Check off committee says separate NCBA and Federation of State Beef Councils

Washington Ag Today June 25, 2010 The 11-member Cattlemen’s Beef Board executive committee has voted unanimously to recommend complete separation between the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Federation of State Beef Councils. The Washington Beef Commission is part of federation.

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Vice Chair Tom Jones says the CBB believes the Federation of State Beef Councils, which overseas state check off investments at the national level, should exist independently from NCBA or any other policy organization.

Jones: “An independent organization with not a huge staff or anything but just the ability to take those federation dollars and use them for the benefit of all producers in the country and with a complete and transparent structure.”

Jones says it was USDA that asked the check off board to weigh in on an NCBA proposal to exert more influence on beef check off decision making by a closer working relationship with the federation. The NCBA has expressed disappointment with the vote.

A coalition of beef check off stakeholders led by the American Farm Bureau, National Farmers Union and Livestock Marketing Association, strongly oppose the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s new proposed governance structure.

Washington state is receiving 2.9 million dollars from the USDA for excellence in administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. Washington’s award is for one of the best payment accuracy rates in what used to be called the Food Stamp Program.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.