Proclamation

I received this in the e-mail today. I thought it was quite interesting. I receive in my e-mail all official government pronouncements for the State of Montana so this is real.<br />n<!–more–><br />n<b><i>Proclamation <br />nAMERICAN BEEF WEEK<br />nJanuary 4-10, 2004<br />n<br />nWHEREAS, the U.S. beef industry forms the largest part of the nation's food and fiber supply.<br />n<br />nWHEREAS, agriculture is a significant segment of the U.S. economy responsible for 16.3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and 17.4 percent of our population's employment. <br />n<br />nWHEREAS, the U.S. cattle industry is made up of more that 1 million small businesses – farms or ranches – operating in all 50 states.<br />n<br />nWHEREAS, millions jobs are provided through the beef industry. These jobs include farmers and ranchers who produce cattle; stocker operators; cattle feeders; as well as hundreds of various allied industry partners and companies. <br />n<br />nWHEREAS, in 2000, there were an estimated 98.1 million cattle in the U.S.<br />n<br />nWHEREAS, the cattle industry generates a substantial ripple effect for the entire U.S. economy. <br />n<br />nWHEREAS, U.S. beef production generated more than $30 billion annually in direct economic output and approximately five times that amount in related economic output.<br />n <br />nWHEREAS, the cattle and beef produced in the United States is the highest quality product in the world.<br />n <br />nWHEREAS, the safety and integrity of meat in the U.S. are closely monitored by a compliment of state and federal agencies, resulting in a safe and wholesome food supply.<br />n <br />nWHEREAS, the livestock industry needs the support of consumers to remain strong.<br />n <br />nNOW, THEREFORE, as the Governors of the State of Montana, North Dakota,<br />nTexas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and South Dakota, we do proclaim January 4-10, 2004, AMERICAN BEEF WEEK in our respective<br />nstates.<br />n <br />nJUDY MARTZ <br />nGovernor of Montana <br />n <br />nJOHN HOEVEN<br />nGovernor of North Dakota<br />n <br />nBILL OWENS<br />nGovernor of Colorado<br />n <br />nMIKE JOHANNS<br />nGovernor of Nebraska<br />n <br />nMIKE ROUNDS<br />nGovernor of South Dakota<br />n <br />nBRAD HENRY<br />nGovernor of Oklahoma<br />n <br />nRICK PERRY<br />nGovernor of Texas<br />n<br />nKATHLEEN SEBELLIUS<br />nGovernor of Kansas</i></b><br />n<br />nIt seems a little overblown to me but it is a least supporting the beef industry better than Senator Conrad Burns appears to be.<br />n<br />n<b>Advertising is the greatest art form of the twentieth century.<br />nMarshall McLuhan (1911&acirc;