Ms. Halladay; thanks for your article keeping cattle producers informed of yet another expense (“Talking traceability with agency and industry,” April 16 cover). For me, ADT (animal disease traceability) can be placed in the same category as VFD (veterinary feed directive). These are expenses placed on American cattlemen, not on foreign cattle producers.
In the same issue of WLJ, an article stated Brazil obtained another U.S. beef packer, National Beef (“National Beef sold to Marfrig,” cover). When will Tyson be purchased by a foreign company?
Your article suggested portals to private and state data be established. Does that mean JBS and Marfrig will maintain information on all Brazilian ranchers and where each pound of foreign beef originated? Also in this issue of WLJ, it stated to date 317,464 head of Mexican feeder cattle have been imported (pg. 10). Would ADT be able to trace which ranch in Mexico a single animal originated? I do not have data on Canadian cattle imports but it is probably more cattle.
I have articles and publications on ADT dating back to 2011. It seems like some government employee woke up and realized they could justify a paycheck by attacking cattlemen with ADT.
American ranchers produce the highest quality and safest beef in the world—at least that is my opinion. We always see more restrictions and expenses placed on us by some acronym group. Pick your acronym—NIAA, NCBA, USDA, FDA, BLM, USFWS, VFD—and let’s not forget the most popular acronym of all; EPA. I have always wondered what acronym groups Mexican, Canadian, Brazilian, etc., ranchers have to deal with? And, don’t forget the newest buzz word, “Sustainability.”
My suggestion: Since members of “acronym” groups have a lot of time on their hands, come spend a month with a cow-calf rancher during calving season. Of course, they would have to leave cell phones and other recording devices at home. Maybe these people might realize we don’t need more restrictions and expenses.
Respectfully — Bill Yancey, Captain USN-RET
