STATEMENT BY NCBA REGARDING EFFORTS BY CATTLEMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS TO PREVENT BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPH

The cattlemen’s organizations of the North and Central American countries have pledged to work together - and with government and industry partners - to ensure appropriate measures to prevent foreign animal disease are in place and enforced. The pledge (see attached) was developed during a September 7 meeting of the representatives, from all countries, in Mexico. The meeting was an outgrowth of April 2001 discussions between U.S. and Mexican cattlemen. A copy of the statement is attached.

At the April 20, 2001, meeting of the NCBA and the Confederacion Nacional Ganadera (CNG), Lynn Cornwell (NCBA President) and Joaquin Ponce de Leon (CNG Secretary), signed an agreement expressing the intent of the organizations to keep North America free of foot-and-mouth disease and other foreign animal diseases. Among the action items from the April 20, meeting were:

Strengthen the buffer zone between Central America and South America.

Invite representatives from cattlemen’s associations in all Central American countries to the next quarterly meeting to discuss preventative measures.

STATEMENT BY

The Leadership of the Cattlemen’s Organizations of the North and Central American Countries Regarding Efforts to Prevent BSE and FMD in Our Region

September 7, 2001

We are committed to working with and among our respective governments, the feed industry, the rendering industry, processors and veterinarians to ensure full compliance with all measures designed to prevent BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), Foot and Mouth Disease and other exotic animal diseases.

We pledge to work together to ensure our countries continue to have in place and strictly enforce restrictions against imports from high risk countries to keep these diseases out of the North and Central American region.

We also support full compliance with all health and feed manufacturing regulations designed to prevent the potential introduction of these diseases.

Further, we support active, diligent and fully coordinated inspection, education and emergency preparedness systems in all countries in our region to ensure, through strict enforcement and appropriate financial incentives for producers and the governments of our countries, as necessary, a harmonized defense protocol to maintain the existing safety and wholesomeness of beef, other meats and dairy products as well as the health of our herds.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association of United States - Dana Hauck (Signed)

Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas de México - Joaquin Ponce de Leòn (Signed)

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association - Arno Doerksen (Signed)

Corporación Ganadera de Costa Rica - Dr. Rony Chaves (Signed)

Asociación Nacional de Ganaderos de Panamá - José Manuel Pérez

Federación Nacional de Agricultores y Ganaderos de Honduras - Jacobo Regalado (Signed)

Consejo Nacional de Asociaciones Ganaderas de Guatemala - Neri Ortiz (Signed)

Belize Livestock Producers Association - Fred Hunter Sr. (Signed)

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Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is the trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.