was drafted with the assistance of the former USDA officials and sent by the past president was dated January 8, 2007. That letter negated the letter supported by the majority of the R-CALF USA Board of Directors that was sent on January 7, 2007. Both letters are a part of the public record and are available by contacting R-CALF USA Communications Coordinator Shae Dodson at [email protected] As a direct result of the objections raised by the majority of the R-CALF USA’s Board of Directors over AgSolutions involvement in this matter, Bill Hawks and Valerie Ragan ended their relationship with R-CALF USA.
3. Swift Horses.com has made some harsh comments about R-CALF. What are your reactions to their claims?
This anti-R-CALF USA website appears to be the work of a small group of individuals who disagree with R-CALF USA’s ongoing commitment to carry out the policies established by R-CALF USA members. R-CALF USA will not change its present course as a result of the inappropriate material posted on this website.
4. After the recent resignations, what does the R-CALF management structure look like and who are the key executives?
On Feb. 8, 2007, a majority of the R-CALF USA board voted that Missouri veterinarian Max Thornsberry should succeed Chuck Kiker as president. Thornsberry will continue in his roles as Region VI Director and chair of the R-CALF USA Animal Health Committee.
The board recently voted – again by a majority – R-CALF USA Region II Director Randy Stevenson into the vice president position. He also chairs the organization’s marketing committee.
The treasurer slot is served by the organization’s accountant, and the board recently voted that Bullard would serve as the group’s secretary.
Past Region IV Director Jon Wooster resigned, so the board must appoint a volunteer to fill that post. Director Chuck Kiker, resigned his post as Region V (Texas) Director, so the board must appoint someone to this post, as well.
Due to term limits, there are three directorships up for election this spring: Region VII, which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan; Region VIII, which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina; and, Region IX, which includes Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and Ohio Members will soon receive their mail-in ballots, and an outside firm will tabulate the results. Winners likely will be announced in mid-April.
5. Let's do a wellness test on R-CALF. It has lost some membership and some key players. How healthy is the organization?
Just as the great Missouri philosopher Mark Twain said rumors about his death were greatly exaggerated, so are rumors of R-CALF USA’s demise greatly exaggerated.
Membership numbers from 2005’s all-time high of 18,000 have dropped off to about 15,000, and that was expected. During the record-breaking fund-raisers of 2005, many families signed up every single member of their family. Now, they’re decided to renew, but only under the ranch name, or only under the name of a single individual.
Negative reaction to the leadership changes has been minimal, and seems to be generated from the small group of individuals that chose to leave R-CALF.
Only one affiliate organization, ICA – the Independent Cattleman’s Association of Texas – has chosen to disaffiliate with R-CALF USA, but it is assumed that group will continue to work closely with NCBA. Interestingly, it was the ICA that brought forward policy against USDA’s proposed OTM rule, which R-CALF USA membership overwhelmingly voted into policy. To obtain ICA’s letter of disaffiliation, as well as R-CALF USA’s response to ICA, contact Dodson at [email protected]
This very week, cattle producers in Wyoming are organizing the Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming, I-COW, which plans to affiliate with R-CALF USA. The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association also renewed its affiliation status. And affiliates like the Independent Cattlemen of Iowa (ICI) and the Buckeye Quality Beef Association (BQBA) continue to see tremendous growth in membership.
R-CALF USA has over 60 affiliated organizations, but R-CALF USA’s strength lies in its 15,000 individual members. Only individual cattle-owning members have a right to vote in R-CALF USA. Affiliated organizations do not have a vote and are not involved in the governance of R-CALF USA.
R-CALF USA has risen to a very prominent position within the U.S. cattle industry in a very short period of time. It is not surprising that our dynamic growth, in both numbers and influence, would also bring about minor, internal conflicts. This is not the first time and probably won’t be the last. The important point is that R-CALF USA continues to remain true to its membership-developed policy and it continues to work aggressively to implement those policies. We’re in a battle against extremely influential forces in both Washington, D.C., as well as at the international trade-negotiating table that do not consider the maintenance of a profitable and viable U.S. cattle industry a priority. This is why R-CALF USA is so important to independent cattle producers today.