Latest / North American Ag Spotlight: Agriculture & Farming News and Views / What Can be Learned from the Dutch Farmer’s Protest?

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What Can be Learned from the Dutch Farmer’s Protest? · North American Ag Spotlight: Agriculture & Farming News and Views

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1:07
Chrissy Wozniak: Hi, and welcome to the North American Ag Spotlight. I'm Chrissy Wozniak. My guest today has testified on behalf of R calf USA members before Congress, and executive branch agencies has managed numerous lawsuits on behalf of the organization. And as the organization's registered lobbyist, our calf USA which stands for ranchers, cattlemen, cattlemen, action legal fund and united stock Growers of America Thank goodness you guys shortened it is the largest producer only membership based organization that exclusively represents us cattle and sheep producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. Today we're going to talk about what's going on with the Dutch farmers protests, and what the implications could be for North America from Billings, Montana.
1:55
Chrissy Wozniak: I would like to welcome our calf
1:56
Bill Bullard: My pleasure, Chrissy. Thank you.
1:58
Chrissy Wozniak: So first of all, can you tell me a bit about USA CEO Bill Bullard. Welcome, Bill. And thank you so much for your background?
2:01
Bill Bullard: Well, I'm a former rancher from South Dakota. I've your time today.
2:04
Bill Bullard: been involved in state government with the Public Utilities Commission of South Dakota. And I've made the full circle. I was once a cow calf producer in the US cattle industry. And now I represent farmers and ranchers across the United States that raised cattle.
2:21
Chrissy Wozniak: Wonderful and tell me a little bit more about our calf and its mission.
2:26
Bill Bullard: Well, our calf is a national trade association.
2:28
Bill Bullard: And as you indicated, the largest producer only and voluntary only cattle Association, we have about 5000 members in 43 states. And we exclusively represent the producers, the farmers and ranchers in the beef supply chain. And it's a multifaceted beef supply chain. But we we specifically represent only the economic interests of the farmers and ranchers involved in the production of beef here in the United States of America.
2:56
Chrissy Wozniak: That's great.
2:56
Chrissy Wozniak: And you've been really vocal lately about the Dutch farmer protests. Can you lay out what's happening over there? And why does it matter to us producers?
3:06
Bill Bullard: Well, first, let me give just a quick history in the United States. In just the past four decades, a little over a generation, we've wiped out over half a million independent cattle producers in the United States, we reduce reduce the size of our cow herd by about 7 million head over that period.
3:25
Bill Bullard: And we've shrunk the number of marketing outlets available the cattle producers, we've lost 75% of our small independent family owned and operated feedlots in the United States. And our industry is amongst the most concentrated sectors in the US economy. We have four meat packers controlling 85% of the fed cattle market. So our industry is shrinking at an alarming rate the American farmer and ranchers was once known will no longer be recognizable in the future if we don't make some major changes, because the industry is becoming so concentrated and industrialized, that we're forcing the independent the small and mid sized operations out of business. And that means there's a big huge effort to control the production of beef in America. And of course, beef is is an extremely important protein source for America's families. And it's the largest sector of American agriculture.
4:26
Bill Bullard: And right now, it is it's the target. And so with that background with an industry that's becoming concentrated industrialized, with limited opportunities for independent producers, we look now at the Netherlands this what is happening and here you have the government forcing an a mandate upon the industry, the farmers and ranchers Netherlands, and it's a mandate to reduce not nitrous oxide and ammonia by 50% or it's used by 50% by two thirds 1023. So what they're doing is they're imposing additional production practices, standards and costs upon the industry. Now, the first to be hurt will be the small and independent sized operators in the Netherlands, large corporate operations will be able to absorb the additional cost. So this is really an effort to weed out more and more food producers in the United States. And now that means several things to the to the public. It means number one, that we're going to risk food security, we're going to risk food shortages, as a result of the inability of our independent farmers and ranchers to commit continue operating.
5:38
Bill Bullard: But we're also going to promote import penetration. Because what the farmers can do in the Netherlands, of course, it's going to be imported from China or other places that don't have such stringent standards imposed on their independent producers.
5:54
Bill Bullard: And if you look back at what's really driving this, it's the World Bank's it's the Rabobank, it's, it's Unilever, it's many of those are headquartered in the Netherlands. And so the Netherlands is ground zero, for a concerted effort by the government and by private government, private public partnerships, to force independent producers to meet standards that are today untenable, that will essentially force them out of business. And the Netherlands government says it's not acknowledged that that many farmers in the Netherlands simply will not be able to comply with these new mandates.
6:32
Bill Bullard: And so this is a serious situation for cattle producers, particularly, but farmers and ranchers all across the world.
6:41
Chrissy Wozniak: Yeah, that's a great explanation. and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau also he wants to impose drastic climate change restrictions on farmers, just like in the Netherlands. So why are these countries using the food supply chain of all things to push their agenda?
6:57
Bill Bullard: Well, they're looking at the sector of the economy that is most vulnerable to this kind of pressure from either public private sources or the government. independent farmers simply do not have the wherewithal to stand and defend themselves against this type of an onslaught. And so it's cherry picking, they pick the easiest sector of the economy to force the mandates upon. And then they provided a scapegoat. And they're pointing their fingers at the farmers and ranchers and saying, Well, they're the cause of climate change, and they're the cause of the pollution. But if you look back over the same period that we've saw, we have seen a drastic reduction in the number of cattle producers. This is also the time where there's been some significant changes in how farming practices actually occur. And these are practices that were led by the independent farmers and ranchers, these are practices that were born in government policy, and then perpetuated through land grant colleges and universities. And then in a more hands on approach through county extension agents, I mean, they've been telling farmers that you don't have to rotate crops, and you don't have to use your own manure. And you need to become specialized. And you need to begin the practice of monoculture where you plant corn, on corn on corn on corn, you know, for years. And in order to do so you have to supplement the nutrition in the soil. And there you there's the chemical and fertilizer companies that were promoting this. So the effort was made to become larger, to become more efficient through the use of artificial sources, like pesticides and herbicides. And so we've increased the use of that in order to achieve the government policy of planting fence road, a fence road to feed the world. And farmers have complied. And there's really been no other option. And so now that we've reached this level of fertilizer use and other chemical use, and it's a level that was driven by government policy and public private partnerships, certainly not by the independent producers. And now you point your finger at the independent producer and say, well, you're you're to blame.
9:09
Bill Bullard: You're the reason that you've become dependent on these fertilizer sources that are that they now claim are creating a challenge for the for the climate. So this is a vicious circle, and the independent producers been caught in the middle. And they're the least able to withstand these additional costs. And even today, you know, we've our cattle industry has seen depress prices for over eight years, at a time when consumers are paying super inflated prices for beef.
9:39
Bill Bullard: The problem here is it's there's a bottleneck in the beef supply chain. The bottleneck is the multinational meat packers that are controlling the shots and they are limiting timely access to the marketplace for independent producers. And we have a claim we have a shortage of Cat slaughter capacity in the United States, and therefore, there's less demand for cattle.
10:04
Bill Bullard: As a result, cattle prices have fallen. And at the same time, because there's fewer cattle, consumers are demanding more beef, and that's driving the demand for beef. So consumers are willing to pay super inflated prices for beef. And so we are seeing an anomaly here in the economy. And that is consumers pay and record high prices for beef at the same time independent family size, cattle operations are dropping like flies. And now you add this environmental issue, this climate issue where the producers are in are the target, they're going to eliminate producers and claim that this is somehow going to benefit the citizens by by saving a planet that the independent farmers and ranchers certainly are not responsible for the degradation that has been identified.
11:01
Chrissy Wozniak: Right. Yeah, that that makes it the sad truth. I guess it reminds me of The Hunger Games. Yes, yes.
11:07
Chrissy Wozniak: Yeah. And so what about the 2023 Farm Bill? Is it likely to help or hinder? Also considering that the House will likely flip in November? Should that give us any hope?
11:59
Bill Bullard: Oh, well, we're gonna have to just keep fighting. Because you know, we've been at this for a long time. I've personally been at this for over 20 years with our calf USA, trying to preserve the an economic opportunity for independent sized cattle operations across the United States. And the fact is, we believe we continue to lose producers, as I've talked about.
12:20
Bill Bullard: And so we have to make some radical changes, we have to change government policy and government is very slow to change, very reluctant to do anything to actually help and benefit the independent family sized operators, the United States. And you know, what's important, is the American family farm system of agriculture itself, was recognized the world over as being the most efficient producer of abundant, affordable and safe food supply worldwide.
12:52
Bill Bullard: And now, we've gone through the past four decades, where we essentially forced those family farmers and ranchers out of business. And we've substituted them with the corporate model, which is a highly concentrated model. So the industry has been changing for 40 years, the government has been promoting the change, we've gotten to the government and ask for significant reforms to to restore competition for the marketplace. And the government is extremely reluctant to act and yet we continue to push in the Farm Bill, we've had bills introduced, one of the most important ones to consumers is country of origin labeling, so consumers can decide which farmers in which country are producing food to their liking.
13:34
Bill Bullard: And they believe that if we do that the American farmer and rancher produces the highest quality, safest product in the world, we want the consumers to be able to distinguish that product with a country of origin label on the beef. And yet Congress is reluctant to even do that. And that's a common sense approach that would benefit both consumers and producers. And yet, Congress, we have a bill that's been introduced, that would require mandatory country of origin labeling on beef, so consumers would know where their beef was produced. And yet, we're, it's like pulling teeth trying to get co sponsors on this bill. It's Senate Bill 2716, and the Senate that we're fighting for. And so if we look for well, what are the opportunities to change this. So the Farm Bill certainly is a vehicle that we continue to use to try to impose through or include the reforms necessary to restore opportunities for independent producers. Now, if we are going to make a concerted effort to reduce the use of the fertilizers, the ammonia and the nitrous oxide, for example, then we need to prepare and put in place a plan to provide independent producers with an opportunity to meet the overall objectives without going out of business. And in that common sense approach to planning and strategy has been completely overlooked. And again, that's why we look at the Netherlands, because this was a rather urgent mandate imposed almost immediately, you have other governments, as you indicated, Canada, for example. But even in the United States, we have of all things the Securities Exchange Commission, that is in the process of promulgating rules to require publicly traded companies to report on their carbon footprint to report on the environmental mitigation that is occurring along the supply chain. Now what that means is the government will be passing on to the major corporations like the multinational beef packers, such as Tyson and JBS and Cargill and National Beef, which is not Marfa And, in fact, two of them are Brazilian companies. But the government will be passing on to these private corporations, the ability to impose restrictions on market access. So for example, and you go back even further, and you're talking about the World Bank, you're talking about the ing Corporation, you're talking about Rabobank, you're talking about investors that want to invest, where we have environmental, social and corporate governance, that is meeting the purported desires of the investors. And so you will have the banks requiring the multinational corporations to meet certain standards, you've got the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States that intends to do the same thing. And how, you know, it's an imprecise measurement in terms of the carbon footprint.
16:32
Bill Bullard: That is that is in place here.
16:32
Bill Bullard: But the important thing is, is you have the corporation's can now say that in order to have access to the marketplace, you have to meet and report on these certain new environmental standards. And if you do not, you do not have access to the marketplace. And that's how you force independent producers out of business. And we have a running parallel with what's happening in the Netherlands is what's called the Global roundtable for sustainable beef.
17:02
Bill Bullard: And here you have the World Banks, and you have the multinational corporations all attempting to dictate to the independent producer, the production standards they need to meet in order to have access to the marketplace. And so what is happening instead of looking in the future and saying there are new opportunities available to us, the threat is becoming greater and greater as each day passes. And, and again, that's why we stood up and said, We support the Dutch farmers, because they are at ground zero there at Ground Zero, for an effort, worldwide effort to begin controlling the food supply and controlling those who produce the food. And as you said, we're going to continue fighting to the farm bill. It's a it's an uphill battle. When we're dealing with these multinational corporations and the lobbyists for these World Bank's, you know, we're up against some of the most powerful political and economic forces the world has ever known.
18:02
Bill Bullard: And we witness that. And so that's one of the reasons that we have jumped ship, if you will, and not folks focus exclusively on Congress or the executive branch. But we've used the third branch of government, the judicial branch, and we have a national class action antitrust lawsuit against these very packers, some of which are involved in this overall climate change effort to impose new standards on producers. So we have a lawsuit pending in federal district court. And the lawsuit alleges that the four meat packers have conspired to artificially depress prices paid to America's cattle producers, while simultaneously inflating prices paid by America's consumers. And so we're on the front lines, if you will, and trying to seek reforms. And what's extremely important is every farmer and rancher out there. And when I say every, of course, there are exceptions, but for the most part, every farmer and rancher out there is a premier steward of the land, they want nothing more than to maintain, you know, the ability of the soil to continue producing to maintain wildlife, to maintain habitat, to take care of the land, so that they can pass it on for generations to come. And so they should not be in the sights as they are in terms of being a designated the culprit.
19:33
Bill Bullard: And in causing the climate changes that people are complaining about. We have to look at this from a more responsible and prudent, common sense approach. And the government certainly isn't doing that and the multinational corporations certainly aren't doing that. So what we really need is we need the people's involvement, we need the people to stand up and say that they support the American farmer and rancher, they want to continue with a family farm system of food production. They don't want it to be corporatized and industrialized, and we need to slowly turn this same this train around.
20:13
Chrissy Wozniak: Absolutely. I couldn't agree more and to break it really break it right down.
20:16
Chrissy Wozniak: Why is globalization such a threat to liberty and independence? I think that's really what it kind of all boils down to and people need to understand,
20:27
Bill Bullard: certainly is because anytime that you take away the opportunities to be successful, economically, and financially, what you have done is As you have begun to impart control over the citizens, and in this case, you have farmers and ranchers who are fiercely independent, and have them. And you have both the government and these public private partnerships, trying to impose their will on these producers.
21:01
Bill Bullard: Again, these producers do not have the wherewithal as the large corporations do, to defend themselves or to make radical changes to their operations. And so it essentially, it began, it begins to do more than just affect their liberty and independence, it strips them of it. And and that's the risk is that if we do not stand up for the rights of the citizens, the rights of farmers and ranchers to continue producing the best food in the world and doing it under the best conditions, and instead you have no close boardrooms where the decisions are made as to who's going to be who's going to be producing your food and who is not. That's what's happening here. You are eliminating opportunities you are, you're stripping the independent farmers and ranchers of their independence and liberty. And in your putting the nation food security at risk.
22:03
Chrissy Wozniak: Yeah, and there are a lot of people out there that that I Oh, I don't like politics. Oh, I don't you know, oh, I'm sure it's not so bad.
22:09
Chrissy Wozniak: Oh, they I'm sure you know, nobody wants to start. They're not. But you know, I've read Klaus Schwab's books, I know what the mission is. Why do you think so many people are kind of treating globalization as a conspiracy theory when they've actually laid out all their plans in great detail and anybody that wants to look and just go in and look for themselves. So what why do you think that is?
22:32
Bill Bullard: Well, it's difficult to to believe that there are forces at work that are trying to dictate, you know, your everyday life, and, and controlling the food controlling the energy, you know, those have been conspiracy theories for decades. And as you indicated, you know, all of this has been upfront and out in the open if people had been paying very close attention to what was happening at the World Trade Organization, for example, in under some of the global trade agreements, there is indeed an effort but global effort to begin to standardize production and, you know, environmental practices worldwide. And, and those forces are real. And one of the best examples of that was when we did have country of origin labeling for beef, from a period of 2013 to 2015.
23:32
Bill Bullard: Consumers could go to the grocery store, and find beef that was labeled, you know, born in Uruguay, raised in Uruguay and harvested in Uruguay. And, or they could choose beef that was born raised and harvested in the United States so they could choose beef that was born in Canada raised in the United States and harvested in the United States, we had country of origin label, but Canada, Mexico and the multinational meat packers supported the two country's efforts to file a complaint of the World Trade Organization. In the World Trade Organization ruled that the United States constitutionally passed mandatory country of origin labeling law violated global trade standards. And as a result, they told the United States you either repeal or change the law or we're going to authorize Canada and Mexico to impose retaliatory tariffs of over a billion dollars on the United States of America. And Congress folded at the behest of the World Trade Organization and repealed mandatory country of origin labeling for beef back in late 2015. And that's why consumers today can go to the grocery store and see a product that says Product of the USA on a beef product. And in fact, that product may be a beef product that was exclusively produced by foreign cattle producers in Uruguay and harvested there and processed there. And the reason for that is these same multinational corporations have convinced our government the US Department of Agriculture, to allow them to bring in foreign beef products with a foreign label on it.
25:15
Bill Bullard: Bring it into the United States, for example be from Nicaragua could be brought into the United States labeled as a product in Nicaragua. But it can go through a US processing plant and they can remove the label on the beef, throw the Nicaraguan label in the garbage and then put a new wrapper on the beef product and slap a product have us a label on it. And that is perfectly legal under today's US Department of Agriculture rules and regulations. And we've been fighting that for years. In fact, we fought it in one when we got Country of Origin Labeling passed, but it was the World Trade Organization that caused the repeal of country of origin labeling in the United States. And now as citizens call their members of Congress and say, We want you to restore mandatory country of origin labeling for beef. So we know where our food is produced so that we know our food is produced in the country with the most stringent health and safety standards in the world. Now they're members of Congress will tell them well, we can't do that, because the World Trade Organization says that this is a barrier to trade. So there's a perfect example of how what once was a conspiracy theory is now firmly established as reality that we are being dictated to by a global tribunal, and in Congress is shaking in their boots. Anytime that that tribunal issues the need it. And so this is a serious problem.
26:47
Bill Bullard: And so for those people who said, all this is politics, we don't want to get involved. We must get involved, otherwise others will dictate the future for ourselves and our children and our grandchildren.
27:01
Chrissy Wozniak: That's it, and what can people do? What What's the call to action, what? What needs to be done?
27:07
Bill Bullard: Well, they need to be firm, but respectful when they call their member of Congress and tell them exactly what they want. For example, they should pick up their phone and call both their to their senators and their representative and say, We demand that you restore for us the opportunity to choose where we want our food produced, we you must pass mandatory Country Awards and label and they should call and say, you know, we value competition, we value our rights, we respect the US Constitution, we don't think that there should be any other superior form of government dictating how we live our lives in America, we must begin to take control of our own destinies. And to do that we must break away from this global governance effort. That is not just well underway, it's firmly established.
28:03
Chrissy Wozniak: Yeah. Wow.
28:03
Chrissy Wozniak: That's, that's a lot. And yes, everybody needs to do their part. It's time right?
28:10
Bill Bullard: That's right. And it's it's an interesting new process for consumers and citizens to get involved in. But after all, you elected them. And now you need to ensure that they are doing what you want them to do not what the Rabobank and in the Netherlands, or others setting around these global government, governmental entities, trying to tell you and your neighbors, you know, how to live your lives, how to produce your food. And, you know, the list can go on for a long time.
28:45
Chrissy Wozniak: Yeah, yeah.
28:45
Chrissy Wozniak: That's great. And so I've one last question for you. Why do you serve the ag industry? What is your greatest passion? What did God put you on this earth for?
29:00
Bill Bullard: Well, my initial belief was that it was to care for the livestock, the land, the air in the water. And as circumstances played out, I now realize that my role is to ensure that today's farmers and ranchers, family farmers and ranchers have the an opportunity to be successful, to be economically successful, and to continue producing the best food in the world. And continue doing it under the best of conditions, and continue to, to enjoy and preserve their liberty and independence, you know, in the best country in the world. And that's right here in America, but we have to make changes, and we have to fight for those changes. And that's what, what I believe I'm here to help new.
29:51
Chrissy Wozniak: Wonderful and thank you, on behalf on behalf of the industry. Definitely. And where can people find you? Where can they find our caf?
29:59
Bill Bullard: Well, they can go to our website at r dash c A lf usa.com. We're on Facebook.
30:03
Bill Bullard: We're also on Twitter. So it's our dash ca lm usa.com or they can call us at 406-252-2516
30:18
Chrissy Wozniak: Wonderful and thank you so much, Bill for joining me today. Great conversation. My pleasure, Chrissy Thank you. And thanks to all who are watching, or listening. If you want to learn more, all of the links and the phone number are provided in the show notes. Don't forget to subscribe to North American Ag spotlight, YouTube rumble, Telegram or ag fuse channels and the podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Stitcher and Amazon or wherever you listen to podcasts and have a great day thanks so much for listening to today's Ag Spotlight episode, where we put the spotlight on people and companies doing great things for the agricultural industry. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple, Amazon, Spotify, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcasting platform and give us a five star review. You can also follow us on YouTube and rumble to see the video version of ag spotlight. Also head on over to North American ag.com to subscribe to our industry connect UPDATE newsletter. If you're interested in advertising opportunities email us at connect at NorthAmericanAg.com Thanks for listening Our newest podcast by North American AG is called What color is your tractor? The stories behind the Ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hosted by me Chrissy Wozniak, we take a deep dive into the companies that have built modern agriculture.
31:42
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