Who is R-CALF

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I'm a little upset today. This BSE thing in Canada has dealt a pretty serious blow to the cattle industry up here as we export about 60% of the beef we produce. There have been alot of bankruptcies and a few suicides of some of the big producers. Finally, the government steps in and offers a little help. About $20 Canadian a head, which is about enough to buy 1/2 a round bale of medium quality hay. This is supposed to prop us up after almost a year of feeding cattle with no market. The CCA has lobbied for this for several months. We were pretty happy when we heard this was coming because even though it is pretty inadequate, it will help some of our producers hang on a little longer. This morning this R-CALf is threatening to sue our governement for unfair subsidies to our beef industry. I've been on this board for awhile and watched it for longer, from what I've seen, with the exception of a few socialists, most of you seem to be of a similar political bent to me. I can't imagine the Canadian Cattle Association ever threatening to sue the American government if you guys were in this same position. Does this R-Calf represent a majority of American Producers?

 

[Campground Cattle]

H-ll no instead of suing our Canadian neighbors we should be helping. These Cattlemen are in trouble. I remember the 99/2000 drought if ranchers from up North hadn't helped us most of would have went under. I haven't forgotten all that hay that came our way,or the cattlemen that were down here buying our cattle. Yea these guys benifited they also saved our butts. I rememember cutting a normally kick butt 18 acre hay field and getting six roles and wondering if I was going to be able to hang on. You can understand being scared of the BSE. As American ranchers we should be trying to raise funds to help these people out . I'm willing if every one of us would donate the sale of one calf could make all the difference for these cattlemen. Greed is the problem as my old Daddy used to say a land deed and a dollar bill will cause a man to break 7 of the ten commandments. Of course lawyers are involved and to borrow another one of his sayings is you can never trust a lawyer,doctor and most preachers their to lazy to work.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I was pretty sure that most of you boys on this page wouldn't support that kind of stuff. Here is a copy of the article.

MAD COW BAILOUT BACKLASH

Edmonton - American ranchers warn they will launch a significant trade challenge to the Canadian government's $1-billion bailout of the cattle industry if the subsidies undercut US beef sales.

The federal plan will see $680 million in direct aid to cattle producers and the remainder will go to other agricultural programs, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced Monday at a news conference on a Picture Butte ranch, just north of Lethbridge.

Martin and Agriculture Minister Bob Speller took pains to use the term "emergency" in describing the funding, which trade experts say could exempt it from being construed as a subsidy and subject to countervailing duties.

Bill Bullard, CEO of Montana-based R-CALF USA, said he will file a complaint with the US Department of Commerce if the subsidies adversely affect US beef sales once the border is reopened, expected this spring or early summer.

R-CALF USA, also known as the United Stockgrowers of America, is a national non-profit cattle association representing cow-calf producers and independent stockers and feeders. Because it does not represent big agri-business, it is often at odds with other associations within the beef industry for its protectionist stances.

It has a strong following in Washington and has been effective in the past at hindering Canadian access to the US market.

Trade experts on both sides of the border held out little hope that, once the border reopens to trade in live cattle, Canadian beef will escape a trade challenge. And, as is the case with softwood lumber, it doesn't really matter whether Canada ultimately win because it is the process of defending the challenge and the interim tariffs that are likely to be imposed that would do the most damage, they said.

"They're certainly not known for taking the moral high ground," Bob Friesen, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, said of the potential challenge by R-CALF.

Friesen, who participated in crafting the government's bailout, said the US routinely gives its farmers about 3.5 times more in subsidies than Canada, but he admitted that won't stop them from trying to mount a challenge. (The Edmonton Journal)

 

[sillco]

I'm a little upset today. This BSE thing in Canada has dealt a pretty serious blow to the cattle industry up here as we export about 60% of the beef we produce. There have been alot of bankruptcies and a few suicides of some of the big producers. Finally, the government steps in and offers a little help. About $20 Canadian a head, which is about enough to buy 1/2 a round bale of medium quality hay. This is supposed to prop us up after almost a year of feeding cattle with no market. The CCA has lobbied for this for several months. We were pretty happy when we heard this was coming because even though it is pretty inadequate, it will help some of our producers hang on a little longer. This morning this R-CALf is threatening to sue our governement for unfair subsidies to our beef industry. I've been on this board for awhile and watched it for longer, from what I've seen, with the exception of a few socialists, most of you seem to be of a similar political bent to me. I can't imagine the Canadian Cattle Association ever threatening to sue the American government if you guys were in this same position. Does this R-Calf represent a majority of American Producers?

R-Calf is a producer organization that repersents the smaller non-production ag. people. It is offen at odds with the corportate run ag. such as the NCBA which is the larger beef organization. For example, R-Calf is for COOL and NCBA is against it. I think they both have good ideas and justified causes, it just depends on which ideas and causes benefit you the most as to which org. you support. Sometimes I support both.

 

[txag]

you may want to post the same question at ranchers.net they have some folks who are really pro-R-calf & anti-R-calf......that's why i only visit that site occasionally.....too many R-calf vs NCBA discussions.