A coalition of bipartisan senators recently reintroduced the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, which would reform all checkoff programs.
The bill was introduced by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). There is a companion bill in the House of Representatives, which is also sponsored by a bipartisan group of congressmembers.
“Efforts to secure a producer referendum vote have failed throughout the Beef Checkoff program’s 35-year long history,” said a statement from Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund USA Checkoff Committee Chair Vaughn Meyer. “This is an example of how producer-funded checkoff programs have evolved into mandatory government programs with little to no producer guidance or representation.”
