Wyoming cattlemen host lunch for state legislators

Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming (ICOW) hosted a legislative luncheon for the Wyoming legislators, Tuesday, February 13, 2019 at the Jonah Building, in Cheyenne. Eight ICOW members hosted approximately 75 legislators. In exchange for a delicious beef brisket meal, several legislators heard about concerns from Wyoming ranchers. It was noted that the lunch was not petri-dish grown ‘meat’, but actual beef. ICOW members spoke about the Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL) issue where beef and poultry are the two main exclusions from the consumer’s knowledge to know where their food comes from. Also, with the new issues of “fake meat” being identified, COOL is even more important than ever for such items as hamburger. Currently, a lot of the “fake meat” is not grown in this country. Tax issues were discussed, as well as HB 0235 which changed the word from “dog” to “animal.” The reason this was a problem for ranchers is it says that it is a crime to own an animal “for gain causes or allows any animal to fight with another animal.” Most ranchers own cattle for gain or they’d not stay in business long. There is no way to keep bulls from fighting out in the pasture. If members have other legislative concerns, they need to contact their district director. For more information on your district, go to http://www.icowwy.org