Lead,
S.D. � At the annual meeting here of the South Dakota Auction Markets Association (SDAMA) on May 5, members unanimously voted to continue overall support of R-CALF USA, and in particular, the group's efforts to see that country-of-origin labeling (COOL) is implemented, and its litigation against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding Canada's problems with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Joe Vetter, owner of Herreid Livestock Market in Herreid, S.D., and past president of SDAMA, brought the resolution forward, which is copied verbatim at the end of this news release.
�The resolution was overall support on R-CALF's efforts to continue to support COOL and also to support R-CALF's efforts on the Canadian border situation,� Vetter said. �I just brought it to the floor and I said �As a member of the South Dakota Auction Markets Association, I would ask that the association support R-CALF's efforts on COOL and also in their efforts to stay the course with what's going on with the Canadian situation.' There were no objections.�
R-CALF USA Region III Director Johnny Smith said on behalf of the national organization that the steadfast support of SDAMA is greatly appreciated, and that he thinks this vote will send a strong message to auction market associations across the countryside.
�R-CALF's been the one working for everything � honest and fair and competitive markets � and I say that every week on my radio program,� Smith said. �These auction markets create price discovery at its finest. We get our producers the most money we can, and that's why we support the people that raise the cattle and believe in the free market system. That includes our friends that come and buy the cattle and promote the market, not just corporate feedlots and that sort of thing.�
