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Anybody who has read me for a while knows <a href="http://nowherethoughts.net/sarpysam/plugin/tag/r-calf">I talk about</a> <a href="http://www.r-calfusa.com/">R-Calf USA</a> sometimes. I have also been <a href="http://nowherethoughts.net/sarpysam/archives/2503-Dennis-McDonald-Resigns-from-R-Calf.html">following the recent upset in the R-calf ranks</a> which has led a large number of the founding members to leave the organization and start another new organization, <a href="http://www.uscattlemen.org/index.cfm">United States Cattleman's Association</a> (<acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym>). A while ago the <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym> website was up and running but there was not much information on it and there still isn't. I have been waiting but nothing appeared to be happening.<br />n<br />nFinally I have found something, <a href="http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=127202">an interview with Jon Wooster</a>, the head of <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym>. It's an interesting interview if you are at all interested in this new organization. A couple of things that really struck me were the information on the lobbyists they have retained in Washington and the comments on animal id and <acronym title="Country of Origin Labeling">COOL</acronym> being linked.<br />n<br />nR-Calf all but has no representation in Washington. That was what caused the split in R-Calf. Militant R-calf members wanted to only use litigation to advance their cause and the new leaders of <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym> wanted to present their ideas to Congress through Lobbyists to get the point across without expensive and fruitless litigation. Knowing that <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym> is forging ahead with representation in Washington is nice to know.<br />n<br />nNow the answer to linking animal id and <acronym title="Country of Origin Labeling">COOL</acronym> was to say the least, sparse. Jon points out some advantages of <acronym title="Country of Origin Labeling">COOL</acronym> and then tells how producers are opposed to <acronym title="National Animal Identification System">NAIS</acronym> but he doesn't give any solutions to the dilemma. I feel he needs to offer Congress alternatives to linking the two together. How can <acronym title="Country of Origin Labeling">COOL</acronym> be run that doesn't require animal id? That needs to be answered instead of just pointing out nobody likes <acronym title="National Animal Identification System">NAIS</acronym>.<br />n<br />nIt really looks like <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym> is taking off. I am glad to see this. As I have stated, I was never sure about the R-Calf method of using the courts to try to solve their problems. Representation in Washington is more effective and cheaper in the long run. I will keep an eye on the <acronym title="United States Cattleman's Association">USCA</acronym> to see what happens. It looks promising.<br />n<br />n<strong>What's important is promising something to the people, not actually keeping those promises. The people have always lived on hope alone. Hermann Broch</strong>