A new social media group calling itself Ranchers United launched an advocacy effort against country-of-origin labeling (COOL). The group’s stated motivation is to counter the “extremist position” voiced by Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF) and Tomi Lahren regarding COOL, which they describe as failed legislation that cost the ranching industry billions.
The group’s campaign is primarily focused on urging ranchers to sign a White House petition urging President Donald Trump not to reimplement COOL and getting them to contact their Congress members.
“As a producer you can no longer afford to be silent,” the group argues on its homepage. “Your silence creates the vacuum that allows extremist positions to grow in the void. Are you willing to let a political pundit determine the regulatory environment of your industry? Without your support, it is likely that President Trump, encouraged by misinformation from R-CALF USA and Lahren, will implement mCOOL once more. Is this a risk you can afford to take?”
According to the “About us” section of the group’s site, it is run by “The Meat Ladies,” Kim and Kate. They describe themselves as coming from ranching backgrounds and being livestock-judging collegiate friends. They additionally claim that they are not paid nor funded by a packer or the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, but add, “we take accusations that we are as a compliment.”
