Last week, three cattle groups including the Organization for Competitive Markets, R-CALF and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association met in Florida to talk about reforms to the beef industry. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the nation’s largest cattle group chose not to attend. NCBA’s Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says they opted out because of what he calls OCM’s partnership with anti-animal agriculture activist groups like the HSUS.

He says NCBA continues to work for America’s cattle producers on several different issues to help the overall industry but refuses to negotiate with radical animal agriculture activist organizations.

Lane says while NCBA’s concern is with O-C-M and their connection to the activists, they’re not against cattle producers meeting to talk about industry concerns from the other groups.

The three groups that met in Florida back beef checkoff reforms, mandatory country of origin labeling and a breakup of the big four meatpacking companies.