It is a pleasure to have been invited to be a participant in the National Youth Livestock Program Ethics Symposium. My comments will be on behalf of the American Angus Association and the U.S. Beef Breeds Council representing 21 beef breeds.

Ethics are important in all walks of life and it is unfortunate that the ethics surrounding our junior exhibitors at livestock shows have been questioned recently.

The beef breed associations want to compliment the leaders working on cleaning up the ethics situation and, specifically, the illegal use of clenbuterol. We want you to know that many of us want to do our part in this effort.

Unfortunately, it has taken the illegal use of clenbuterol to bring us where we are today in recognizing and taking a stand regarding unethical fitting and the use of illegal drugs in the show ring. We compliment all of those who have accepted the challenge to do something about it.

Rules are important and necessary but let’s keep in mind not to make rules just for the sake of making rules. Rules should be easy to understand, fair and fairly administered and enforceable.

Some of you might not like or agree with my next statement and it has to do with the prices paid for market animals at our fairs and shows. Prices should be somewhat above market prices but perhaps the big rewards and extremely high prices have made more rules necessary. Maybe we do not always send the best message - one danger with some of our rules is that the real "professional" or so-called "animal jock" can sometimes find a way around the rule and appear clean as a whistle. The effectiveness of swift and public penalties has been demonstrated.

I would hope that our efforts would include sure and severe penalties for violators and that reciprocal action can be taken by all fairs and shows barring them from showing and also breed association action taken.

I oftentimes feel the REAL and TRUE educational value of our youth programs in 4-H and FFA stops at the county fair level.

Most of the breed associations are not directly involved with the junior market division of our junior shows. However, we are not so naive as to think that this problem has not touched our open and junior breeding shows.

We have our own rules to enforce and experience tells us that when you assume that you have no problem, you very likely do.

The American Angus Association is monitoring all of the actions taken on clenbuterol and unethical fitting very closely. If and when a test is approved that has a percent of accuracy equal to the eyeball test and is affordable I feel certain we will be participating and that other breeds will follow.

In the case of clenbuterol, our hands are somewhat tied because of the eyeball test that the FDA uses. The American Shorthorn Association recently passed a rule stating:

Any exhibitor, and if the exhibitor is a member of the American Junior Shorthorn Association, his or her immediate family will be barred from membership in the American Shorthorn Association and/or American Junior Shorthorn Association and also will be barred from exhibiting Shorthorn cattle at any event sponsored by either organization. This penalty applies to any and all persons who have exhibited an animal of ANY SPECIES at a county, state or independent fair, which has been found by an agency or court to have been tampered with.

The seriousness of using illegal drugs and anabolic steroids is readily apparent. There is no place for these substances in any youth or open show. Not only are they illegal, they can cause serious production problems and oftentimes, death for the animals. They can also cause death for unsuspecting people who consume contaminated meat.

Is any ribbon or trophy worth these repercussions? Is using an illegal substance worth the risk of serving time in prison and the destruction of a reputation? The answer is obvious.

If we work as a team and remain united we can restore the integrity of 4-H and FFA show ring projects to the level they were intended to be.