Current Cattle Market Daily Headlines: Thursday July 9, 2020

Mackenzie Johnston

6 years ago

Cattle industry launches petition calling for beef checkoff referendum

On July 2^nd, several individual ranchers, farm and ranch groups, including R-CALF USA, formally launched a national petition requesting a nationwide referendum on the termination of the Beef Promotion and Research Order, also known as the Beef Checkoff Program.
The petition calls for the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a referendum for an up or down vote on the termination of the Beef Checkoff Program.
The petition states that at least 88,269 eligible U.S. cattle producers are needed to sign the petition. Eligible producers can sign the petition from now until July 1^st, 2021.
“This is the first step in reclaiming cattle producers’ independence from the government mandated beef checkoff program that has been taxing our industry to fund the government’s speech for over 30 years,” said R-CALF USA Checkoff Committee Chair Vaughn Meyer.

JBS is investing $4 million in Nebraska to support local communities as part of its new “Hometown Strong” initiative.
This investment is part of a $120 million global social commitment, $50 million of which is dedicated to the United States.
Omaha and Grand Island will be receiving the investment as they both have JBS beef packing facilities.
The goal is to improve local infrastructure, alleviate food insecurity, and support coronavirus emergency response efforts among other projects.
JBS employs more than 4,300 people in Nebraska with an annual payroll of over $190 million.