Beef Checkoff Lawsuit

R-Calf United Stock Growers of America CEO, Bill Bullard says they continue to stand their ground as they have filed a lawsuit regarding the US Beef Checkoff Program alleging that USDA did not follow the law in having a public rulemaking process.

“But we have to prove that we have standing in order to sue the government for its wrongdoing and to to prove standing. We have to prove that domestic cattle producers have been injured by the currency Checkoff Program. So we hired an expert, scientific expert, a marketing expert, to conduct a research paper and actually do a survey

via research that our calf USA conducted. They contend that the checkoff funded labels don't promote US beef and instead encourage consumers to purchase lower price beef which is often not US beef and therefore is harming domestic producers.

So this is actually the first scientific analysis of the impact of the Beef Checkoff Program on us cattle producers who are required to pay into the program. And so we're filing a motion for summary judgment in this case, and we are hopeful that the court is going to recognize that the Beef Checkoff Program as it's currently being operated is in fact harming us cattle producers because it is turning deep into a commodity convincing consumers it doesn't matter.”

Adding that US beef is produced under higher standards and is therefore a better product.