I think what is very different in the U.S. versus either Ottawa or other countries, where the traditional diplomatic means maybe work a little better, is that in the U.S. Congress, every congressman and senator is basically independent. Sure, there are some party-line votes and that sort of thing, but they can all introduce bills, and all those bills can move. On the way they can introduce amendments, you have to be on top of all of them and have relationships established.
So we try to be very active at the state level, the local level. We have found that by the time issues get to Washington, it's too late, because the congressman or senator is going to vote the way the people back home want them to vote. I try to go to a lot of PNWER conferences, state cattle meetings, and local meetings.
A couple of days ago I was down at the Texas Cattle Feeders, and they had a panel with Safeway and Food Lion. They were saying very similar things to the gentleman who was in Boise. It has cost them billions of dollars, with no benefit to consumers. They said they've received basically no food safety comments. There's been very little curiosity from their customers. Think of the millions of customers those two organizations have, yet they've received fewer than 100 questions or comments. So you have to wonder.
But that's the opportunity you get when you meet folks like that. We need to take advantage of those relationships and basically give them some homework to do. So that's what we try to do in the U.S.
On an issue like country-of-origin labelling, I think we'll eventually turn the tide by working with those organizations and the cattle organizations that are against it. Texas Cattle Feeders are very much opposed to country-of-origin labelling, because they feel that eventually it's going to cost them some of their members. Some large feed lots will probably not be able to compete in the long run because of a law like that. It adds costs but has no benefit.