CENTENNIAL COLO. – If it were a separate entity from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (N.C.B.A.), the Federation of State Beef Councils would continue to be a strong checkoff entity but would be free from the influence of any policy organization. That’s the conclusion of a recommendation from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (C.B.B.) Executive Committee this week.

The C.B.B. Executive Committee, acting on a request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, unanimously approved on June 22 a motion recommending separation of the Federation and N.C.B.A.


The motion states: “The Federation should be a strong, independent, checkoff entity. The Federation should be separate from any policy organization, since all funds for the checkoff come from mandatory assessments of producers and importers. The checkoff is owned by, and responsible to, all producers and importers, and no specific organization. It is not the intent of the Executive Committee that this motion has any effect on the structure of state beef councils.”

“This recommendation by no means undermines the role of the Federation as a full partner in checkoff activities,” said Tom Jones, executive committee chairman and a producer in Arkansas. “The Federation division of N.C.B.A. does a tremendous job at managing national checkoff programs.

“We are in no way calling into question the quality of work produced, but because of increased input from industry organizations about the structure of the Federation as a division of a membership organization, we believe the Federation of State Beef Councils should exist independently,” Mr. Jones said. “As N.C.B.A. looks at restructuring its organization, we believe a stronger Federation should be the cornerstone to any changes.”

The recommendation has been forwarded to N.C.B.A. leadership and to U.S.D.A. for consideration.