OCM Challenges NCBA and its Cohorts to Debate GIPSA Rules

LINCOLN, NE –  The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) sent a letter today to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), and National Chicken Council (NCC) challenging them to a series of debates over the merits of the newly released GIPSA Farmer Fair Practices Rules. All three industrialized agriculture trade organizations have denounced these rules which clearly benefit America’s family farmers and ranchers. OCM has worked toward the implementation of meaningful GIPSA rules for Read More …

NCBA distorts the truth; OCM sets the record straight

In recent press statements, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has made false statements regarding the beef checkoff audits. Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) would like to set the record straight. In 2010, the Clifton Gunderson Accounting Firm performance review commissioned by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, examined small number of expenditures and personnel time cards over a 29-month period ending in 2010. Irregularities were uncovered which resulted in the NCBA having to return to the National Beef Board more Read More …

OCM Responds to NCBA’s Attempt to Cover Up Abuses of Beef Checkoff Funds

On Friday, September 30, 2016, attorneys for the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) filed their response in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to the National Cattleman Beef Association’s (NCBA) late attempt to intervene in a case filed by OCM to obtain records from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) related to Beef Checkoff Program activities. In October of 2014, OCM filed the original complaint for injunctive relief, demanding the OIG for the U.S. Department Read More …

NCBA Files to Keep Up the Cover-Up of Abuses of Beef Checkoff Funds

On Tuesday, in a desperate move to conceal the truth about how cattlemen’s Beef Checkoff funds have been spent, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed a late claim to intervene in a case that has been ongoing for nearly two years and on an issue that the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) has been pursuing for over five years. In October of 2014, OCM filed the original complaint for injunctive relief, demanding the Office of Inspector General Read More …

MO Bad News: NCBA, cattlemen’s worst nightmare, wants $1 increase in Beef Tax

Mike Callicrate owner of Callicrate Cattle Co. was recently interviewed by George Sholtz with Big Country 99 The Rooster (KUNQ) Assumed by its name to be an advocate for the cattle industry, the NCBA is actually the independent cattlemen’s worst nightmare and now want to increase the Missouri Beef Checkoff to $2. With its control of the Beef Checkoff Program, the NCBA is: Undermining every effort to restore competition to U.S. livestock markets. Facilitating trade agreements that are Read More …

NCBA is the cattlemen’s worst nightmare

Download the poster to print and share! Assumed by its name to be an advocate for the cattle industry, the NCBA is actually the independent cattlemen’s worst nightmare. With its control of the Beef Checkoff Program, the NCBA is: Leading the attack against country of origin labeling (COOL) Undermining every effort to restore competition to U.S. livestock markets. Facilitating trade agreements that are lowering our U.S. food safety standards. Click here for the real history

Reform the Beef Checkoff Program: Terminate the NCBA gravy train!

Secretary Vilsack has proposed a new Beef Checkoff Program, which is in addition to the current one which will remain as is. As I understand it, three years after the new program goes into effect there would be a referendum to see if Checkoff payers liked it. In the meantime, the present program would continue and NCBA would presumably continue its lock on the contracting process for the current (mandatory) program and thereby receive more than 80% of Read More …

The NCBA Beef Checkoff Contract: A Blatant, Fundamental and Egregious Conflict of Interest

To my bitter disappointment, the many efforts at reform of the cattle markets over the past 16 years have been frustrated by meatpackers and their minions. Chief minion has been the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). This organization is believed by many to be on the side of beef cattle producers. However, it has opposed every major market reform initiative; most notably the ban on packer ownership of cattle, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and putting the teeth Read More …