Category: Checkoff Program Reform

The Truth About the Power of Agri-Business Corporations

Mike Callicrate

(00:00) Independent and natural family ranchers are forced to pay for their own demise through a government “tax” transferred to multi-national meat processors. Resistance is futile? The beef checkoff program forces small ranchers to pay into a fund that enables multi-national beef processors to divert other money into lobbying that destroys independent ranchers. It is as if you had to pay a portion of your pay so management can eliminate your job. It’s unfair and Congress sustains it Read More …

Big Beef

Mike Callicrate

Independent ranchers and animal rights activists don’t agree about much, except that it’s time to stop using federal tax dollars to support the meat lobby. By Siddhartha Mahanta | New America Foundation Imagine if the federal government mandated that a portion of all federal gas taxes go directly to the oil industry’s trade association, the American Petroleum Institute. Imagine further that API used this public money to finance ad campaigns encouraging people to drive more and turn up Read More …

Latest Chapter in Beef Checkoff Saga; USDA OIG Relents

Fred Stokes

A letter dated November 4, 2013 from USDA Office of Inspector General contained some very welcome news, specifically: “…your FOIA appeal is granted”. For some time OCM’s legitimate request for material relating to a particular OIG audit had met with what could best be described as evasion and stalling. But, unlike previous correspondence from this agency, this letter was signed personally by the Inspector General, Phyllis K. Fong. Background: Back in July of 2010, an outside independent audit Read More …

Our Way or the Highway

Richard Oswald

No one knows why James Hunter left his family for a two year gold prospecting tour in them thar hills. All we really know is a remote branch of the family tree once broke loose from his Missouri roots for the California Gold Rush. Maybe James wanted respite from routine … or plain old adventure. Or maybe he had gold fever. He found gold, probably not the bonanza he wanted, but when James returned there was just enough Read More …

It’s Called Stealing – What Big Retailers and Meat Packers are Doing to Cattlemen

Mike Callicrate

Fifteen years ago, in responding to the question of why producers were receiving so little for their livestock, Dr. John Helmuth (economist, meat industry expert, and longtime critic of meat industry consolidation) said, “There is an economic term to describe this phenomenon: It is called stealing.” Compared to a competitive time in the industry in the 1970’s, the monopoly power of the big retailers and meat packers has left today’s cattle producers nearly $600 per head short of Read More …

It is important that companies like Tyson Foods know that we are watching them

Mike Callicrate

“Mike (Callicrate) … again we are stronger when we are together taking these issues on … we don’t fear any of these groups, we will fight for these values and that is why we will stand up very proudly with you all you guys” – Wayne Pacelle, President and Chief Executive Officer of The HSUS speaking in reference to “Zilmax is particularly offensive in a lot of ways to eaters and producers” – Mike Callicrate, President of the Read More …

One of the greatest examples of animal disassociation is industrialized agriculture

Mike Callicrate

“I will tell you right here today and will say it a thousand times all over the country we don’t want fewer farmers . . . we want more farmers – more farmers means more connections to the animals – it means that there are more custodians, more stewards, more people who know about farming”, Wayne Pacelle, President and Chief Executive Officer of The HSUS speaking at the 2013 Organization for Competitive Markets “Voices Rising From The Land” Read More …

OCM Says They’ll Take OIG To Court Over Beef Check Off Information

Mike Callicrate

Posted on August 13, 2013 | Tom Riter, WNAX Radio 570 Listen to interview: [audio:https://www.competitivemarkets.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/mikecallicrateonocmconventionresultsandissues8-12-2013-3.mp3] Organization for Competitive Market members just wrapped up their convention in Kansas City and are pushing for getting NCBA removed as a contractor for the beef checkoff. OCM President Mike Callicrate says they’re also going after the cattlemen’s group for alleged misuse of check off funding. He says they’ll be taking the Office of Inspector General to Court in order to receive information Read More …