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National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall says terminating the beef checkoff would hurt cattlemen. Back in July, two groups, R-CALF USA and the Organization of Competitive Markets, petitioned USDA to terminate the national beef checkoff program. Woodall said the referendum is not about improving the checkoff but rather killing it.

“That’s something that we need to make very clear, the referendum is not about changing the checkoff, or improving the checkoff, the referendum is about killing the checkoff, period.”

Woodall said the referendum doesn’t allow for changes or improvements to be made to the checkoff.

“The way it is set up is, the referendum is a yes or now on continuing the checkoff, period. It’s not, no, unless you change it, or yes, unless you change it, it is yes or no. And unfortunately, those that are pushing for this have not been very upfront and truthful with those that they have gotten to sign the petition.”

Approximately 88,000 signatures would be required for the USDA to establish a new referendum and the most recent data indicates 12,366 submissions have been made at this point.

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