Cattle Industry News

"Media reports that the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to halt an Organization of Competitive Markets (OCM) program to promote OCM's competitive marketing project are completely false.

"The OCM has apparently sued the USDA, saying the agency wrongfully closed down its voluntary project funding program. In the news media reports, NCBA is identified as having had an impact on the agency's decision regarding that effort.

"The NCBA never commented on or discussed with USDA the efforts of OCM to institute or implement voluntary assessment programs. However, NCBA did gather information for creating its own auction market voluntary programs to benefit producer-sponsored organizations. In doing so, it contacted the USDA to determine what statutory and regulatory requirements are needed for establishing a voluntary collection process.

"Had the OCM done its homework, it would have come up with the lawful and legal requirements for these kinds of programs on their own. Instead, the organization prefers to blame others for its misfortunes and lack of planning, and NCBA - which knows to go to the overseers of these plans - has become a target for their ire.

"Communications between NCBA and the USDA on this issue are open and available to any interested party who requests it. We encourage media outlets who wish to report the entire story to call us for those documents."

- Statement from Chandler Keys, Vice President of Government Affairs, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Regarding NCBA Involvement in Voluntary Donation Programs to Benefit Sponsored Organizations, July 8, 2004

Last Friday, July 2, 2004, the USDA-APHIS was notified by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, that the inconclusive screening test sample reported June 29 tested negative for BSE upon confirmatory testing. The USDA ramped up testing efforts in June as part of its increased surveillance for BSE. So far, only two animal yielded inconclusive results on the rapid tests and samples were sent to the USDA’s NVSL for immunohistochemistry tests to provide conclusive results. In both cases, the animals turned out negative for BSE. The inconclusive announcements of BSE lead to volatility in the futures market and some criticism of the USDA for releasing those results. However, a USDA spokesperson says the policy will not be changed because the government wants to prevent rumors that could roil the market.

Because of lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Beef Checkoff, assuring consumer demand for beef comes at a high cost. The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors voted, during their June meeting, to establish a matching fund program to provide financial support for beef checkoff litigation.

The lawsuit will be presented to the United States Supreme Court during its next full session, which begins in October 2004 and ends in June 2005. Getting the case to and through the Supreme Court will cost over $700,000 – none of which may be funded through the checkoff itself. MCA will match up to $2,500 total in donations from County Cattlemen’s groups wishing to help support the checkoff.

Two groups have already demonstrated their support of the program by making donations. The Audrain County Cattlemen’s Association and the Benton County Cattlemen’s Association have pledged $500 each toward defending our checkoff.

“We believe that the beef checkoff is very important to the cattle industry,” said Tim Love, President of the Audrain County Cattlemen. “Where else could we invest a dollar per head and receive the kind of return on our investment that we do with the checkoff? There is nothing an individual could do to promote our product for the small amount we send to the checkoff.”

For more information on the checkoff litigation fund, or to make a donation, please contact Brent Bryant at (888) 499-9162 or brent@mocattle.com.

The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will be present at the 2004 National Junior Angus Show, July 12-17 at the American Royal Complex in Kansas City, to promote MCA and NCBA to Angus breeders. Throughout the week, both organizations will highlight membership benefits and association programs.

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July 12-17 National Junior Angus Show, hosted by Missouri Junior Angus Association –

This newsletter is a publication of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. All rights reserved – this newsletter may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without permission of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Did someone forward this message to you? To subscribe yourself, send an email to cattleinfo@mocattle.com.