About Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 20, 2005

R-CALF HEAD WARNS OF RELAXED IMPORT RESTRICTIONS

Harrison, NE---R-CALF USA founder, Leo McDonnell, told cattlemen here Saturday that the USDA is moving toward making the United States the "dumping ground for food products that other countries have banned." McDonnell also warned that US cattle producers could be devastated if proposed free trade agreements are implemented. "We would be facing free trade with every beef-exporting nation in the world---but none with beef-importing nations."

McDonnell spoke at a fund-raiser for R-Calf and its newly-formed affiliate, Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska (ICON). Both groups oppose the USDA's efforts to relax import restrictions that would allow cattle from the BSE-infected Canadian herd to enter the United States. The Montana-based R-Calf (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund) was granted an injunction against the USDA's plan to open the Canadian border by the a US District Court earlier this month.

McDonnell also addressed efforts to link the reopening of the Canadian border with resumption in exports to Japan. Japan closed its border to US beef after a single animal imported from Canada to the US was found with BSE in December 2003.

"Canada's had two new cases of BSE in just the past three months," McDonnell said. "If we import Canadian cattle now, how could that possibly motivate Japan to want to import ours? It makes no sense."

The event in Harrison was hosted by Gray's Black Angus Cattle and raised over five thousand dollars for the two cattle producer advocacy groups. Ranchers lined up to join the organizations after McDonnell and ICON board members spoke on US trade policy, as well as country-of-origin labeling of American-raised beef, which they strongly support.

Contact: Al Davis, 458-2220

INDEPENDENT CATTLEMEN OF NEBRASKA
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