• You will need to login or register before you can post a message. If you already have an Agriville account login by clicking the login icon on the top right corner of the page. If you are a new user you will need to Register.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

OTM rule evaporating.

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    OTM rule evaporating.

    ***Joint Letter in Opposition to Proposed Over 30-Month (OTM) Rule***

    March 12, 2007

    The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable Mitch McConnell
    Majority Leader Minority Leader
    U.S. Senate U.S. Senate
    528 Hart Senate Office Building 361A Russell Senate Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510

    The Honorable Tom Harkin The Honorable Saxby Chambliss
    Chairman Ranking Member
    U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee
    328A Russell Senate Office Building 416 Russell Senate Office Building
    Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510

    Dear Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader McConnell, Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Chambliss:

    The U.S. agricultural organizations listed below are writing to express our strong concern for the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd and strong opposition to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) proposed rule to allow Canadian cattle over 30 months of age into the United States. Canada’s ongoing struggle with its bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic continues to disrupt international beef trade and continues to create hardships for the U.S. cattle industry when Canadian cattle and beef are mixed with U.S. cattle and beef. The USDA’s proposal is premature and will cause additional and potentially severe consequences for U.S. independent cattle producers.

    We are seeking your help to prevent the implementation of USDA’s proposed rule. The following reasons justify congressional action against USDA’s proposed rule and demonstrate that Congress should intercede to protect the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd, the safety of the U.S. beef supply, and the viability of the U.S. cattle industry:

    1. Allowing older Canadian cattle into the United States will further harm the United States’ ability to fully restore lost export markets.

    2. The full magnitude of Canada’s BSE epidemic is still unfolding, but it is already much greater than what USDA has asserted and assumed.

    3. Cattle over 30 months of age that originate in a BSE-affected country have an inherently higher risk for transmitting BSE.

    4. As previously recognized by the Food and Drug Administration, and as recognized by international BSE experts, current BSE mitigation measures, principally the U.S. and Canadian feed bans, are inadequate to address the increased risk associated with older Canadian cattle.

    5. Allowing older Canadian cattle into the United States will immediately harm the United States’ international disease risk profile.

    6. The financial losses to U.S. cattle producers will likely be severe if the United States allows higher-risk Canadian cattle into the U.S. market.

    Given the importance of the U.S. cattle industry to the economic well-being of Rural America, we trust that you will consider our request favorably. Please contact any of the undersigned organizations should you have any questions regarding our position. We look forward to working with you on this important issue.

    Sincerely,

    Albany County Stockgrowers Assn. from Wyoming
    Arkansas Animal Producer's Association
    Belmont Fresh Meats, Inc. (WI)
    The Butcher Shop (WI)
    Buckeye Quality Beef Association (OH)
    Calaveras County Cattlemen’s Association (CA)
    Cass County Farmers Union (MN)
    Cattle Producers of Washington
    Cattlemen’s Weighing Association (ND)
    Central Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
    Colorado Independent Cattlemen’s Association
    Crowley-Kiowa-Lincoln Cattlemen’s Association (CO)
    Dakota Resource Council
    Glacial Ridge Cattlemen of Minnesota
    Grant County Cattleman’s (WA)
    Eagle County Cattlemen’s Association (CO)
    Idaho County Farm Bureau (ID)
    Independent Beef Association of North Dakota
    Independent Cattlemen of Iowa
    Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
    Kansas Cattlemen’s Association
    Kit Carson County Cattlemen’s Association (CO)
    Madera County Cattlemen’s Association (CA)
    McPherson Co. Farmers Union (KS)
    Merced Mariposa Cattlemen’s Association (CA)
    Mesa County Cattlemen’s Association
    Minnesota Farmers Union
    Mississippi Livestock Markets Association
    Missouri's Best Beef, Inc.
    Modoc County Cattlewomens Association (CA)
    Montana Cattlemen’s Association
    Morrow County Livestock Growers Association (OR)
    Navajo County Cattlemen’s Association
    Nevada Live Stock Association
    New Mexico Cattle Growers Association
    North Washoe Unit, Nevada Cattlemen's Association (NV and CA)
    New York Beef Producers Association Southern Tier Region
    Okanogan County Cattlemen’s Association (WA)
    Oregon Livestock Producer Association (OLPA)
    Organization for Competitive Markets
    Powder River Basin Resource Council (WY)
    Producers Livestock
    R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
    South Dakota Livestock Auction Markets Association
    South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
    Southern Colorado Livestock Association
    Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association
    Spokane County Cattlemen’s Association (WA)
    Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association (WA)
    TenStar Technologies (MT)
    Washington County Stockmen’s Association (CO)
    Washington Cattlemen’s Association
    Wyoming Stock Growers Association

    #2
    Evaporating? kind of like R-CALF then?

    Comment


      #3
      Great letter. The only problem is there isn't a signature to be found from the author or the organization listed as being in support.

      Comment


        #4
        And of course its all just drivel with no actual facts attached to it. Like that line about Canada having no idea of what our BSE risk is. <chuckle> Like the US really knows. Using the current statistics, the US has _more_ BSE in its native herd, therefore using Canadian cows in their slaughter plants wuld decrease the the risk of transmission.

        Rod

        Comment


          #5
          Don't worry your little Canuckleville heads. If Rule two goes through - fine - if not - we will find a way to survive and fight another day. And enjoy the demise of the LMA led Rlaugh gang.

          Jumping ship yet WillowTrunk?

          Have you taken our CBO structure to those left in Rcalf who think for themselves and could make a difference in Japan?

          Comment

          • Reply to this Thread
          • Return to Topic List
          Working...