COOL ain't coming back

[HDRider]

https://www.beef.org/

http://www.beefusa.org/

http://www.beefusa.org/federation.aspx

From: http://policy.ncba.org/Media/Policy/Docs/2019-ncba-policy-book-feb.pdf

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NCBA requests live cattle imported into the U.S. from another country be identified with permanent, visible identification utilizing the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (USDA-APHIS) code to identify the country of origin

From: https://www.beefusa.org/newsreleases.aspx?NewsID=6551

Some of this year's priorities are familiar to longtime industry watchers. Like last year, NCBA will work to ensure that the pending Farm Bill includes full funding for a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank, protects conservation programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and prevents market-disrupting policies like mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).

 

[HDRider]

We should push the NCBA to coordinate a CAB-like program to label US Beef as US BEEF?

http://www.beefusa.org/contactus.aspx

 

[HDRider]

From: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/FAQs%20-%20COOL%20Beef%20Pork%20Repeal.pdf

Q: Are retailers required to include any country of origin information on beef and pork
products sold at retail?
A: Retailers and their suppliers are no longer required to convey country of origin
information for beef or pork products to their buyers and/or consumers under the
mandatory COOL program. However, imported beef and pork products sold in consumer
ready packages must still bear the foreign country of origin under USDA's Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations. Country of origin information for the
remaining covered commodities must still be conveyed to buyers and consumers.

Q: Can packers or retailers voluntarily include a country of origin statement on beef and
pork products?
A: In general, packers and retailers may voluntarily provide origin information to their
consumers, as long as the information is truthful and not misleading. Packers and
retailers should work directly with FSIS for guidance and label review (as applicable).
FSIS will handle requests on a case-by-case basis.

Q. Who can we contact with questions about COOL?
A. Contact a COOL Specialist by phone at (202) 720-4486 or send an email to:
[email protected].

 

[HDRider]

I called that 202 number and asked the very nice man staffing the phone if beef brought to the US as a whole carcass and processed in the US could be labeled as "US BEEF". He said there was no enforcement, or any law, preventing labeling it "US BEEF".

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sad situation right there.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

So pretty much "anything goes", just don't put a US Beef label on it.

Time for the NCBA to either start supporting US beef or to move their headquarters to another country to prevent it from getting burned to the ground.

 

[HDRider]

So pretty much "anything goes", just don't put a US Beef label on it.

Time for the NCBA to either start supporting US beef or to move their headquarters to another country to prevent it from getting burned to the ground.

That is why I am pushing ACA and NCBA to start a CAB-like program to label US BEEF as US BEEF.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

So pretty much "anything goes", just don't put a US Beef label on it.

Time for the NCBA to either start supporting US beef or to move their headquarters to another country to prevent it from getting burned to the ground.

That is why I am pushing ACA and NCBA to start a CAB-like program to label US BEEF as US BEEF.

How about if CAB can only apply to US raised beef and forget the new program? They might like that.

 

[HDRider]

So pretty much "anything goes", just don't put a US Beef label on it.

Time for the NCBA to either start supporting US beef or to move their headquarters to another country to prevent it from getting burned to the ground.

That is why I am pushing ACA and NCBA to start a CAB-like program to label US BEEF as US BEEF.

How about if CAB can only apply to US raised beef and forget the new program? They might like that.

Dang Penguin

 

[CattleMan1920]

I tried to talk COOL with local producers around me and they blew me off, laughed in fact.

What I don't understand, and perhaps someone can enlighten me, is why the United States has a problem with labeling beef as born, raised, and processed in the U.S.?

I would think that if beef imports were greatly reduced and the U.S. were to rely almost fully if not completely on beef raised here at home, that it would be a huge benefit to U.S. producers.

I personally have no interest in eating Imported beef. I don't want a Zebu burger, or a steak from Mexico. Even Canada, which I have no problems with, should not export beef to us, it's ridiculous, when we have so many options at home.

Some might say that what I suggest is ignorant, but I stand by what I say. We have a great beef industry, why not protect it, and make sure it stays that way?

At least in my state, I feel like the powers that be, don't really care about the survival of family farms. They care more about lobbyists money.

This video shares some of my sentiments

https://youtu.be/eC47t3T296A

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I'm surprised those local producers laughed off COOL. I haven't met one actual beef producer that is not in favor of some type of labeling.
Of course you are talking about Kentucky producers...

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

With draw from the WTO would be a good start. Stop funding the NCBA.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The NCBA is against the US cattlemen. We were members and quit a couple of years ago, mainly because of COOL. A good way to deal with NCBA is to ask anyone you deal with in the cattle business if their members of NCBA. If they say yes, tell them no thanks and deal with someone else who supports US beef.

 

[CattleMan1920]

I'm surprised those local producers laughed off COOL. I haven't met one actual beef producer that is not in favor of some type of labeling.
Of course you are talking about Kentucky producers...

The Congressman for our district voted against it. That's a fact, it's on his voting record.

The locals would not believe it, even when I showed them proof.

 

[CattleMan1920]

The NCBA is against the US cattlemen. We were members and quit a couple of years ago, mainly because of COOL. A good way to deal with NCBA is to ask anyone you deal with in the cattle business if their members of NCBA. If they say yes, tell them no thanks and deal with someone else who supports US beef.

I'm not a member of NCBA.

If CT thinks that I'm rough on Kentucky producers, you guys would really have your eyes open on how aggressive I was in approaching our Congressman for our district about COOL

He completely ignored me, even though I have a significant cattle operation in the district. Oh, that, and he ran on the platform of how much he "loved" the farmers of Kentucky. Bulls.t!

The way I see it, anyone who is anti COOL is against us in the cattle business. They give zero fu.ks if we survive or get eaten alive by cheap, low quality Brazilian beef and so on. They truly could care less.

That's my take on things. At least I have a firm opinion of where I stand.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The NCBA is against the US cattlemen. We were members and quit a couple of years ago, mainly because of COOL. A good way to deal with NCBA is to ask anyone you deal with in the cattle business if their members of NCBA. If they say yes, tell them no thanks and deal with someone else who supports US beef.

I'm not a member of NCBA.

If CT thinks that I'm rough on Kentucky producers, you guys would really have your eyes open on how aggressive I was in approaching our Congressman for our district about COOL

He completely ignored me, even though I have a significant cattle operation in the district. Oh, that, and he ran on the platform of how much he "loved" the farmers of Kentucky. Bulls.t!

The way I see it, anyone who is anti COOL is against us in the cattle business. They give zero fu.ks if we survive or get eaten alive by cheap, low quality Brazilian beef and so on. They truly could care less.

That's my take on things. At least I have a firm opinion of where I stand.

You have no idea the BS we have to put up with trying to promote beef. The NCBA is required to give out $0.50 of every beef checkoff dollar to the states for educational purposes. But that $0.50 is controlled by the state cattlemen's associations. So your state cattlemen's association is kissing but to NCBA for what money they need for beef school days and all things related to beef education. The boss does a lot of beef days and other things to promote beef, upwards of 5k kids a year. We've had as many as 814 kids come by in a day.
The thing that really chaps my but is, we're limited to giving out only 300 coloring books, 200 pencils per school day, but we can give out 400 beef recipe books. Every kid needs a " I love US BEEF " pencil. The pencils NCBA supplies says " I love BEEF " and they charge $0.22 per pencil. I'm to much of a hot head to deal with NCBA, or so I've been told.

 

[CattleMan1920]

The NCBA is against the US cattlemen. We were members and quit a couple of years ago, mainly because of COOL. A good way to deal with NCBA is to ask anyone you deal with in the cattle business if their members of NCBA. If they say yes, tell them no thanks and deal with someone else who supports US beef.

I'm not a member of NCBA.

If CT thinks that I'm rough on Kentucky producers, you guys would really have your eyes open on how aggressive I was in approaching our Congressman for our district about COOL

He completely ignored me, even though I have a significant cattle operation in the district. Oh, that, and he ran on the platform of how much he "loved" the farmers of Kentucky. Bulls.t!

The way I see it, anyone who is anti COOL is against us in the cattle business. They give zero fu.ks if we survive or get eaten alive by cheap, low quality Brazilian beef and so on. They truly could care less.

That's my take on things. At least I have a firm opinion of where I stand.

You have no idea the BS we have to put up with trying to promote beef. The NCBA is required to give out $0.50 of every beef checkoff dollar to the states for educational purposes. But that $0.50 is controlled by the state cattlemen's associations. So your state cattlemen's association is kissing but to NCBA for what money they need for beef school days and all things related to beef education. The boss does a lot of beef days and other things to promote beef, upwards of 5k kids a year. We've had as many as 814 kids come by in a day.
The thing that really chaps my but is, we're limited to giving out only 300 coloring books, 200 pencils per school day, but we can give out 400 beef recipe books. Every kid needs a " I love US BEEF " pencil. The pencils NCBA supplies says " I love BEEF " and they charge $0.22 per pencil. I'm to much of a hot head to deal with NCBA, or so I've been told.

I have a pretty good idea.

Once upon a time I was a member of the local cattleman's association. It only took one meeting to tell me that cattle were an afterthought, and it was only about socializing.

I'm not against socializing in any way, it's absolutely necessary and most of the time enjoyable.

What I had a problem with were the issues that were discussed. There was more emphasis on parades, and things that had absolutely no bearing on the cattle business.

That's fine and dandy, parades are great, chili cook offs are great, but a vibrant beef business is even greater. That's what puts dollars in your pocket.

Had I said, "hey guys lets discuss AI, marketing, nutrition, etc." I would have been met with blank stares. A discussion of COOL and the politics behind it, oh he.ll NO! Hence why I said "see ya later"

One local cattleman told me, while someone else was genuinely listening to me suggest some AI sires "Don't trust them Western guys, grandpappy always told me they would take you to the cleaners, nothing an AI bull can do that one of our local bulls can't do for you" I asked him if he was running an operation like Vermilion, he actually replied "Who are they?" Need I say more?

I have nothing against local bulls, there are some top-notch bulls around here in fact. Boyd's for example, Branded for example. But to say that just because a sire is from a Western operation that it's automatically shady, is total bullsh.t, and the fact that the cattlemen's meetings have that vibe was a big turnoff.

I can fraternize on CT if I want company, you guys are rough sometimes, but at least we get down to the bare knuckles discussion of cattle.

 

[HDRider]

We do not need a law for COOL. We can have our WTO and eat it too.

CAB is not a law. It has been very successful. If we as producers push the NCBA and all got behind labeling US Beef as US BEEF it could happen.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We do not need a law for COOL. We can have our WTO and eat it too.

CAB is not a law. It has been very successful. If we as producers push the NCBA and all got behind labeling US Beef as US BEEF it could happen.

You'd make a good "USBA" United States Beef Association president. Lobbying in DC might be a little time consuming, but I think you'll be really great at it.

 

[M-5]

There has to be money in it for retail to get product labeled. Price point is what the majority of consumers look at. It's only been 2 years since the worst economic time since the depression. It will take several more years for the benefit of a booming economy for people to shop on quality basis . Labels cost money and labor to install and promote.