U.S. National Farmers Union attempting to block cattle that have BSE subsidy

[madcow]

Can you believe these guys!!
More nerve than an ulcerated tooth ,and just as popular.To even whisper this crap makes them look like a bunch of whiny,cry-baby,preschoolers.

The U.S. National Farmers Union has issued a news release (below) requesting the USDA not permit cattle that have received a BSE subsidy to be shipped to the U.S., and asking that the “Canadian subsidy” be investigated to see if it violates the WTO or NAFTA. The payment they refer to appears to be the feeder cattle set-aside.



CCA has received 1 media call as a result of this release. Our speaking points are as follows:

All governments, including the U.S. government, have the right to support agricultural producers in time of crisis.
Canadian cattle producers have faced a crisis over the past two years to an extent never before experienced anywhere for such an extended period of time.
The government has provided some measure of support fully in compliance with Canada's international obligations.
The program referred to by NFU was designed to slow down the rate of cattle growth and can hardly be considered to be a production-increasing subsidy.
Nevertheless now that the border is partially open, this support program has been terminated.




NFU: Canadian Cattle Subsidies Unfair to U.S. Producers


WASHINGTON (July 26, 2005) – National Farmers Union is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take immediate action to ensure that subsidized Canadian cattle production does not compete with the U.S. beef industry.

In response to U.S policy to protect the domestic cattle herd from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the Canadian government instituted $200 per head subsidy payments to Canadian cattle producers. Now that the border has been re-opened to Canadian cattle and beef imports, these payments constitute an unfair subsidy of Canadian exports to our country.

“U.S. cattle producers have experienced a drop in prices since the reopening of the border,” NFU President Dave Frederickson said. “We need to ensure we are not giving foreign producers a competitive advantage over U.S. producers.”

Although this program has been suspended, subsidized cattle are coming into the United States and are in direct competition with domestic cattle. NFU has asked USDA to take the following action:

Request Canada to immediately suspend shipping subsidized Canadian cattle to the United States.
Investigate the Canadian subsidy to see if it violates the WTO or NAFTA trade agreements .
If the Canadian government resists ending subsidization of their cattle industry, initiate a countervailing duty investigation and immediately establish import tariffs to protect the economic interests of U.S. cattle producers.

[Bez]

Ah yes, the old "it's ok for us, but not for you" - I will post the web address to the USA data bank of subsidies.

If you know the name and address of any farm / ranch operator in the US they will be there - along with the government monies received. It's an interesting read.

Bez

[Bez]

http://www.ewg.org/farm/

There you go.

It is always nice to know how the neighbours operate.

Best to all,

Bez

[farmers_son]

I think the CCA is missing some important points with their speaking notes.

First, U.S. live cattle prices have not dropped as a result of Canadian live cattle crossing the border into the U.S. There was a drop in live prices June 10 due to the U.S. announcement of their own domestic BSE positive. However there was no corresponding decrease in live cattle prices after the Appeals Court reversed the Montana District Court's erroneous ruling. That ruling improperly kept Canadian live cattle out of the U.S. for a period of 4 months at a cost to Canadian producers of $200 million dollars per month or nearly another billion dollars, an amount that was not made up by any set aside program.

Bottom line, the message that U.S. producers need to hear is that our live cattle are not hurting their prices.

[PureCountry]

True enough f_s. The facts speak the truth, maybe they just don't want to hear it.

[Willowcreek]

Grassfarmer- for info-- The price being offered in the country for calves and feeders has dropped $10-20 cwt. since the border reopening....Cull cows dropped $10 cwt. that week.......

[mb_rancher]

So now your back to reality in the US and not in dream land when you were getting too damn much for your old ***** cows!!!

[farmers_son]

Willowcreek, perhaps you saw a decline locally but the market reports I have access to show stable prices for fats and feeders. 600-700 pound feeder steers stable at $1.02. Steady from last week and only down slightly from a year ago. CME feeder futures have gained since the initial shock of your BSE cow.

See: http://www.ranchers.net/markets/index.htm click on Purcell Report July 26.

According to the Purcell Report:

"Fed cattle prices averaged around $79 last week and showed little impact from the opening of the Canadian border....August feeder cattle are an astounding $27 above the current levels of the August live cattle futures.

[Willowcreek]

Yeah farmersson- This is locally-- out in the real world, not on some bureaucrats or beancounters desk...The contracting of calves pretty much went on hold stage again by the field buyers- I see Superior appears to be down too, altho I didn't have time to watch much...

[farmers_son]

When you say "Superior appears to be down too" do you mean Superior Livestock Video Sale? How would someone in Alberta see these sales?

[Willowcreek]

Farmers_son-- Superior Video is broadcast live on the RFD channel which is available on the little dish with Direct-TV.... Not sure if any of that is available in Canada...

You can also listen to it live or read the results on the internet---www.superiorlivestock.com/

Its on right now.......

[Braveheart]

Where we farm (in Canada) they refer to the NFU as the "No Future Union". Obviously, the sisterhood is intact.

[cowman]

Lately the NFU has been putting some things out there that make a lot of sense? The membership of the NFU have argued some fairly rational options in my opinion?
Without a doubt they alienated most of the farming community a long time ago when they got in bed with the unions, but I think they have probably moved on since then? In my own opinion all kinds of strikes should be illegal, but having said that, we need a government that can deal with workers rights and help companies live with the reality of a fair wage? When the government is so strongly aligned with big business it is not a good thing?
I try to never disparage anybody for their beliefs? I might not agree with how they see the world but am always interested in why they think that way? NFU members obviously believe very passionately that their way is the right way and maybe they are right?
The fact is just about every industry/interest group is "mobbed up", except the farm community? Like Randy says "It is like herding cats"! Maybe it is time to consider setting up a strong general farm group that has some real power...sort of like how Quebec has done?

[madcow]

I think you're right cowman ? There isn't any tight cross border co-operation.If we're going to stay in the game,it would be a lot easier if we were well organized.We could deal with both external and internal situations more effectively.All Canadian agriculture has had a 'self divide and get conquered ' problem.