The R-CALF USA Round Up

What benefits the world economy vs the American economy more: trade policy and tariffs or free trade? The United States is now billions of dollars into an agricultural trade deficit amid all-time record imports. The new administration seems to be taking trade head on and tariffs are front and center. So we sat down with the tariff guy himself Charles Benoit to discuss tariffs, free trade and how they relate to agriculture and related industries.   This episode is sponsored by South Dakota Stockgrowers Association and Prime Risk Management.   SHOW NOTES: https://prosperousamerica.org/tariffs-for-revenue-and-protection-the-u-s-treasury-has-a-plan/ https://prosperousamerica.org/free-trade-agreements-have-damaged-u-s-agricultural-trade-performance/ https://prosperousamerica.org/u-s-faces-record-agricultural-imports-worst-trade-deficit-in-history/ https://youtu.be/Whv85IxOIJk?si=eYeBOwiZsl5wRrZM https://youtu.be/o9aPRMTzOkg?si=QyYireQ5wwMC0lZ3  Debunked: https://www.prageru.com/video/whats-not-fair-about-free-trade

Eating a lot of red meat is bad for you, according to most health professionals, not to mention what environmentalists have to say. The carnivore diet is changing that narrative so we had Dr. Shawn baker on to talk all things carnivore and our broken food and health systems.   This episode is sponsored by Ritchey Livestock ID www.ritcheytags.com and Grossenburg Implements www.grossenburg.com

The USDA's electronic eartag mandate has been a red hot topic the past year. And like years past, we at R-CALF USA are fighting back each and every day to put a halt to it. Right now we are pushing back in Congress and in the courts. In October we filed another lawsuit to stop this issue once and for all, so we sat down with our attorney on this case, Kara Rollins, to give you all the details on this important issue.    This episode is sponsored by Tri State Livestock News and Pitchfork Supply.   Show Notes: https://nclalegal.org/case/ranchers-cattlemen-action-legal-fund-united-stockgrowers-of-america-et-al-v-u-s-department-of-agriculture-secretary-thomas-vilsack-animal-and-plant-health-inspection-service-administrator-micha/

The Corporate Transparency Act was passed into law under most people's radar, and many, including R-CALF USA, have raised concerns about its impact on small business owners and rural America. On today's episode, we sat down with Phillip Taylor and Bobby Clayson to discuss our joint lawsuit fighting back to stop the Corporate Transparency Act from being forced down the throats of all Americans and threatening the existence of small producers and small businesses.    This episode is sponsored by Risk Associates and Ag West Feeds. For more information visit https://riskassociatesinc.net and https://www.facebook.com/agwestfeeds/   Show notes:  https://homesteadliberation.org/cta-lawsuit https://www.r-calfusa.com/ranch-group-joins-lawsuit-challenging-corporate-transparency-act/

On today's episode, we sat down with R-CALF USA director and Missouri rancher, Freddie Keaton, to talk RFID tags, the beef checkoff, MCOOL, Rural America, and being an advocate on the local and national level.   This episode is sponsored by www.vitalix.com and www.valentinelivestock.net

There's a lot going on in our world, our country, and in agriculture. R-CALF USA President Brett Kenzy joins us to discuss where we are and what's on the horizon, and dives into reimagining agriculture, climate change and ag, the sustains act and mandatory ID.   Show notes: Rep. Hageman's H.J.Res.167 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-joint-resolution/167/all-actions?s=1&r=1 Sen. Lummis' S.J.Res.98 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/98/cosponsors?s=1&r=3 Sen. Rounds' S.4282 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4282/cosponsors Rep. Hageman's Amendment #10 will be to H.R.9027 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9027/all-actions USDA's commitment to tracking animals from birth to slaughter: https://www.tsln.com/news/usda-calls-for-tracking-animals-birth-to-slaughter/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-bolsters-animal-disease-traceability-united-states SUSTAINS Act: https://www.tsln.com/news/sustains-act-comment-period-open-on-implementing-law-to-accept-private-funds-for-usda-conservation-programs/ https://www.lonesomelands.com/new-blog/2023/9/14/template-z4jtr-2pyn4     This episode is sponsored by Hayden Outdoors and Ag Risk Advisors. For more information visit www.haydenoutdoors.com/ or https://agriskadvisors.com/

Animal owners and related businesses are under attack by those seeking to eliminate animal ownership and animal enterprise, often violating the Constitution and threatening your way of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness in the process. We sat down with Mindy Patterson from the Cavalry Group to talk about animal rights extremists, constitutional rights, government overreach, deceptive legislation, third-party verifying in the name of climate change, RFID, and more.   Sponsored by Heyn Real Estate. Visit www.heynrealestate.com for more information.   Show Notes: https://www.thecavalrygroup.com/

Ever wanted to start selling direct to consumer? Or maybe you're already selling a little and you want to grow? Since COVID, interest in direct-to-consumer sales has skyrocketed. Consumers are going this route for a variety of reasons, so how can your ranch capitalize on this and how can this add to your operation? We know it can be overwhelming and is just one more thing to add to that never-ending to-do list, so we invited direct-to-consumer marketing expert, Mike Parker, to break down everything from details to the why's and the how's of selling your meat.   This episode is sponsored by www.wildasssoaps.com    SHOW NOTES Pricing Calculator:https://www.directfarmroadmap.com/presoldseasoncall-8299 Mike's website: https://www.directfarmroadmap.com/home-8395 Mike's social media: @directfarmmarketing  www.USABeef.org Convention registration and info: www.rcalfconvention.com     

It wasn't long ago that Dutch farmers drove their tractors protesting their country adopting policies that directly attacked agriculture in the name of climate change. Today across Europe over 20 countries are protesting for many of the very same reasons. Dutch farmers' advocate and internationally renowned political commentator, Eva Vlaardingerbroek joins us to discuss the dangers of globalism and why farmers are the target. Follow Eva on X (Twitter): https://x.com/EvaVlaar?s=20 Follow Eva on Substack: https://evavlaardingerbroek.substack.com/  Eva's 2023 R-CALF USA Convention Keynote Presentation: https://youtu.be/Fr8eV5oQyyI?si=u8gcUtxjdcqyBDHi    Episode sponsored by Grossenburg Implements, Inc.

As I'm sure you've noticed, much of the world has bought into the lie that cattle are destroying the planet. With things like USDA's climate smart commodity project, natural asset companies, and carbon credits, it makes you wonder, has the cattle industry itself bought into that same lie? Independent journalist Jim Mundorf with Lonesome Lands joins us to discuss these hot topics, how mandatory ID and the checkoff play into this, and how we push back.   This episode is sponsored by the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. For more information visit www.southdakotastockgrowers.org     Show Notes:  https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities https://www.r-calfusa.com/op-ed-natural-asset-company-proposed-rule-threatens-property-rights/ https://www.lonesomelands.com/new-blog/2023/9/14/template-5nf6j https://www.lonesomelands.com/new-blog/2023/9/14/template-sbds6 https://www.lonesomelands.com/new-blog/2023/9/14/template-cm7p3

These days, mandatory animal ID and property rights have been in the hot seat so let's talk about their connections to global warming, climate hysteria, and control. Wyoming U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman sat down with us to discuss the government overreach of these issues and how to rediscover the American fighting spirit and defend our livestock industries and our way of life.   This episode is sponsored by Risk Associates. Visit www.riskassociatesinc.net to learn more. 

It's no secret that wolves are a huge problem for American ranchers in many Western states, but the heartbreaking attacks on livestock just serve as an example of something bigger. We sat down with Colorado rancher and journalist Rachel Gabel to break down to ballot box biology of Colorado's wolf reintroduction and the door it opens to the attack on rural America and private property rights. You may not be from Colorado and you may not have wolf problems, but make no mistake this issue applies to you and your ranch.   This episode is sponsored by Ag West Feeds. 

Global elites trying to monetize the air we breathe and control food production? Are we kidding? We wish we were, but plans for Natural Asset Companies are in motion, potentially leading to the largest property rights violation in American history. We sat down with property rights expert Margaret Byfield and Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks to find out what you need to know and what we need to do to stop natural asset companies.   Sponsored by www.tsln.com   SHOW NOTES Comment HERE until Jan 18: https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/sr-nyse-2023-09   More Info: https://americanstewards.us/natural-asset-companies/ https://www.r-calfusa.com/op-ed-natural-asset-company-proposed-rule-threatens-property-rights/  

You've no doubt heard that according to the global elites, the people who put food on our tables are at fault for climate change. The global war on farming and our ability to feed the world is real. The global concentration of power pushing these control narratives have amassed and must be addressed. Tune in as Dutch farmers' advocate and internationally renowned political commentator, Eva Vlaardingerbroek covers just that.  This episode is sponsored by Ag West Feeds.   To watch the video version of this podcast, follow this link: https://youtu.be/Fr8eV5oQyyI?si=cMBShSZ8KhQfpTQ5  

It's a new season of the R-CALF USA Round Up! On this episode, Karina Jones and Jaiden Moreland sat down with Indiana producer and rural advocate Greg Gunthorp to discuss global corporation agriculture, local food systems, advocating for rural America, competitive markets, and more.

If you've been watching on social media, you'll know the R-CALF USA staff and board have been busy, busy from the White House to cattle markets to planning for the 2023 Convention we covered it all with President Brett Kenzy and Vice President Eric Nelson. Join us for our 2023 convention, on August 17 and 18, in Rapid City, SD. For more information visit www.rcalfconvention.com

Gene editing, broken cattle markets, RFID tags, we cover it all with Steve Stratford and Chris Earl as this episode focuses on giving a voice to independent seed stock producers, the dangers of so-called vertical cooperation, and the realities of replacing the value of reputations in the US cattle industry.

On this episode, we sit down with Iowa State's Lee Schulz and discuss his work, his research into multiplant coordination in the beef industry, the processes of that research and what he'd like to see moving toward cattle market reforms.    This episode is sponsored by York Ag. Visit www.yorkag.com for more information. 

There are many things going on in our industry and organization and we think it's important to do a “temperature check” and check-in. So we checked in with Brett Kenzy, Eric Nelson and Bill Bullard to talk about R-CALF USA's 2023 Farm Bill Platform and the progression of the strategies outlined in the 2021 Cattle Industry Long Range Plan.   This episode is sponsored by Kinetic Vet. For more information visit www.kineticvet.com or visit them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

At our 2022 convention, R-CALF USA members passed policy in support of southern border enforcement, acknowledging that the influx of illegal immigration is harming not only southwestern ranchers and rural communities, but also rural communities around the country. We sat down with New Mexico rancher, Erica Valdez to learn the realities of border life and ranching in an often forgotten and defenseless area of our country.   This episode was sponsored by Range Magazine. Visit www.rangemagazine.com for more information. 

In today's world, monopolies reach into every fabric of our lives, in agriculture we are all too familiar, but let's talk about the monopolies in almost every other industry. What has happened to the strict antitrust laws and antimonopoly behavior our country was founded upon? Where do we go from here? Join us as we discuss just that and more with Matt Stoller. This episode is sponsored by Mason & Morse Ranch Company. Visit their website www.RanchLand.com for more information.     Show Notes: https://www.economicliberties.us/matt-stoller/  https://mattstoller.substack.com/ https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Goliath/Matt-Stoller/9781501182891  https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/beef-is-expensive-so-why-are-cattle https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/economists-to-cattle-ranchers-stop 

On today's episode, we discuss the World Trade Organization, trade, tariffs and more as they relate to agriculture, the cattle industry and our country with Charles Benoit from the Coalition for a Prosperous America.   This episode is sponsored by Ag Risk Advisors. Visit their website https://agriskadvisors.com for more information. 

On today's episode, I sit down with South Dakota Stockgrowers Association President and R-CALF USA Checkoff Committee Chair Vaughn Meyer at the Black Hills Stock Show and discuss Stockgrowers, the beef checkoff, and the needed reforms to move our industry forward.     This episode is sponsored by the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. Visit their website www.southdakotastockgrowers.org for more information. 

The dairy industry has long been a staple of American diets and rural America, but much like their beef counterparts, the dairy industry we once knew is quickly disappearing. Today we visit with Deborah Mills, of National Dairy Producers Organization and discuss consolidation, cattle industry policies, and checkoff programs.     This episode is sponsored by Grossenburg Implement Inc. Visit their website https://www.grossenburg.com for more information!

The Federal Trade Commission's job is to protect the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition through law enforcement, advocacy, research, and education. Today we visit with one of the 5 commissioners at the FTC, commissioner Alvaro Bedoya and talk rural America, agriculture, antitrust, and consumers.    Read Commissioner Bedoya's oped: https://prospect.org/economy/returning-to-fairness-rural-america-open-markets/ Contact Commissioner Bedoya: abedoya@ftc.gov 

R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard    How America Destroyed Her Sheep Industry November 2, 2022 This week's episode explains the factors that rendered the U.S. sheep industry incapable of producing even half the lamb that Americans consume.

Our nation was founded on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all of which equally apply to our everyday lives and the us cattle industry. We welcome our Texas board member and property rights chair Shad Sullivan to talk liberty, freedom, globalism, and property rights.   This episode is sponsored by Prime Risk Management. Visit their website www.primeriskmanagement.com for more information!

At R-CALF USA we are big believers in supporting businesses who support you. Today we welcome representatives from Farmer's Business Network and talk issues America's ranchers are facing and how to work toward solutions.     Website: www.fbn.com  Call: (877) 204-4645

R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard    About that RFID Thing September 29, 2022  

The R-CALF USA Weekly Address with Bill Bullard    We Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is September 21, 2022

R-CALF has had so many people that have played a huge part in our success as an organization. One of those being Dr. Max Thornsberry, former R-CALF President and current Parliamentarian, Animal Health Committee Chair and veterinarian joins the podcast to talk animal health in the U.S., the cattle industry around the world, freedom, liberty and MCOOL.  

The R-CALF USA Weekly Address with Bill Bullard  The Big Myth September 14, 2022 

What's So Cool About COOL? September 7, 2022   R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard  

This episode features R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard as we talk MCOOL and the Label Our Beef Week of Action.

August 10, 2022 R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard

August 3, 2022 R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard 

R-CALF USA's Weekly Address with Bill Bullard July 27, 2022    

We are so excited to welcome another one of our board members to the podcast, today we talk with Dave Hyde on the importance of information, the checkoff, and his experience with the chicken, hog, and dairy industries why it fuels his passion for cattle industry change.   Show Notes:  Tracy Hunt's GRSB presentation: https://youtu.be/XVXdXsNhcVg

We are constantly seeing the effects of vertical integration and government overreach in our cattle industry. The landscape of rural America is changing, and our communities are feeling those effects. We sat down with R-CALF USA director, Kansas rancher and former sale barn owner, Kyle Hemmert, to talk RFID tags, the beef checkoff, MCOOL and rural America.  

Here at R-CALF, we've been working really hard on our outreach and communications efforts. Today join Karina and Jaiden as we discuss the podcast, magazine, important convention updates and details and more on this episode of the R-CALF USA Round Up.

It's a hard time to be an American cattle rancher. When we started this podcast, we wanted these episodes to be real and raw conversations about the things happening in our industry. Sometimes its hard to talk about those struggles ranchers are facing, but Karina sat down with Missouri rancher Coy Young to discuss the new No Rancher Left Behind campaign. 

Cattle producers around the country are feeling the squeeze as the cattle market fails to give them competitive prices for their cattle month after month. Why is the market like this? How do we improve it? We visited with Georgetown professor and economist Nathan Miller to discuss just that.     Read Nathan Miller's ongoing study "Buyer Power in the Beef Packing Industry: An Update on Research in Progress": https://www.r-calfusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/220331-cattlemarkets.pdf

Vertical integration, consolidation, monopolies, all phrases and realities American ranchers are becoming very familiar with. In 2014, the Meat Racket hit bookshelves around the country and brought to light the monopoly-dominated structure of the American meat industry. We sat down with the author Christopher Leonard, to discuss his research, consolidation of the meat industry and how the industry has changed just 8 years later.    Show Notes:  -Listen to Leonard's 2021 Yale Antitrust Conference presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkZN3CMN8sc -Read the Meat Racket: http://www.christopherleonard.biz/books/the-meat-racket.html

Addressing MCOOL's Bogeyman     April 27, 2022

With the future of the American cattle industry hanging in the balance and the loss of over half a million cattle producers since 1980, it's clear something has to change. What can we do to help bring back profitability and the beauty of the American cattle industry? How can we learn from the downfalls of the hog and chicken industries? We sat down to talk current legislation, competition, vertical integration, and a changing cattle industry with generational Iowa cattle feeder and R-CALF USA Vice President Eric Nelson.  

April 6, 2022-The Weekly Address with Bill Bullard 

Antitrust is legislation preventing or controlling trusts or other monopolies and works to promote competition in business. In 2019, R-CALF USA filed a historic class-action lawsuit against the Big 4 meat packers. A prime example of how R-CALF USA is aggressive in all three branches of the United States government, but also a prime example of antitrust law at work.  Today we sit down with antitrust expert professor Thomas Horton to discuss Americanism and antitrust with a focus on the cattle industry. Professor Horton was the incredibly popular keynote speaker at the 2021 R-CALF convention, you'll want to tune into this episode!     Prof. Horton's 2021 Convention presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrIGwQpOdAI&t=914s

Today it is becoming more and more common for kids to not return to the ranch as adults. Why are kids not returning to the ranch? What are some of the struggles young ranchers are facing? What are the next generation's thoughts on hot button industry topics like the checkoff? Why should young ranchers be involved in the conversation? We answer these questions and more with two young ranchers, Clare and Patrice. 

March 9, 2022  

One of the greatest powers we have as American citizens is the power to elect those who represent us on a local, state and national level. Our government being for the people, by the people we also have the power to be citizen lobbyists for ourselves and our neighbors to encourage those elected officials to support or not support various issues that affect our communities. On today's episode, we talk to Jim Selchert of South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds' office on how to be a citizen lobbyist and how you can affect the laws and discussions happening on a national level.  

This week's episode contrasts the market reactions between crude oil and corn prices caused by the Ukraine invasion.