Canadian Associations File for Standing in R-CALF vs. USDA Suit

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association (CCA) and Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) jointly filed for intervener status in the R-CALF vs. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) law suit to be heard in U.S. District Court for Montana, Billings Division in late July.

The request for intervener status argues that the Canadian cattle producers have substantial interests in the outcome of this case, and no other party to the proceeding can adequately represent those interests. The CCA represents over 90,000 Canadian beef cattle producers. ABP represents 28,000 cattle producers in the province of Alberta.

The CCA had filed a Motion for Leave to File a Brief Amicus Curiae ("friend of the court") to the District Court in February, but that motion was rejected by the Court. The Court's explanation in ordering a preliminary injunction to delay the border re-opening demonstrates that there is a fundamental lack of information before the Court with respect to BSE controls in Canada and numbers of cattle available. CCA says its amicus curiae brief would have provided this highly relevant information to the Court had it not been denied.

The National Meat Institute, a group representing U.S. meat packers, has already been granted intervener status is the case.