SDSGA & Guy E. Ham Beef Industry Scholarships
Last updated:
08/13/2008
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South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Endorses CCMP
Lincoln, NE ~ South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA), during its quarterly meeting in Chamberlain, SD on Tuesday, March 4, endorsed the Cattlemen's Competitive Market Project (CCMP), while making a direct financial donation.
"We're very, very pleased," said Randy Stevenson, Wheatland, WY, a CCMP Steering Committee member. "SDSGA is the first state cattle organization to endorse and support CCMP. It's gratifying to see cattlemen, like those in South Dakota, take affirmative action to ensure the future of independent cattlemen everywhere. They realize there's no time to waste. Their willingness to step to the plate is commendable," said Stevenson. "I'm challenging other state organizations to take the same bold step. If we're to win the restoration of competition to our marketplace, this is exactly the sort of commitment it will take."
The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association is enthusiastic about CCMP as well. "We've watched OCM, and have concurred with them on nearly every marketing issue across the board," said Rick Fox, Hermosa, Marketing Committee. "They're a group who seems truly dedicated to improving the market situation for cattle producers. We fully support their efforts and hope to continue working with them in the future."
CCMP was established earlier this year by the Organization For Competitive Markets, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based, non-profit group dedicated to reclaiming the agricultural marketplace for independent farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The CCMP is focused on improving competition for live cattle at the ranch and feedlot gate by addressing the issues of packer consolidation, captive supplies and retail supermarket consolidation.
"This project is being driven by cattlemen, for cattlemen. All donations are voluntary," noted Stevenson. Steering committee members behind CCMP are Stevenson, a cattle feeder; Tom Spencer, Circle T Cattle Company, Pueblo, CO; Jerry Adamson, Rocking J Ranch, Cody, NE; Korley Sears, Ainsworth Feedyards, Ainsworth, NE; and Brett Gottsch, Gottsch Feeding Corp.,
Elkhorn, NE.
"Until now, independent cattlemen have lacked the horsepower to win the competition battle," said Spencer. "CCMP has set its crosshairs on specific issues and we're quickly developing the horsepower we need. Our mission is threefold: to present the legal and economic case for antitrust enforcement, to provide for the appropriate research and data analysis needed to support that case, and to develop a communications 'arm' to get our message out to consumers, policy markers and the media regarding the truth behind what's happening with our markets," Spencer stated. "CCMP is committed to developing and implementing solutions. As independent cattlemen, our interests have been smothered by the entities reaping the greatest financial harvest, at our expense, through the utter destruction of our marketplace. We can take our markets back, but it's going to take commitments of time and money from each of us. I'm pleased and grateful to SDSGA for seeing the need and meeting it. My hat is off to them."