"Thank You" Danni Beer

Montana Cattlemen's Association is pleased that mandatory COOL will officially be implemented September 30, 2008.  This has been a long fought battle that has been met with opposition from NCBA, the packing industry, and importers of cheap foreign cattle and beef.

The perseverance of several individuals and organizations has finally paid off and U.S. cattle producers can now look forward to having their product proudly labeled and displayed in meat cases all around the country.  MCA has been at the forefront of this effort for many years.

Although there have been many individuals who have worked to implement COOL, none have worked harder than United States Cattlemen's Association director Danni Beer of Keldron, South Dakota.  Danni has dedicated hundreds of hours helping to build a COOL coalition and has worked tirelessly with attorneys and legislators reviewing the language of the law and providing comments for the USDA rules.  She has made many trips to Washington D.C. to meet with elected officials and USDA representatives, and she stood tall for U.S. cattlemen going up against AMI, NCBA, foreign country interests, and others who lobbied against U.S. ranchers for the ability to identify their product to consumers.

Montana rancher Leo McDonnell states, "Danni never weakened and with the help of National Farmer's Union went on to put together the largest coalition in the history of this country, which included many industry and consumer groups, to get COOL legislation passed and signed into law.  It never would have happened without her leadership and U.S. cattle producers owe her a huge thank you."