FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 14, 2016
Contact: Laramie Adams
Cell: 512-922-7328

Fort Worth, Texas – The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), submitted comments Wednesday on the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Marketing Service’s (USDA-AMS) National Organic Program; Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule proposal.

“TSCRA opposes the USDA’s recommended changes to the National Organic Program,” said Richard Thorpe, TSCRA president and rancher from Winters, Texas. “The National Organic Program is used strictly as a marketing program, however USDA-AMS is going far outside of its purview by including animal welfare practices in these proposed changes.

“Whether producing organic or conventionally raised beef, American ranchers continue to be the best caretakers of their cattle. This commitment has led to a successful Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program that provides guidelines and recommendations from animal care experts who utilize peer-reviewed science. The USDA should be encouraging organic producers to become BQA certified instead of attempting to address animal welfare concerns of activists groups in an onerous federal rule.

“We urge the USDA-AMS to withdraw this rule proposal and work to address the concerns stated in TSCRA’s comments. TSCRA will continue to actively monitor this proposed rule and keep its members informed,” Thorpe concluded.

To read the comments submitted by TSCRA please click HERE.

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TSCRA is a 139-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 17,000 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 50,000 individuals directly involved in ranching and beef production who manage 4 million head of cattle on 76 million acres of range and pasture land primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, but throughout the Southwest.