Search Results for: ncba

USDA Hides Thousands More Beef Checkoff Spending Records

OCM Staff

One week after GAO urges transparency, USDA continues to conceal checkoff information LINCOLN, NE – On November 27, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was required to submit to the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) additional information related to an audit initiated in 2011 of the federal Beef Checkoff Program. USDA confirmed that it has in its possession more than 10,000 pages of additional beef checkoff spending records, but refuses to disclose them. This revelation comes just Read More …

10 reasons to vote “No” on the Oklahoma beef checkoff increase

OCM Staff

The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association is holding a referendum to double the beef checkoff tax assessed on cattle producers. In-person voting takes place on November 1, 2017 at Oklahoma County Extension Offices. The election process has been controversial, with many constitutional and illegal irregularities. On behalf of our Oklahoma membership, the Organization for Competitive Markets urges a “No” vote for the following reasons: It’s throwing good money after bad. The fee increase would raise an additional $3 million to Read More …

Drovers | Family Farm Action Unveiled at OCM Conference

OCM Staff

Drovers By Greg Henderson, Editorial Director Vowing to fight what it calls the “economic power that a few multi-national corporations have over family farmers and rural America,” the non-profit Family Farm Action was launched today during the Organization for Competitive Markets conference in Kansas City, Mo. Family Farm Action is described as “a new political organization” that will “fight for America’s family farmers and rural communities,” the group announced in a press release. Specifically, the new non-profit seeks to “protect Read More …

Fowl Play Results in Stolen Identity

OCM Staff

By Vaughn Meyer, OCM Director In 2015, U.S. cattlemen were victim to the $20 billion dollar identity theft initiated in large part by that so-called superficial producer/devious packer organization known as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Many ranchers were just beginning to recover from the game rule changes which eliminated $400 plus cow/calf profits and created whopping $200 per carcass packer margins in less than six months after the death of U.S. County of Origin Labeling (COOL). Read More …

OCM Calls on President Trump to Renegotiate Beef Trade Deal with China

OCM Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 12, 2017 Media Contact: Angela Huffman, 614-390-7552 ahuffman@competitivemarkets.com OCM Calls on President Trump to Renegotiate Beef Trade Deal with China Deal puts U.S. farmers and ranchers at a disadvantage to foreign imported beef LINCOLN, NE – Pointing to the provisions of the trade deal that will allow U.S. beef exports to China, the Organization for Competitive Markets today called on the Trump Administration to renegotiate the deal to ensure it does not put U.S. Read More …

Exploring the “My” in My Beef Checkoff

OCM Staff

By Vaughn Meyer with Angela Huffman In 1984, U.S. cattle producers voted to establish the Beef Checkoff Program as a means to promote their own product, U.S. beef. From the very beginning the beef checkoff was touted as a producer self-help program financed by all producers through a dollar per head assessment on every animal sold. From the very beginning cattle producers began questioning the underlying motive of their checkoff.  It soon became apparent that importers, retailers and Read More …

POLITICO | The Next GIPSA Question

OCM Staff

POLITICO Morning Agriculture A daily briefing on agriculture and food policy By JASON HUFFMAN 04/12/17 10:00 AM EDT With help from Jenny Hopkinson and Eric Wolff THE NEXT GIPSA QUESTION: Now that the USDA has agreed to again push back the effective date of its controversial Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s interim final rule, the next action to watch is how commenters respond to the question asked on a new proposed rule, Colin Woodall, the National Cattlemen’s Read More …

Beef Magazine | GIPSA rule delayed, additional comment period opened

OCM Staff

Beef Magazine By Burt Rutherford USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration once again postpones implementation of its controversial rule. In an announcement that drew cheers from some quarters of the beef business and consternation from others, the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is delaying the effective date of its interim Farmer Fair Practices final rule an additional six months to Oct. 19, 2017, to allow additional comments and giving the new Ag Secretary time to consider Read More …