|
DENVER (July 23,1999) - The Board of
Directors of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association approved
several new policy resolutions at its meeting in Denver during the
1999 Cattle Industry Summer Conference. The policy was adopted after
NCBA’s policy committee meetings.
“We had active participation and
discussion by cattlemen on a variety of issues in the policy
committees,” said NCBA President George Swan. “Implementing policy
in Washington D.C. is a top priority for the
association.”
The board adopted policy initiated by the
following committees.
Agriculture Policy: NCBA is
opposed to any federally subsidized revenue insurance for livestock
operations.
Live Cattle Marketing: In addition
to implementing mandatory price reporting for live cattle, boxed
beef, beef imports and exports, NCBA supports continuation of the
current voluntary price reporting system to enhance and augment any
mandatory price reporting system that may be instituted. NCBA also
supports educational efforts to inform its membership about the
information that is currently available. NCBA supports mandatory
price reporting by all federally inspected packers controlling or
slaughtering 50,000 head or more annually.
NCBA will assist in obtaining start up
funds for the USA Cattle Information Service, a voluntary,
carcass-based data collection program. NCBA will work to change the
specifications for the delivery of live cattle against the contract
to the point that weight specifications are effectively consistent
with carcass delivery.
Property Rights and Environmental
Management: NCBA supports national legislation to create a
program to compensate livestock operators for predator losses. NCBA
opposes the application of USLE and RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil
Loss Equation) when considering rangeland conditions. NCBA will make
Congress aware that federal agencies must adhere to the U.S.
Constitution and rights of the states prior to the purchase of
property within any particular state.
International Markets: NCBA will
work to change WTO (World Trade Organization) rules that define the
definition of beef dumping as selling below the cost of production.
After the Board of Directors meeting Swan said that he would appoint
an advisory group representing all regions to look at anti-dumping
regulations. The group will look at factors in addition to cost of
production that could define dumping. The group will work with NCBA
leadership to finalize NCBA’s trade position and strategy prior to
the November 30 WTO meeting in Seattle.
NCBA supports that any compensation paid
by the EU regarding the EU hormone ban should be returned to the
U.S. beef industry for beef research and domestic and international
promotion. NCBA will assist U.S. beef producers in facilitating the
marketing channels to encourage exports of source-verified,
hormone-free beef by working to resolve international inspection
inequities and other technical barriers and prevent additional
barriers from developing.
Science and Technology: NCBA
supports adequate new funding for ARS and the external funding of
university partners for further research on the epidemiology, impact
on human health, control and treatment of Neospora caninum
and nematode research. NCBA encourages USDA to actively support EBA
(Epizootic Bovine Abortion) research.
A recommendation to the board was adopted
that NCBA staff and leadership actively oppose H.R. 701 and S. 25
unless it is amended to include provisions of NCBA policy that call
for no net loss of private lands. Another recommendation was adopted
that NCBA supports the Common Sense Salmon Recovery lawsuit being
brought by the Washington Cattlemen’s Association.
-- NCBA --
Initiated in
1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for
America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in
Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused,
producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of
the nation’s food and fiber industry. | 
