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PRESS RELEASE

LMA Supports Resolution to Overturn Rule Allowing Beef Imports from Paraguay

The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) applauds congressional efforts to oppose USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay rule. 

As background, in November 2023, APHIS released their final rule that would allow Paraguay to export fresh beef into the United States. LMA has serious concerns about the risks the rule could pose to our national beef supply. Paraguay has a history of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), that, if imported to the United States, would have devastating consequences to our nation’s beef supply.  

LMA President Mark Barnett worries that USDA’s rule prioritizes Paraguayan cattle producers over our own. 

“The irresponsible decision to allow fresh Paraguay beef imports based on outdated site visits and inadequate data is an unacceptable risk for hardworking beef producers in this country,” said Barnett.  

No in-person site visits to the region have occurred since 2014 and APHIS relied upon reports from Paraguayan officials to make the final determination. 

LMA thanks Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-TX) and Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) for introducing bipartisan resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). If the resolution of disapproval is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto (2/3 vote), the rule cannot go into effect or continue in effect. 

“The United States raises the best and most safe beef in the world because of the hard work and tireless efforts of our producers,” Barnett said. “We can’t risk endangering our national herd by allowing this flawed rule to go into effect.” 

 

About the Livestock Marketing Association

The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., is North America’s leading, national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through member support, education programs, policy representation and communication efforts.

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November 2, 2023

Florida auction market bounces back after Category 3 hurricane

As Hurricane Idalia grew closer to Florida’s Big Bend on Monday, August 28 — just two days before it would hit land — many residents were prepping for the storm. But for Alvin “Ab” Townsend and his nephew Rick Greiner, there was a different kind of preparation taking place. Tuesday is sale day at their Townsend Livestock Market, and it was business as usual, despite the uncertainty of what might come. “I started calling some of our buyers,” Greiner says. “And as long as they were going to buy cattle, we were going to have a sale.” So, sell cattle they did. They got through 400 head before they needed to shut down and head home. Early Wednesday morning, the Category 3 hurricane made landfall. Greiner couldn’t get out of his house, but Townsend — along with his wife and sister — were able to drive to the auction market that’s been in the family for four generations. At first, he thought they were at the wrong place. “It didn’t look anything like our place,” Townsend says. “Everything was just on the dirt. The building, our pens, everything was just on the dirt.” Moving On  Before Wednesday had ended, the family had called John Kissee, regional executive officer at Livestock Marketing Association. As longtime members, as well as clients of the association’s Livestock Marketing Insurance Agency, they knew they were covered.  Kissee understood Ab and Rick would want to move quickly but took time to ensure all bases were covered, insurance-wise. Kissee called back the following day, as promised. He told them the tear down and clean up could begin after taking photos to document the damage. By Monday, excavators were scraping the slab where the auction market once stood. Greiner says they had no choice but to move quickly, and they had no intention of missing more than one sale day. They started getting pens up and brainstorming how they’d hold the following week’s auction with less-than-ideal infrastructure.  To be safe, they didn’t advertise. And yet, they still got 400 head. It went well and they doubled their numbers the following week. Of course, there were challenges to selling in such makeshift facilities — like the Tuesday it rained all day and there was no barn to offer cover. But Greiner says they remained grateful through it all. “You don’t have to look very far to see somebody who’s got it worse than what we had,” he says. “We’re just lucky to be back to work and selling good cattle for our good producers.” A Helping Hand Both men are quick to credit the role Livestock Marketing Insurance Agency played in their recovery efforts. “I wouldn’t want to imagine not having Mr. John to call,” Greiner says.  Townsend agrees. “The thing with insurance,” the third-generation auction market operator says, “is you don’t need it until something happens. But then when something happens you better thank the Good Lord you had it. Because what would we have done?” Not only did Kissee and the insurance adjuster make the process a breeze, but Townsend says it never felt like a business transaction. “They’re more than just a company,” he says. “LMIA is a group of people who cares.”