R-CALF USA to Trump: Crisis Requires Stopgap, Permanent Measures to Avert Industry Collapse
Billings, Mont. - Today, R-CALF USA sent President Trump an emergency letter describing the catastrophic crisis that consumers and America's cattle farmers and ranchers are continuing to face and urging five emergency stopgap measures and two measures the group calls "The Real Relief America's Cattle Industry Needs."
The letter explains that the coronavirus upheaval has significantly worsened the financial and economic conditions of the U.S. cattle industry and the result will be that many producers will not be able to make loan payment deadlines or survive the crisis without immediate intervention.
It also describes the work R-CALF USA has undertaken during the past two decades to prevent the current crisis. Included were its efforts to reform trade policy, restore Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL), restrict unfair and anticompetitive packer buying practices, preserve the industry's price discovery market, and prevent imports from countries with highly contagious diseases, particularly Brazil that is affected by foot-and-mouth disease.
The letter states, "Unfortunately, decision makers have been disinclined to support any of these important reforms. So here we are. Mired in a catastrophic crisis. Our entire industry, along with all of Rural America it supports, needs your immediate attention."
The group is asking the President to take five emergency stopgap measures:
The letter also asks the President to take two additional measures that the group states are the real relief America's cattle industry needs because, with Congress' help, they will provide the means for cattle producers to remain successful - "a fully competitive marketplace and the tool they need to compete within it."
That relief includes:
The letter concludes by asking the President for a brief face-to-face meeting "to concisely discuss the fundamental needs of the U.S. live cattle industry."
Source: R-Calf USA