LAKEVIEW – Oregon Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors from around the state gathered in Lakeview on Sept. 6-7 to discuss cattle issues and do a little “politicking.”

Kevin Mannix was the guest speaker at the Friday night barbecue. He was joined by about 120 cattlemen and other local folks at the fair grounds. The Oregon Cattlemen presented Mannix with a $10,000 check for his campaign for Oregon governor against Democratic challenger Ted Kulongski. Then the crowd came alive by auctioning “one piece” of tri-tip beef over and over again, which raised another $5,000 for the Mannix campaign.

Officer nominations included: Sharon Livingston of Long Creek, treasurer; and district vice presidents Tom Price of Pendleton; Trent Stewart of Madras; John Flynn of Lakeview; and Bill Hoyt of Cottage Grove.

The “packer ban” resolution was introduced by Grant and Lane counties. The “packer ban” would prohibit the four largest cattle processing plants from owning cattle longer than 14 days prior to slaughter. Some believe that by banning packers from owning cattle until just prior to slaughter, the ban would help provide for a more competitive and higher market for ranchers profitability. The resolution failed.

Several legislative concepts will be introduced by the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association for the next legislative session: forbid the sale of water rights, remove the gray wolf from Oregon’s endangered species list, classify wolf hybrids as predators, abolish Oregon’s endangered species act, define “non-point source pollution,” define “science,” and abolish in-stream water rights.