NEWS UPDATE - 2002

U.S. Express Mail - Shipping Crisis Update

UPDATE: January 18, 2002

GOOD NEWS – Shippers can ship birds and customers will receive them.

Just to bring you up-to-date on "where we are" as to Phase II of the effort to establish a permanent legislative solution to the air transport of day-old chicks, adult birds and other animals, the following activates are underway.

As you are aware, the President signed the “Phase I” legislation on November 12, 2001 that provided interim relief to the problem and will be operative until June 30, 2002. In the meantime, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has informed us that the negotiations with the airlines for the "reasonable surcharge" provided in the legislation have proceeded and the new rates should be in place this month. The industry provided input to the USPS and, although we have not been informed of the exact charges, we are told, "the industry should not be disappointed in the results." Further, negotiations are also being conducted by the USPS with the airlines for postal contracts that will include the referenced surcharge for air transport "of shipments of day-old poultry and such other live animals as postal regulations all to be transmitted as mail matter." Consequently, as a practical matter, the contacts for airmail will go beyond the June 30th date. As we all agree, a permanent legislative solution is necessary so that the problem will not become one again in the future.

In that regard, legislation has been drafted and is currently under review by various entities that seek to ship live animals by air transport as well as staff in the Congress. An informal organization has been formed in Washington of representatives of organizations and industry that are interested in having such legislation passed in this Session of the Congress. Included in the coalition are representatives of dog and cat organizations, the agro-business community, the bio-medical research groups, sportsmen's organizations, the pet industry, and other specific entities interested in shipping live species by air transport such as fish and bee interests.

In order to counter the false claims on mortality in the shipment of live animals made by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the Peoples' Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other animal rights organizations in the previous legislative battle, a mortality study has been undertaken to compile as much factual information on this subject as possible to present 
to the Members and staff in the Congress. 

All post offices should now accept birds for shipment and have been informed as such by the USPS. Anyone currently having problems with their local post offices or airlines should contact: the Distribution Networks Managers for their areas.

1. New York Metro Area (Metro New York, & New Jersey, PR & US Virgin Islands.)

Stuart Gossoff - 646-473-3700

2. Northeast Area (Maine, NE corridor, [CT, RI, MS, NH, VT] New York State)

Jack O'Neill - 860-285-7062

3. Capital Metro Area (Washington Dc, VA, Baltimore)

Joe Lennon - 301-618-4401

4. Eastern Area (NC, SC, MD, PA some OH and some KY)

James Hull - 412-494-2610

5. Great Lakes Area (IL, IN, MI, some of MO)

Al Brown - 630-539-4803

6. Western Area (WA-OR-ID-MT-ND-SD-WI-MN-WY-CO-NM-AZ-AK-UT-NV-KS-MO)

Donald Dietz - 303-391-5152

7. Pacific Area (CA, HI and pacific possessions)

Diane Guiuan - 650-615-7141

8. Southwest Area (TX, LA, OK)

Michael Craig - 214-819-8801

9. Southeast Area (GA, FL, AL, MS, KY, TN)

Paul McDermott - 770-390-5910

Again, folks, the grass-roots effort on Phase I was extremely effective and, we believe, the success in obtaining the Phase I legislation can be directly traced to that circumstance. In the face of opposition from the airlines (with the wife of Senator Tom Dachel, the Majority Leader in the Senate, being a lobbyist for Northwest Airlines that undoubtedly made for interesting "pillow talk" during the pending legislative effort), the airline's trade association, and the animal rights crowd, your collective grass roots response "carried the day." To be successful Phase II, your able assistance once more will certainly be required. With your continued commitment, we sincerely believe we can, and will be, ultimately successful.

Sincerely,
Murray McMurray
Chairman

BIRD SHIPPERS OF AMERICA
PO BOX 458
WEBSTER CITY, IOWA 50595
515-832-3280

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