News Center

U.S. Lobby
Clarin
July 11, 2008

By Ana Baron

South Dakota Democratic Senator Tim Johnson and Wyoming Republican Senator Mike Enzi yesterday introduced a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate whose goal is to impede the importation of Argentine beef until the USDA can certify that there is no hoof-and-mouth disease in the country.

Although the Department of Agriculture has been evaluating the possibility of allowing Argentine meat from zones in our country where there is no hoof-and-mouth disease, if this law is approved it would prohibit meat from the entire country.

Called "the Hoof-and Mouth Disease Prevention Act of 2008", this bill already has the support of eight senators and, according to an official in Johnson's office, the intention it to introduce it in the House of Representatives as well. The bill is a victory for the U.S. Cattlemen's Association (USCA), a lobby which defends the interests of meat producers, and for ATFA, the American Task Force Argentina, which is made up of the bondholders that fell outside the swap.

Both organizations are working together in the Capitol against the Kirchner government, financed by the vulture funds.

ATFA's executive director, Robert Raben, congratulated USCA for its support of the bill. In a released he emphasized the close relationship that USCA has with ATFA to expose the unjust treatment Argentina has given to U.S. businessmen, investors, taxpayers and consumers.