The National Farmers Union has withdrawn from the Beef Check off Working group. The committee was put together made up of several groups to reform the program.  South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke, chairman of NFU’s legislative committee served on the working group. He says they’re frustrated that after three and a half years there’s been no progress on any reforms. Sombke says the Cattlemen’s Beef Board needs to have authority to carry out its own check off projects.

Sombke says another necessary change in the beef check off  is making the program completely refundable and holding a referendum vote on continuing the check off every five years.

Sombke says the NFU legislative committee is recommending that USDA consider rewriting the beef check off program under the 1996 generic research and promotion act.