News

R-CALF requesting investigation into false New World screwworm report

The president and CEO of R-CALF USA is requesting a federal investigation into a suspected false report that New World screwworm was detected in the U.S.

Bill Bullard tells Brownfield that there is currently too much at risk in the markets. “We need to maintain the integrity of our markets, and we need to make sure that no one out there is making false reports with the intention of financially benefiting from the market,” he says.  “Which, of course, would be to the detriment of all legitimate cattle traders and those who sell cattle in the cash market.”

Last week, a media outlet reported that NWS was detected on a cattle operation in Missouri. While the post was online for a short period of time, it triggered a sell-off in the markets. 

Bullard says if the false report was made with the intention to adversely impact the marketplace, “Then it’s actionable under the law.”  He says, “We don’t know any more than what we’ve read in news reports, and that’s why we called for the investigation.”

R-CALF USA sent a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement requesting an investigation into the origin of the report.

Both the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have stated that the rumors were unfounded, and not true.

AUDIO: Bill Bullard on request for CFTC investigation