The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association is defending the beef checkoff program currently being challenged in court. R-CALF filed suit this week in District Court in Montana claiming the assessment is unconstitutional and should only be promoting U.S. produced beef. South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association President Todd Wilkinson says it’s the same old argument that’s been tried before without success. He says the truth is the beef checkoff program is benefitting cattle producers.

He says a majority of cattle producers support the beef checkoff.

Wilkinson says R-CALF is switching its strategy to challenging the beef checkoff program now that they’ve lost on Country of Origin Labeling.

He says R-CALF’s lawsuit is the latest in the long-running dispute with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.