Subject: Re: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
To be a little more specific - It is just a matter of fact that USDA has the power to control NCBA. Since the USDA must approve the expenditures of NCBA's use of Checkoff funds, USDA effectively controls about 90% of NCBA's budget. Before all the border closures, 18% of checkoff dollars being spent through NCBA were from assessments on foreign meat. With NCBA's pathetically small amount of membership dues added to the checkoff funds, it can be said that NCBA is about 15% funded by imported meat. NCBA claims it is one organization, not two.
If NCBA were two groups instead of one, Monte Reese's comments might carry water. But NCBA keeps telling congress it represents the entire cattle industry. NCBA claims a "dues" side and a "checkoff" side, but it has one president and a complex crossover board of directors that meets as one body and then votes sometimes as the "checkoff side" and sometimes as the "dues side" and sometimes as both. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be found in the same room. Judge Kornman ruled that NCBA, in Mr. Hyde's evil role, stole over $10 million of checkoff dollars and used it for self promotion to justify its own existence. Besides being illegal, it didn't work -- NCBA's membership continues its steady slide.
Don't blame Monte Reese for any of this mess though. NCBA usurped the Cattlemen's Beef Board's authority in 1996 and made Reese a subordinate. Hyde remains, as always, strong and crazy.
H. Clay Daulton
To be a little more specific - It is just a matter of fact that USDA has the power to control NCBA. Since the USDA must approve the expenditures of NCBA's use of Checkoff funds, USDA effectively controls about 90% of NCBA's budget. Before all the border closures, 18% of checkoff dollars being spent through NCBA were from assessments on foreign meat. With NCBA's pathetically small amount of membership dues added to the checkoff funds, it can be said that NCBA is about 15% funded by imported meat. NCBA claims it is one organization, not two.
If NCBA were two groups instead of one, Monte Reese's comments might carry water. But NCBA keeps telling congress it represents the entire cattle industry. NCBA claims a "dues" side and a "checkoff" side, but it has one president and a complex crossover board of directors that meets as one body and then votes sometimes as the "checkoff side" and sometimes as the "dues side" and sometimes as both. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde can be found in the same room. Judge Kornman ruled that NCBA, in Mr. Hyde's evil role, stole over $10 million of checkoff dollars and used it for self promotion to justify its own existence. Besides being illegal, it didn't work -- NCBA's membership continues its steady slide.
Don't blame Monte Reese for any of this mess though. NCBA usurped the Cattlemen's Beef Board's authority in 1996 and made Reese a subordinate. Hyde remains, as always, strong and crazy.
H. Clay Daulton
