WASHINGTON – The Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board recently proposed that it wants to decrease its membership.

The US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing downsizing the board to 99 members from 101 members. 

The Beef Promotion and Research Order requires the board's size to change with shifts in cattle inventory levels. Federal law mandates that a state or unit must have an inventory of 500,000 head of cattle to be represented on the board and is entitled to an additional member for each additional 1 million head of cattle.

According to numbers on the Federal Register, the state of Idaho would gain one member. Montana and Pennsylvania would lose a member.

The agency made the proposed changes due to varying cattle inventories since the last board reapportionment in July 2020.

The AMS proposal calls for domestic cattle producer representation on the board to decrease to 92 from 96, and importer representation to be at seven members.

The revised board membership would be effective with nominations during this year for appointments effective in early 2024.