U.S. Cattle Producers: Halt Imports of Beef from Paraguay

(DECEMBER 4, 2023) – – Today, Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced legislation to immediately halt the Paraguayan beef imports and establish a working group to evaluate the threat to food safety and animal health posed by beef imported from Paraguay.  U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) president Justin Tupper issued the following statement on the legislation: “The U.S. cattle …

Montana’s Leo McDonnell to Testify at Senate Hearing on Brazil

(JUNE 20, 2023) – On Thursday, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) Director Emeritus Leo McDonell will testify on behalf of U.S. cattle producers at a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining cattle supply chains and deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. International trade is an outsized factor in the domestic cattle market. McDonnell, of Columbus, Montana, will urge legislators to investigate how production …

U.S. Cattle Producers Oppose Opening Borders to Paraguayan Beef

(MAY 30, 2023) – The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) wrote in strong opposition to a proposal by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) to allow the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Paraguay.  In its comments, USCA cited several reasons why it opposes the proposed rule, including the need to protect the health of …

Once Again, USCA Joins Chorus to Halt Brazilian Beef Imports

(March 3, 2023) – The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) stands with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, RCALF-USA, Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) in calling for the immediate suspension of Brazilian beef imports.  According to DTN’s Progressive Farmer, more than a month passed before Brazilian authorities reported a case of mad cow disease, more properly known …

Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety to Address Cattle Producers in Nashville

(NOVEMBER 8, 2022) – The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is pleased to announce that Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, Sandra Eskin, will provide a special address to cattle producers at the 15th Annual Meeting and Cattle Producer’s Forum this December 8-10, 2022, in Nashville, TN.  Sandra Eskin was appointed Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety on March 24, 2021. …

USCA Adds to Growing Call for the Halt of Brazilian Beef Imports

(NOVEMBER 17, 2021) – On Wednesday, the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) joined with recent calls from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and RCALF-USA to immediately suspend imports of beef from Brazil. In its letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, USCA writes: “Recent reports of human remains containing Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease, follow closely on the …

Senators Call for Review of U.S. Acquisitions by Brazilian Meatpacker

(AUGUST 23, 2021) – Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently sent a letter to Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, requesting a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on ALL U.S. acquisitions by Brazilian meatpacking giant, JBS, its holding company J & F Investments, and any entity controlled or owned by the Batista …

USCA Calls for the Halt of Namibian Beef Imports

(FEBRUARY 19) – The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) calls for the immediate halt of beef imports from Namibia following reports of recent outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the country. Namibia’s livestock industry is divided into two zones by the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF). The VCF, built in the mid-1960s, stands more than 550 miles long, and is passable …

USCA: “The enormity of loss associated with a potential outbreak of FMD within the U.S. mainland cannot be overstated.”

(JAN. 5, 2021) – On Monday, the United States Cattlemen’s Association submitted comments on the Petition to Manufacture Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine in the United States. On July 14, 2020, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published in the Federal Register a notice and request for information  on a petition submitted by Zoetis, Inc., a U.S. vaccine manufacturer, seeking approval …

Comment on FTC’s “Made in the U.S.A.” Proposed Rule

(SEPTEMBER 9) – Earlier this summer, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that to address products making unqualified “Made in the U.S.A.” claims. The proposed rule prohibits marketers from including “Made in the U.S.A.” claims on labels unless: Final assembly or processing of the product occurs in the United States, all significant processing that goes into …

USCA Sends Letter Over Concerns with Mexican Beef

(SEPTEMBER 8) – On Tuesday, the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) sent a letter to leaders at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) over concerns associated with contaminated Mexican cattle, lamb, poultry, and swine. According to Food Safety News, a total of 54 people from six municipalities have fallen ill …

USCA Responds to Trump Administration Reopening U.S. Borders to Brazilian Beef

(WASHINGTON) – In response to a recent announcement lifting the ban on the importation of Brazilian beef, United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) President Brooke Miller issued the following statement, “USCA is stunned by the recent decision to risk the health of our domestic cattle herd and jeopardize the safety of consumers by allowing the importation of fresh beef from Brazil. We sounded …