Is R-CALF changing?

[cowman]

Read an article in one of the local papers that said the focus of R-CALF will no longer be on legal challenges to trade disputes but will now focus on lobbying the government for MCOOL? This article said Leo didn't exactly leave voluntarily or his two partners in crime? The new leader, Kiker, would be considered a more moderate leader, not so bent on destroying relationships with Canada? The article hinted that a good portion of the membership were not happy with some of the tactics R-CALF employed under Leo? Especially calling the safety of US beef into question and hiring an animal rights friendly lawyer to reperesnt R-CALF!

[Willowcreek]

2/7/2006 12:04:00 PM


R-CALF: OIG Report Solidifies Position Of U.S. Cattle Industry



(Billings, Mont.) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report that substantiates the concerns raised by R-CALF USA when the organization filed its challenge to USDA’s minimal risk region rule (Final Rule) that allowed into the United States imports of beef and cattle from countries affected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).



R-CALF USA has contended throughout its litigation that USDA officials were ignoring the science surrounding BSE, including the recommendations of the agency’s own scientists. Specifically, OIG found that USDA headquarters ignored recommendations of its National Veterinary Services Laboratories scientists.



“This report provides a documented example of how USDA dismisses the advice of its own scientists, while simultaneously assuring the public that the agency is following the science, and this conduct continues to cause great concern among independent cattle producers,” said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.



The 130-page report, titled “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) BSE Surveillance Program – Phase II and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Controls Over BSE Sampling, Specified Risk Materials (SRMs), and Advanced Meat Recovery (AMR) Products – Phase III,” is available for viewing at www.r-calfusa.com under the “BSE/Litigation” link. OIG made 22 specific recommendations for improvements to USDA’s BSE surveillance program, testing protocols, SRM controls, and other BSE protection measures.



“This latest OIG report is just one of several recent government reports that demonstrate systemic problems arising from USDA’s premature relaxation of essential import protections, which was done before USDA had effectively implemented the additional measures needed to protect our industry from the resulting increased risk of introducing foreign animal diseases such as BSE,” said Bullard. “USDA’s actions are damaging to the hard-earned reputation of independent U.S. cattle producers.



“USDA has ignored R-CALF USA’s requests to strengthen BSE import requirements for beef and cattle from both Canada and Japan – countries with multiple cases of BSE,” Bullard noted. “At the same time, while U.S. export customers demand stricter standards for U.S. exports, the United States now has weaker standards for imported product than we must comply with in order to export.



“This is not a science based policy,” commented Bullard. “Combined with the growing list of infractions, as evidenced by OIG’s most recent report, USDA is making it even more difficult to restore our lost export markets.



“This situation will quite possibly require the help of Congress,” explained Bullard. “This report shows USDA has failed to meet the minimal standards necessary to maintain our industry’s credibility, and the report also reinforces the challenge we made to the agency almost two years ago – that USDA is subjecting the U.S. cattle industry to unnecessary and avoidable risks.



“It is past time for USDA to get its house in order, to acknowledge that it has a problem, and to take immediate corrective action to ensure maximum protections against the introduction of diseases like BSE,” Bullard emphasized. “USDA needs to implement Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL) so consumers can distinguish U.S. beef from foreign beef, allow private packers to voluntarily test for BSE so export markets can be more fully opened, and require countries with multiple cases of BSE to implement stronger, science-based risk mitigation measures to ensure that diseases are adequately controlled before relaxing our country’s longstanding import restrictions.”

[cowman]

I would say that article basically answers my question. It looks to me like the focus is now on MCOOL instead of wasting money on court cases you can't win? After Cebull came out looking like an idiot it is doubtful many judges will be open to the bribe anymore?
So pushing MCOOL looks like a good stratedgy?
Not sure where MCOOL is really going? It is doubtful that the US government will pass it in the end. The unwritten cheap food policy doesn't suggest it will happen-200 years of history doesn't lie? I suspect in the end it will be a waste of time and money? Maybe you R-CALF boys should concentrate on trying to get lean and mean so you can compete, instead of donating your calves so some fat cat lawyer/lobbyist can live the life of Riley?

[cowman]

One other thing I would like to ask you Willowcreek:
Now that McConnell is gone and Kiker is in do you think there will be a change in the R-CALF administration? Mainly will Bullard be going down the road?
You should realize with this more "moderate approach" towards Canada, that Bullard is a very big liability?
He is viewed as an arrogant little self centered jerk up here and an enemy to the Canadian rancher! I doubt any one thing would do more for good public relations with the Canadian grassroots than seeing R-CALF fire this guy?

[Willowcreek]

Cowman- I see no major changes in R-CALF except for a large growth in membership...For the first time they are concentrating on southern and eastern states instead of just the northwestern ones....Only real moderation is with the checkoff- working to change it rather than fight it.....

-----------------------------

Ranchers-Cattlemen's Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, has renewed its challenge to USDA's rule reopening the U.S. market to the import of live Canadian cattle. The producer's group notified Judge Richard Cebull in January that it intended to pursue its case.

A federal appeals court ruled last summer that Cebull's preliminary injunction against reopening the border be thrown out, then returned the case to Cebull's court in Billings, Mont., for a full hearing. R-CALF and USDA have filed rival documents, USDA asking that the case be thrown out and R-CALF arguing that it should go forward.

R-CALF's new filings include information not available at the time of the original complaint, filed shortly before the border was due to open in March 2005. According to Bill Bullard, chief executive of the organization, this information includes the discovery of an animal with bovine spongiform encephalopathy that had been born 32 months after the imposition of Canada's feed ban, "which disproves USDA's contention that the feed ban will protect against BSE," Bullard told Meatingplace.com.

The finding by USDA's Office of the Inspector General that there may be widespread errors in the removal of specified risk material (SRMs) at slaughterhouses "reinforces our contention that USDA was premature in developing its rule, and should have insured that risk mitigation methods had been fully developed" before reopening the border, Bullard said. "It's clear that policy holds a higher position at USDA than do food safety and animal health."

Several parties, including the American Meat Institute, the National Meat Association, the Canadian government and two Canadian cattle groups, have filed amicus briefs supporting USDA's position.

Cebull is under no time constraints as to granting summary judgment, an R-CALF request, or scheduling a trial, but Bullard said that given Cebull's past behavior, "the wait should not be a long one."

[cowman]

Well hopefully R-CALFs new focussing on eastern and southern areas will take their fixation off the Canadian cattle entering the Pacific Northwest!
Always found it funny how R-CALF focussed on Canada(specifically Alberta) while never hardly a peep about Mexico or Oceania?
I'm not sure what you guys are smoking down there, if you think Cebull is going to do anything? He got spanked pretty bad last time out and I doubt he would touch this mess again with a ten foot pole?
Read an article the other day where it said the bloom is coming off the American beef market and prices are on the way down? Have you figured out a way to blame Canada for this one yet? Don't know if you get the show "South Park" out in the boonies? Maybe you R-CALF guys should watch it...whenever something goes wrong they shout "Blame Canada"! LOL

[Willowcreek]

I might have to be cussing Canadians this next week..The weather boys say there is an artic front coming out of Hudsons Bay and heading south...

After the mild winter I'm not ready for 20 below again!!!!

[Willowcreek]

Close the northern doors boys.....

Now the weather boys are saying that there is potential for temps in the minus 40's range coming south...

At least that is the one Canuck temperature I can convert without using my cheat sheet!!!!!!!!!!!...