The acronym stands for the Western Organization of Resource Councils, a private advocacy organization representing some western ranchers who want USDA to play a more prominent regulatory role in live cattle markets. In 1996, WORC submitted a controversial petition calling on the Department to initiate rulemaking to limit most forward contracting and cattle feeding by meat packers. The Department published the petition for public comment in January 1997 but, as of early 1999, had not decided on whether to issue such a rule, which is opposed by packers and many cattlemen themselves.