Groups seeks checkoff block

Oklahoma members of the Organization for Competitive Markets and R-CALF have asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to issue a declaratory judgement prohibiting the state’s department of agriculture from certifying the state checkoff referendum. The groups allege the referendum is in violation of the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act, would be unauthorized under the Commodity Research Enhancement Act, and would be unconstitutional under the state’s constitution. The referendum would add a $1 state checkoff program in addition to the federal $1 checkoff program. The last day to vote is the in-person voting held on Wednesday, Nov. 1. Mail-in ballots had to be postmarked by Oct. 27.