A new cattle producers’ group has formed in the United States following a schism within the leadership of the Montana-based Ranchers Cattlemen’s Action Legal Foundation.
Formation of the United States Cattlemen’s Association was announced March 15. Founders include key former board members of R-CALF, who resigned after internal fighting resulted in the ousting of R-CALF president Chuck Kiker in February.
“They’ve got some dissension in the group,” said Leo McDonnell, an R-CALF founder and past-president. When a conflict arose between Kiker, some board members and chief executive officer Bill Bullard, the president was voted off the board and replaced by Max Thornsberry of Missouri.
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By Feb. 9, 15 board members left, including McDonnell of Columbus, Montana. The new group is calling for a more moderate approach to trade disputes, rather than costly court battles.
Other R-CALF members want to continue to raise funds and pursue legal action to stop Canadian cattle and beef from entering the U.S.
McDonnell has not relinquished his R-CALF membership and said he has talked with the new organization headed by Dennis McDonald, also of Montana.
McDonnell said he was disappointed about the divisions. He is not sure cattle producers want another national lobby group and said many would prefer that the industry speak with a united voice.
“Some of these groups are like churches, they keep splitting off,” he said.
An anonymous website called www.swifthorses.com has published minutes, letters, blogs and e-mail exchanges among R-CALF members. It has also published the most recent R-CALF financial statement and salary contract with Bullard.
R-CALF has successfully used the U.S. courts to block regulations that would have allowed Canadian cattle younger than 30 months into the U.S. as of March 2005. The court injunction was eventually overturned by July, but the organization continues to appeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture rule. It is also preparing litigation to keep older Canadian cattle from entering the U.S. under a USDA rule released earlier this year.
R-CALF was founded in 1998 by McDonnell, Kathleen Kelley of Meeker, Colorado, and Herman Schumacher of Herreid, South Dakota. It became a membership organization in 1999.
