Montana Cattlemen's Association
Press Release
Release Date: November 15, 2005
Contact person: John Lockie
Executive Director
(406) 628-2230
Email: [email protected]
CHECKOFF REVISION
Montana Cattlemen's Association and R-CALF USA held their 4th Annual Cattlemen's Day in Billings on November 11 & 12. Members of both organizations came to Cattlemen's Day with the checkoff program on their minds. There has been much talk around the country on the need to re-evaluate the checkoff, particularly in view of the recent Supreme Court decision declaring the checkoff to be "government speech".
Dennis McDonald, chairman of the MCA checkoff committee, submitted a sweeping proposal designed to make the checkoff work for grassroots family producers. It was emphasized that the proposal was NOT intended to kill the program, but rather an effort to reform the program to make it more responsive to U.S. cattle producers.
The checkoff proposal was adopted by the membership present at the MCA meeting and will now be forwarded to full membership for final approval. The resolution calls for the following reforms:
1. Check-off dollars be used to promote only USA beef from cattle born, raised, and processed in the United States of America.
2. A periodic vote on the check-off program (every five years).
3. Prohibit any one cattle organization from serving as the "prime contractor" for the program, but allow all cattle organizations to participate in approved projects on a case-by-case basis.
4. Reform the National Beef Board to reflect proportional representation from all national cattle organizations.
5. Allow for check-off expenditures to protect USA beef and cattle from unfair trade practices and to protect the U.S. cattle herd from import practices which threaten cattle herd health and beef consumers.
6. Allow check-off expenditures to promote branded products from small and large packing entities.
7. Provide that 70% of all funds collected remain in the state where collected, and 30% to the National Beef Board.
8. Provide an exemption for producers contributing equal or greater funds into a private sector self- help effort.
Brett DeBruycker, President of MCA, notes that he is pleased that MCA is poised to lead a national effort on the checkoff. He points out that Montana's Farmers Union, South Dakota Stockgrowers, and Northern Plains Resource Council have already passed similar policy. Cattle organizations from North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Washington were also in attendance and plan to consider similar policy. DeBruycker expresses optimism that the cattle industry will support reform of the checkoff program and will be unified when the industry meets again at the R-CALF USA convention in Denver on January 18, 2006.
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Press Release
Release Date: November 15, 2005
Contact person: John Lockie
Executive Director
(406) 628-2230
Email: [email protected]
CHECKOFF REVISION
Montana Cattlemen's Association and R-CALF USA held their 4th Annual Cattlemen's Day in Billings on November 11 & 12. Members of both organizations came to Cattlemen's Day with the checkoff program on their minds. There has been much talk around the country on the need to re-evaluate the checkoff, particularly in view of the recent Supreme Court decision declaring the checkoff to be "government speech".
Dennis McDonald, chairman of the MCA checkoff committee, submitted a sweeping proposal designed to make the checkoff work for grassroots family producers. It was emphasized that the proposal was NOT intended to kill the program, but rather an effort to reform the program to make it more responsive to U.S. cattle producers.
The checkoff proposal was adopted by the membership present at the MCA meeting and will now be forwarded to full membership for final approval. The resolution calls for the following reforms:
1. Check-off dollars be used to promote only USA beef from cattle born, raised, and processed in the United States of America.
2. A periodic vote on the check-off program (every five years).
3. Prohibit any one cattle organization from serving as the "prime contractor" for the program, but allow all cattle organizations to participate in approved projects on a case-by-case basis.
4. Reform the National Beef Board to reflect proportional representation from all national cattle organizations.
5. Allow for check-off expenditures to protect USA beef and cattle from unfair trade practices and to protect the U.S. cattle herd from import practices which threaten cattle herd health and beef consumers.
6. Allow check-off expenditures to promote branded products from small and large packing entities.
7. Provide that 70% of all funds collected remain in the state where collected, and 30% to the National Beef Board.
8. Provide an exemption for producers contributing equal or greater funds into a private sector self- help effort.
Brett DeBruycker, President of MCA, notes that he is pleased that MCA is poised to lead a national effort on the checkoff. He points out that Montana's Farmers Union, South Dakota Stockgrowers, and Northern Plains Resource Council have already passed similar policy. Cattle organizations from North Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Washington were also in attendance and plan to consider similar policy. DeBruycker expresses optimism that the cattle industry will support reform of the checkoff program and will be unified when the industry meets again at the R-CALF USA convention in Denver on January 18, 2006.
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