U.S. Cattlemen’s Washington RoundUp Termed a Complete Success

USCA President Jon Wooster, San Lucas, Calif. called the event a complete success. "This was an extremely productive event. I was personally gratified to witness the level of access and the warm welcome received by U.S. cattlemen. Producers can rest assured that issues concerning them were addressed in open, frank discussions. USCA has established itself in Washington and has a respected voice in policy debates."

On Wednesday, June 20 U.S. Cattlemen’s Association directors and members attended a number of different meetings on Capitol Hill, including a late afternoon session with U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN). "Chairman Peterson expressed his strong support for mandatory country of origin labeling and the need to get the rules properly written and the law implemented," said Dr. Richard Bowman, North Dakota, USCA’s Animal Identification Committee Chairman. "We conveyed ranchers’ concerns regarding the linking of food labeling and animal identification, which could further delay implementation of the labeling law. Chairman Peterson has been a leader on food labeling and I believe we helped him understand the risks and consequences of linking these programs together. We appreciate the meeting with Chairman Peterson who is a champion for the industry on key issues."

During meetings with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal Identification Coordinator Neil Hammerschmidt and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Ron DeHaven, cattlemen conveyed concerns regarding the agency’s national animal identification system. "This was an important opportunity to bring forth producers’ concerns with the agency’s handling and implementation of the program. Clearly, they understand there have been missteps made with NAIS, and they also understand there’s a need to restore producer trust. USCA policy urges the agency to slow this process down and examine how current systems and data bases already in place can be utilized in the event of an animal health crisis, and to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of the system." noted Bowman. "This was a very encouraging meeting. I can’t begin to express how important it is for producers to be at the table making their case based on fact, truth and reason."

USCA also met with upper level staff in the office of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, to discuss the organization’s opposition to USDA’s proposed rule to resume trade of older cattle and beef derived from older cattle with Canada. On June 6, USCA delivered a letter to Secretary Johanns expressing serious concerns with USDA’s intention, urging the agency to delay implementation of its Over Thirty Month Rule until beef export markets have been fully reinstated and a re-evaluation of Canada’s effective feed ban enforcement date is completed.

"Recently disclosed additional cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada bring into question USDA’s determination that the Canadian feed ban was fully implemented and enforced as of March 1, 1999," said Chuck Kiker, Texas, Chairman of USCA’s Animal Health Committee. "At this juncture it would be prudent for USDA to review the effective enforcement date. Evidence shows that five BSE animals in Canada were born after March 1999, two in 2001 and one as late as 2002, demonstrating that the effectiveness of Canada’s mitigation measures, and thus the prevalence of BSE in cattle from Canada, is substantially different than the U.S. This difference raises an area of concern in that U.S. export markets are still closed with key trading partners and until those export markets are reopened, an influx of imported cattle will have a negative effect on domestic markets and restoring international trade," continued Kiker. "It is of the utmost importance that USDA recognizes this undeniable fact and continues to ban cattle and beef over thirty months of age from coming into the United States until all of our trading partners are in agreement on what import standards they consider acceptable and we all trade on that level. During the discussion with officials in Secretary Johann’s office, USCA representatives drove this point home and we believe real progress was made."

Other meetings for USCA officials included James Link, GIPSA Administrator; staff representing the U.S. House Agriculture Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee; Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) Chairwoman of the Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommitee; and senior staff with the Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), where discussions focused on market competition reform and beef check-off reform.

Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington D.C. to enhance and expand the cattle industry's voice on Capitol Hill. For membership forms and other information visit www.uscattlemen.org.