Cattle Industry News
Beef, Pork, Seafood, Fruit & Vegetable Producers Urge Support for Voluntary Effort
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 20, 2004) — Cattle ranchers, pork producers, seafood producers and growers and shippers of fruits and vegetables are among 347 food groups urging support for legislation that will finally implement a long-awaited country-of-origin labeling program. The Food Promotion Act of 2004 (H.R. 4576) will meet these objectives of both consumers and producers: to provide country-of-origin information to consumers, and to promote American agriculture products in a way that is beneficial – not burdensome – to producers and growers.
Introduced June 15 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Ranking Minority Member Charles Stenholm (D-TX), the bill amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a voluntary country-of-origin labeling program for fruits, vegetables, meat (including beef, pork, veal, lamb) and seafood. This market-based program is designed to create a brand for “products of the U.S.” and encourage consumers to choose American products at their supermarkets.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), National Fisheries Institute (NFI), United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (UFFVA) and Produce Marketing Association (PMA) are applauding the bill and are urging continued support.
“This
bill represents a bipartisan effort and a win-win for everyone,” says NCBA
President Jan Lyons, a Kansas cattle producer. “This legislation allows
country-of-origin labeling to move forward, giving both consumers and producers
a market-driven, cost-effective labeling program.”
“America’s pork
producers have been working for years in support of a labeling program that adds
value to U.S. pork products,” says NPPC Vice President Joy Philippi, a pork
producer from Bruning, Neb. “We’re excited about this effort to inform consumers
while giving pork producers another opportunity to build demand for their
products.”
Over 75 percent of
produce offered for sale in U.S. retail stores is already labeled with consumer
information on a sticker or package, which can be adapted to include origin
labeling. “We want consumers to have useful information about where their food
comes from,” says Kathy Means, vice president of government relations at PMA.
“This legislation puts origin information in the grocery stores and promotes
American foods in a way that is supported by producer groups nationwide.” UFFVA
President Tom Stenzel agrees, noting that “the
fruit and vegetable industry is committed to providing consumers the information
they want about our products. With oversight by
the Department of Agriculture to measure our results, and comprehensive
reporting back to Congress, this legislation will help us fulfill our commitment
to consumers to provide them with country-of-origin information.”
“This voluntary program realizes a marketing
advantage for seafood producers without the cost and confusion of the mandatory
rule,” says Justin LeBlanc, vice president of government relations at NFI.
“Hundreds of existing voluntary programs have already proven their value for
producers and consumers alike.”
The producer groups collectively represent hundreds of thousands of producers who, along with 347 food groups, have pledged their support for this effort that implements a voluntary labeling program that will be beneficial to both producers and consumers.
- National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Animal rights update: PCRM allied with violent animal rights groups
According to information distributed by the Center for Consumer Freedom, speakers at the Animal Rights 2004 convention (held July 8-12, 2004) included a married couple representing Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Jerry Vlasak and his wife Pamelyn Ferdin. PCRM has demonstrated ties to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) but also appears to be well-connected with violent animal rights activists.
During his speech,
Vlasak, who has been arrested several times, urged others to "get arrested.” In
this and other venues, he has advocated violence, saying, “Destroy the property
of those who torture animals. Liberate those animals interned in the hellholes
our society tolerates."
During the animal rights convention, Vlasak described himself as heavily involved in the campaign against the use of animals in research, including the Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty (SHAC) effort, widely recognized as one of the most violent animal rights campaigns in history. And then, in a stunning comment, Vlasak predicted the future of his social movement:
“It won't ruin our movement if someone gets killed …It's going to happen sooner or later…sooner or later there's going to be someone getting hurt. And we have to accept that fact. It's going to happen. It's not going to hurt our movement. Our movement will go on. And it's important that we not let the bully pulpit of the FBI and the other oppression agencies stop us from what we're doing. They are the violent ones. They are the terrorists ... we have to keep doing what we're doing.”
At last year's "Animal Rights 2003" event, Vlasak specifically advocated the murder of doctors who use animals in their research, saying: "I don't think you'd have to kill—assassinate—too many ... I think for 5 lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, 2 million, 10 million non-human lives."
A look at the animal rights group Animal Defense Leagues of Los Angeles (ADL) board of directors provides one of many examples regarding the way radical activist groups are staffed and interrelated. Both Vlasak and Ferdin are board members of ADL and, in addition to her affiliation with ADL, Ferdin carries a PCRM business card that identifies PCRM's business address as the same location in Santa Monica, California where ADL receives its mail. ADL’s other officers include Gary Yourofsky, a convicted Animal Liberation Front felon who openly advocates arson and murder. Yourofsky's most recent job was recruiting middle-school and high-school children to the animal rights movement on PETA’s behalf. Also on ADL's board is Allison Lance Watson. When she goes to trial later this year, she will face five years in prison for lying to a federal grand jury about her possible role in a 2001 Animal Liberation Front (ALF) arson. Lance Watson is married to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s representative Paul Watson. Jerry Vlasak is also Sea Shepherd's treasurer and scientific advisor for the group In Defense of Animals.
The broad connections among PETA, PCRM, Animal Defense League, Sea Shepherd and violent animal rights groups such as ALF, illuminate the close ties these groups maintain. This and more information on animal rights groups activities can be found at http://www.consumerfreedom.com/.
- National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Cattle- Fax Market Update
The fed
cattle market was primarily $3 lower last week, as the bulk of the live cattle
were quoted at $83. Some late trade was collected at $82. On a dressed basis,
sales were $130 to $132 for the bulk of the sales. Volumes were light to
moderate with Nebraska noting the most active trade. Boxed beef prices were
modestly lower on the week and light beef production likely saved bigger losses.
Volumes were light on the beef side early week, but improved later in the week.
Feeder cattle and calves started the week higher, but faded as the week
progressed. At the end of the week, feeder cattle were quoted $1 lower, calves
were steady. Movement was very light. Slaughter cows were steady to $1 higher,
gaining strength from limited offerings.
In Missouri, 20,231 feeder cattle were traded with price trends steady to $2 to
$4 higher.
-To join Cattle-Fax, call (800) 825-7525
Missouri Cattlemen’s Association News
MCA Convention on the Move
Attention cattlemen and women! The Missouri Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show may be coming to your area in the future. The MCA Board of Directors voted in June, based on a recommendation by the Convention Committee, to move the Convention to Columbia in 2005 and Springfield in 2006.
The 2004 Convention will be held December 9-12 at the Tan-Tar-A Resort, Lake of the Ozarks. With over 1000 new members, an updated schedule of events, and a brand new Junior Cattlemen’s Association, the 2004 Convention is an event not to be missed! For more information, contact McKenzie Keedy at (888) 499-9162 or mckenzie@mocattle.com.
Calendar of Events
July 22 Lafayette Co. Cattlemen – Community Center, Concordia, 6:30 p.m.
Johnson Co. Cattlemen – Johnson Co. Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.
July 28 MCA Executive Committee Meeting
July 29 Ray Co. Cattlemen – Richmond, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 1 Monroe Co. Cattlemen – Monroe Co. Fairgrounds, Paris, 6:00 p.m.
Warren Co. Cattlemen – Warren Co. Fairgrounds, 5:00 p.m.
Aug. 3 Boone Co. Cattlemen – Cattle Industry Headquarters, Columbia, 7:00 p.m.
Aug. 12-22 Missouri State Fair, Sedalia
Aug. 28 American Hereford Association Breed Improvement 101, Litton Hall, University of Missouri – Columbia
Sept. 9 MCA Board of Directors Meeting - Columbia
The Fine Print
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