By Mary Johnson
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday announced he will not move forward with plans to start a second national beef checkoff program. The announcement comes after Congress passed a fiscal 2015 omnibus bill recommending USDA not spend money on a second beef checkoff.
“This is a great victory and a testament to the influence and effectiveness of Federation members,” said Alabama Farmers Federation Beef Division Director Nate Jaeger. “Farmers in Alabama engaged in this issue at the county, state, regional and national levels. They wanted to prevent this top-down approach by USDA to beef promotion, research and education, and Secretary Vilsack responded appropriately.”
Vilsack presented the plan for a second beef checkoff this fall. Since then, Federation President Jimmy Parnell and the Federation’s State Beef Committee joined numerous agriculture organizations in asking Vilsack to withdraw the proposal.
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