[Jacob-list] Livestock Auction

[Black, Tiar and Jason]

I got off of the phone with a woman in the office at the auction I spoke
about. Apparently it is the packers - Armour in particular who have told the
auction house that they will not buy animals at their auction house unless
the auction house imposes these waivers. The only thing this is doing is
having the animals segregated into waivered and unwaivered groups. The
hauler who takes the animal to the auction can sign the waiver. The packers
do buy the unwaivered animals just at cheaper prices- it is just another way
for some of the packers to get their meat cheaper. I have already involved
my father in law and a couple of organizations that he is involved with -
RCALF and the cattlemens asso I think they are called. I guess i am just
upset that they - Armour and the other meat companies are using this as an
excuse. It sounds to me like there is enough hysteria as far as this stuff
is concerned. I am also mad that they are trying to take more money out of
the farmers pockets. It isn't any of the Armour people who live paycheck to
paycheck (or auction to auction)! They are the ones that have big beautful
houses and eat like kings while we live in our farm houses and can't afford
Tbone steaks - even from our own cattle! They have driven up the cost of
butchering, hauling and in general living for most  small farmers. I sure
hope we get somewhere because as far as I am concerned it will only end with
all of us working in some office like a drone and eating whatever these
people want to feed us. Ok I have to get off of my soap box and go clean
fields with my 2 year old. Have a good day all : }
Tiar Black
ZLazyJ Farm
Friday Harbor Wa
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne & Edie Van Valkenburg" <joyew at mindspring.com>
To: <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:13 AM
Subject: [Jacob-list] Livestock Auction


> Tiar,
> I called our local USDA Office and spoke to Dr. Leslie Bulaga.  She has
> nothing that states this is something the FDA has ordered.  For all
> ruminants the FDA has been checking farms randomly since August to make
> sure that no mammal feed has ben given to ruminants.  Farmers are to
> keep labels of their feed.
> Here is some information you can pursue.
> Dr. Robert Mead State Vet in Washington State  360-902-1878
> Web site for BSE  www.FDAGov/cvm
> FDA Telephone # 301-443-1130  in Maryland
> This should help you gather more information.
> I would certainly be interested in your findings and so would Dr. bulaga
>
> Edie Van Valkenburg, joy Farm, NJ
>
>
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