2009 Archive

• 12/28/09 — CEO Meets with GIPSA to Discuss Captive Supply Reform 
• 12/22/09 — Over 25 Participants Join to Support R-CALF USA 
• 12/17/09 — Cattle Producers Greatly Disappointed with Court’s Decision in Wheeler v Pilgrim’s Pride 
• 12/16/09 — Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition Praises House for Over-the-Counter Derivatives Legislation 
• 12/08/09 — USDA’s New Bovine Brucellosis Plan Flawed; Agency Continues to Push for NAIS, Dismantles Existing Essential Disease Protections
• 12/07/09 — Group Praises Portions of USDA’s New TB Plan But Strongly Opposes Zoning That Usurps States’ Rights
• 11/30/09 — Group Files Comments on Interstate Meat Shipment, Calls for HACCP Reform
• 11/24/09 — Group Makes 3^rd Submission to Justice on JBS/Pilgrim’s Pride Deal 
• 11/23/09 — Use Reduced NAIS Funds to Dissolve Program Altogether: 100 Groups to USDA, Congress
• 11/18/09 — 40 Groups Disagree with USDA’s Latest BSE Court Submission; Agency Poised to Conform to Global Edict Instead of Domestic Mandate 
• 11/5/09 — CEO Attends Two Successful Calf Sale Fundraisers 
• 11/4/09 — Comments Urge USTR to Address Global Market Distortions in Nat’l. Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers 
• 11/3/09 — Group Thanks USDA, USTR for COOL Support 
• 10/29/09 — Stop the Hemorrhaging in U.S. Live Cattle Industry: Producers to President, Congress, USDA and Justice
• 10/19/09 — Canada, Mexico $1.3 Billion Short of Claiming COOL Harm Group Tells USDA, USTR 
• 10/16/09 — Group Calls Justice Department’s Refusal to Block JBS Mega-Merger A Broken Presidential Promise  
• 10/14/09 — Op-Ed by R-CALF USA Animal ID Committee Chair Kenny Fox** It Appears NAIS Enforcement Gets Underway in Wisconsin 
• 10/12/09 — Group Calls NCBA’s Attack on COOL Downright Deceptive 
• 10/08/09 — Group Tells Senate Any NAIS Funding is Unacceptable 
• 10/07/09 — Yet Again, Canada Tries to File WTO Complaint Against U.S. COOL Law 
• 10/07/09 — Group Asks State Attorneys General to Help Block JBS/ Pilgrim’s Pride Merger
• 10/06/09 — Cattle Producers Could Lose Up to $89/Head if JBS Acquires Pilgrim’s Pride
• 10/01/09 — Cap and Trade Legislation is Economic Suicide; Group Urges Congress to Reject Bill
• 09/30/09 — 93 Groups to Ag Approps Conference Committee:  Eliminate NAIS Funding Altogether
• 09/28/09 — Group Joins Brief to Enforce Packers and Stockyards Act 
• 09/24/09 — Group Urges Justice Department to Block JBS/Pilgrim’s Pride Merger
• 09/18/09 — Group Calls Message to Congress by NCBA, AFBF, and W. Ron DeHaven, D.V.M., Unscientific, Irresponsible, and Deceptive 
• 09/18/09 — Group Urges U.S. Trade Representative to Reject Free Trade Agreement with Colombia  
• 09/09/09 — Group Implores Senate to Reject House Version of Food Safety Bill, Start Anew to Genuinely Improve Food Safety 
• 09/09/09 — Coalition Asks Homeland Security Approps Committees to Deny Funding for NBAF on U.S. Mainland 
• 08/31/09 — 6^th Annual Fundraiser Generates $13,000+ 
• 08/27/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 12 Health Risks Used to Justify NAIS Are the Result of USDA’s Systematic Weakening of U.S. Disease Prevention Standards
• 08/26/09 — Group Requests Separate Investigations into Packer’s Use of Imported Canadian Cattle
• 08/26/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 11 USDA Continues to Misrepresent NAIS as Strictly a Voluntary Program
• 08/25/09 — New Region I Director a Staunch Opponent of NAIS, Dedicated Scholar on Private Property Rights 
• 08/25/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 10 NAIS Reporting Requirements for All Animal Movements Unworkable, Overly Costly, Unnecessary, Duplicative
• 08/24/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 9 NAIS Will Impede Disease Investigations, Interfere with, and Reduce, Free Market Competition 
• 08/21/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 8 NAIS’ ‘Premises Registration’ Scheme Unnecessary, Intrusive, Counterproductive
• 08/20/09 — NIAA ID EXPO Prices Average Cattle Producers Out of Meeting 
• 08/20/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 7 NAIS Would Expose U.S. Cattle Producers to Numerous Liability Claims
• 08/19/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 6 Very Nature of NAIS will Facilitate Dissemination of Proprietary, Confidential Information
• 08/18/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 5 USDA Doesn’t Respond, or Responds Inadequately, to Specific Questions About Agency’s Authority to Require Premises Registration 
• 08/17/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 4 NAIS Violates Constitutional Rights, Privileges of U.S. Cattle Producers,

• Including – but not Limited to – the Expectation of Privacy 
• 08/14/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 3 NAIS Will Render Average-Sized Producers Uncompetitive,
• Will Lead to More Concentration, Vertical Integration 
• 08/13/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 2 Costs of NAIS Will Worsen the Ongoing, Long-Run Lack of Profitability for Independent U.S. Cattle Producers
• 08/13/09 — 12 Days of NAIS Opposition – Blitz No. 1
• “NAIS a Fundamentally Flawed System That Will Hamper Disease Investigations”
• 08/12/09 — Yet Again, Group Urges USDA to Withdraw NAIS Plans
• 08/05/09 — Group Praises Announcement by USDA, Justice Department to Explore Antitrust, Anticompetitive Activities in Ag Markets
• 08/05/09 — Group Requests CFTC to Reform Cattle Markets; Joins Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition 
• 08/04/09 — 77 Groups Laud Senate Subcommittee for Unanimous Vote on Tester/Enzi Amendment to Slash NAIS Funding 
• 08/03/09 — Region III Re-Elects Auction Yard Owner as Director; Three Fundraisers in South Dakota
• 08/03/09 — USDA Partners with Private Company to Help Sell Ear Tags to U.S. Farmers and Ranchers 
• 07/22/09 — USDA Kowtows to Canada’s Threats, Denies U.S. Citizens Truthful Information About the Origins of Their Food 
• 07/20/09 — Op-Ed by R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard; Sovereign Rights of U.S. Citizens Under Attack 
• 07/17/09 — Group Pleased that Senate Follows Tester’s Lead to Halt Construction of Dangerous Disease Lab in Cattle Country
• 07/15/09 — Group Talks Cattle, Beef Issues with Senate Finance Trade Team
• 07/07/09 — Schumacher Loses Over $260,000 from Cattle Sales to Tyson;
• Now Tyson Wants Schumacher’s Home 
• 07/02/09 — Canada, Mexico Have No Standing to Bring Complaint Against U.S. COOL Law
• 07/01/09 — Consumers Pay Near Record Beef Prices; Tyson, Other Packers Capture Unjust Share of Profits from Schumacher, Other Ranchers
• 06/29/09 — Tyson Rejects Group’s Appeal for Moral Decency; Proceeds to Extract Money from Rancher a Jury Said was Harmed by Tyson’s Actions 
• 06/27/09 — Group Responds to Tyson Complaint Letter; Asks Nation’s Largest Meatpacker to Withdraw Action to Seize Schumacher’s Home
• 06/25/09 — Group Thanks Rep. DeLauro for Zeroing Out NAIS Budget; Calls for National Disease Strategy
• 06/23/09 — Group Appreciates Senator Tester’s Request to Reconsider Decision to Relocate FMD Lab  
• 06/22/09 —  * * MEDIA ADVISORY * *      News Conference
• 06/09/09 — Group Submits Supplemental Comments on OTM Rule Following Canada’s 17^th BSE Case 
• 06/09/09 — Group Urges USDA to Accomplish Two Priority Goals  
• 05/27/09 — Producers, Public Urged to Stand Firm Against NAIS, Reject USDA’s Attempt to Manipulate Debate 
• 05/26/09 — Members Elect Cowboy/Surgeon as Region II Director 
• 05/21/09 — Group Supports Senators’ Efforts to Help Cattle Producers Remain Competitive 
• 05/16/09 — USDA Continues to Expose U.S. to Unnecessary Risk 17^th BSE-Infected Cow is Canada’s 10^th Born After March 1, 1999
• 05/12/09 — NAIS will Reduce Competition in U.S. Cattle Industry Op-Ed by R-CALF USA Region V Director Stayton Weldon 
• 05/07/09 — NAIS and the Equine Owner Op-Ed by R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry
• 05/06/09 — Officers, New Directors Elected 
• 05/01/09 — Group Encourages Producers to Offer Solutions at NAIS Listening Sessions 
• 04/29/09 — Members Strengthen Opposition to NAIS; Vote to Oppose Any Checkoff Requirement that Would Mandate Premises Registration 
• 04/28/09 — Western Ag Reporter Attacks Cattle Producers; Infers Organization Compromised Member Policy on NAIS
• 04/23/09 — Group Applauds FDA Decision To Immediately Implement Enhanced U.S. Feed Ban
• 04/17/09 — Op-Ed by R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard FDA Plans to Break Food Safety Promise to America
• 04/16/09 — Producers, Auction Yards Demonstrate that R-CALF USA Vital to Cattle Industry’s Future by Raising Over $30K
• 04/15/09 — To USDA: NAIS an Invasive, Unlawful Encumbrance on Commerce
• 04/15/09 — FDA Should not Delay Implementation of Enhanced Feed Ban
• 04/10/09 — Group Urges Producers, Consumers to Do What’s Right to Protect Against BSE 
• 04/02/09 — Group Brings Vilsack 8-Point Alternative to NAIS 
• 03/30/09 — Op-Ed NAIS Will Hamper Cattle Disease Traceback Efforts 
• 03/25/09 — Group Joins Coalition to Reform Broken Futures Markets 
• 03/24/09 — Group Debuts Informational DVD 
• 03/23/09 — Congress Must Flatly Reject NAIS; Existing Livestock Disease Programs not Broken 
• 03/19/09 — Sen. Tim Johnson on Board in Opposing NAIS 
• 03/19/09 — Group Praises FMD Prevention Legislation Introduced by U.S. Representatives Herseth Sandlin, Lummis 
• 03/18/09 — Group Encourages Legislators to Follow McCaskill’s Lead in Opposing NAIS 
• 03/17/09 — APHIS Takes Extraordinary Steps to Obscure Intentions with Proposed Rule on NAIS 840 Tags 
• 03/17/09 — USTR Should Defend COOL Says Coalition of Ag, Consumer Groups 
• 03/12/09 — Promise for Change? Not for U.S. Livestock Producers When It Comes to NAIS 
• 03/11/09 — Group 110 Percent Against Mandatory Nat’l. Animal ID System, President Testifies During House Subcommittee Hearing 
• 03/10/09 — Thornsberry to Testify Against NAIS at House Hearing 
• 03/04/09 — Members, U.S. Manufacturers Join Forces To End Skyrocketing U.S. Trade Deficit
• 02/27/09 — CEO Discusses Industry Issues with Vilsack During Meeting 
• 02/20/09 — Groups Welcome JBS’ Withdrawal from Proposed Merger 
• 02/18/09 — Group Strongly Supports Secretary Vilsack’s Call for Changes to Final COOL Rule 
• 02/17/09 — CEO Participates in Trilateral Trade Conference 
• 02/16/09 — Op-Ed: 10 Years Representing Independent U.S. Cattle Producers 
• 02/16/09 — Group Introduces Visa Platinum Card as Fund-Raising Tool 
• 02/12/09 — CEO Meets with Vilsack Staff to Advance Members’ Competition-Related Priorities 
• 02/06/09 — CEO Informs Stock Show Audience That True Trade Balances have been Hidden from Ranchers 
• 02/05/09 — Group Supports Senators’ Requests that Vilsack Restore Congress’ Intent in COOL Rule 
• 02/02/09 — Texas Ranchers Raise Over $7,000 to Support Group 
• 02/02/09 — Nebraska Producers Show Support by Raising Over $3,800 
• 01/30/09 — Lewistown Livestock Auction Hosts Successful Fund-Raiser 
• 01/29/09 — OTM Rule Still Open Under Obama; Group Gives Vilsack Information to Reinforce Its Opposition 
• 01/28/09 — Group Supports Bill to Prevent Introduction of FMD from Argentina 
• 01/27/09 — Hundreds Celebrate Group’s 10^th Anniversary at Annual Convention
• 01/21/09 — Tremendous Support Shown Despite Troubled Economy 
• 01/20/09 — Group Urges Vilsack to Immediately Redress 3 Rulemaking Blunders by Bush USDA 
• 01/19/09 — Group Supports Peterson’s Efforts to Reform Commodity Futures Markets 
• 01/19/09 — Final U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Still Lacks Benefits for U.S. Cattle Industry 
• 01/15/09 — Op-Ed Decision to Relocate Plum Island Facility to Kansas Disregarded Public Comments 
• 01/12/09 — Group Accuses USDA of Continued Illegal NAIS Activity;
• Seeks Help from Congress to Protect Producers from Agency’s Unlawful Actions
• 01/12/09 — Some Improvements Appear in Final COOL Rule; Significant Work Still Ahead 
• 01/08/09 — CEO Informs Federal Agencies Market, Trade Policies Have Failed the U.S. Cattle Industry 

• 01/06/09 — President Testifies Before Missouri Legislature’s Committee on Emerging Agricultural Issues 

• 01/06/09 — 10^th Anniversary Convention Only Days Away