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Cattle Producers Appreciate Congressional Override of President’s Farm Bill Veto Billings, Mont. (May 23, 2008) – Independent U.S. cattle producers were pleased to learn that the Senate and the House of Representatives on Thursday voted once again to support U.S. farmers and ranchers by overriding President Bush’s veto of the Farm Bill by a significant margin. R-CALF USA was part of a coalition of more than 1,000 farm and ranch groups, consumer groups, rural groups and other groups that urged Congress to implement the new Farm Bill as quickly as possible. “While we didn’t get everything we worked for, R-CALF USA made some great strides for the U.S. cattle industry,” said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard. “After years and years of work, of critical importance are the improvements made to country-of-origin labeling (COOL),” he added. “Beginning this fall, consumers will be able to see what country produced the beef their families eat, and we hope those consumers will choose beef from cattle born, raised and processed in the United States. “R-CALF will work with USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) to make certain the agency writes appropriate rules for COOL and doesn’t burden U.S. cattle producers with onerous requirements that are geared to favor the multinational meatpackers, which seem to have entirely too much influence with USDA,” Bullard noted. For the first time ever, this Farm Bill includes a Livestock Title. R-CALF USA is pleased that smaller state-inspected meat processors will now be allowed to participate in interstate commerce and that some improvements were made to the Packers and Stockyards Act for producers’ benefit. # # # R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has dozens of affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516. |
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This page was last updated on Wednesday, December 24, 2008. |
