NCBA LOBBIES AGAINST INDEPENDENT

CATTLEMEN

Since the controversial merger of the National Cattlemens Association (NCBA) with the Cattlemens’ Beef Board in 1996, the NCBA has claimed to be the “unified voice of America’s one million cattle producers.” In other words, the NCBA makes the claim to the media, to the general public - and perhaps most importantly - to members of Congress, that it speaks for you. You might not like what NCBA is saying on your behalf, but its claim to be your spokesman is very effective in persuading Congress to vote for global corporate agribusiness and against the interests of independent cattle producers.

In just the past few months the NCBA has lobbied alongside Tyson Foods - the new owner of IBP - and other multinational agribusinesses to:

* Successfully strip the Competition Title-including Country of Origin Labeling for beef, a ban on packer feeding, and requiring public bidding for captive cattle supplies-from the Farm Bill in the Senate Ag Committee. Despite broad support among grassroots cattle producers, NCBA is gearing up its lobbying machine to again strip these provisions from the Farm Bill when it goes to a House-Senate Conference Committee. Conference committees are where the NCBA is the most effective: where deals are made behind closed doors beyond the light of public scrutiny.

* Support passage of “Fast Track” trade negotiating authority for the President to expand the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to 31 other countries in the Western Hemisphere. Fast Track passed the House before Christmas by the narrowest margin possible: one vote! The NCBA lobby helped provide the margin of victory for this bill that a large majority of independent ranchers oppose because it will be the first step in expanding NAFTA to South America. The Senate will vote on this legislation soon. If it does, the bill will have to go to a conference committee between the House and the Senate, and would then have to go back to another vote in the House. This House vote is our best chance to kill it. A nationwide grassroots effort to kill this dangerous legislation is already underway. NPRC is part of that effort and we need your help.

IF YOU DON’T WANT NCBA SPEAKING FOR YOU, IT’S TIME TO SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF! Please take the time now to write a personal letter to your Congressional delegation letting them know NCBA does NOT speak for you! A draft letter is provided for your convenience in preparing your own message. Please write or call all three of your members of your congressional delegation.

MODEL LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON AG COMPETITION & TRADE

[Congressional Address(es) Here]

Dear [Name of Senator or Representative Here],

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) claims to speak for America’s one million independent cattlemen in opposing a ban on packer feeding and country-of-origin labeling, and supporting Fast Track presidential trade negotiating authority. I am writing to let you know that THE NCBA DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME!

Please vote to keep the strong country-of-origin labeling for beef, and a ban on packer cattle feeding, both of which are currently in the Senate version of the Farm Bill.

Also, I urge you to vote against renewing Fast Track trade negotiating authority for the President. Since NAFTA was passed under earlier Fast Track authority, the trade surplus value of American beef has fallen from $1.2 billion to $700 million-a 42% decline. Recently, the USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has reported that Canadian live cattle imports through August 31 of this year were 33 percent higher than the same period last year, and predictions are that 2001 will be an all time high for Canadian cattle imports. Independent U.S. cattlemen cannot withstand a new trade agreement that simply expands the current unfair policies embodied in NAFTA that would open the floodgates for South American cattle imports to be unfairly dumped into the U.S. domestic market. I urge you not to give up the ability of Congress to scrutinize future trade agreements thoroughly by voting for Fast Track. NAFTA has proven that more Congressional scrutiny of trade agreements is needed, not less.

Please let me know your positions on these

issues that are crucial to the future of independent cattle producers, and how you ultimately vote on them. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & ADDRESS]

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If you are not from Montana, you can look up your representative or senator by going to Global Trade Watch’s home website, your telephone book or local newspapers.