NEBRASKA FARMERS UNION BOARD OF DIRECTORS CALLS ON

CONGRESS AND LEGISLATURE TO HALT PROPOSED USDA FINAL

RULE PROPOSAL TO RE-OPEN CANADIAN BORDER TO CATTLE

Lincoln, NE. The Nebraska Farmers Union Board of Directors unanimously passed a resolution at their January 17^th Board of Directors meeting calling on the Nebraska Legislature to immediately pass and send Congress a resolution of opposition to USDA’s proposed Final Rule to re-open the Canadian border. “The packers want an integrated North American meat producing and processing system. The current Secretary of Agriculture made it quite clear that she agrees with that approach when she called for implementation of Farm Bill mandated Country of Origin Labeling by suggesting that a ‘North American’ label should be used for both Canadian and U.S. produced livestock. While that approach will make the meat processors the most money, it is the wrong approach for either U.S. consumers or cattle producers.”

The NEFU Board said the continued Canadian problem with inadequate feed bans clearly shows that the Canadian protocol is lacking. “When the contaminated pool of Canadian cattle is blended with the U.S. herd, it will unnecessarily jeopardize the confidence U.S. consumers have in the safety of the meat products they buy. It will make the problems the U.S. already faces in regaining lost export customers much worse, and it also places an unnecessary financial burden on the backs of U.S. cattle producers. All of the problems caused by allowing the USDA Final Rule to go forward as planned March 7^th will be made much worse because USDA does not currently have an effective positive animal identification system up and running, and USDA continues to drag their feet in implementing Country of Origin Labeling. Our elected public officials need to do everything they can to send USDA the message that their proposed March 7^th Final Rule to re-open the Canadian border should be abandoned. It is high time USDA listens to and responds positively to U.S. cattle producers and U.S. consumers.”

Nebraska Farmers Union is the state’s second largest and oldest general farm organization representing over 4,500 farm and ranch families and the rural communities they live in. The mission of Nebraska Farmers Union is to improve the economic well being and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers, and the rural communities they live in.

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