Beef Checkoff | Montana Judge Rules Program Constitutional | A federal judge ...

Beef Checkoff

Montana Judge Rules Program Constitutional

A federal judge ruled Friday that the national beef checkoff is constitutional, even as similar programs have been struck down by other federal judges as a violation of free speech. U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull's decision came in the case of a Montana ranching couple who refused to pay $1-per-head tax on some cattle and faced more than $12,000 in penalties and past charges. The couple argued that the checkoff violated their rights as independent producers by forcing them to pay for advertising campaigns they didn't necessarily agree with. Half of the money from the checkoff, which yearly collects about $86 million, goes to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board and half to qualified state beef councils. The couple said they plan to appeal.

Japan                                                                                            

All Beef Suppliers Try To Reassure Japanese Consumers Of Beef Safety

While USMEF campaigns to reassure Japanese consumers of the safety of U.S. beef and pork and the BSE-free status of the United States, various Japanese agencies and companies work to convince consumers that Japan’s beef supply is safe. Tokyo’s central wholesale market opened its meat market to the public for two days in October and offered free samples of shabu-shabu and other beef dishes, and meat, ham and sausage products at a 20% discount.

Australia’s Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is running an “Aussie Beef Kid’s Smile Contest,” a contest seeking pictures of Japanese children eating Australian beef dishes as part of its autumn campaign to increase beef consumption. Prizes include trips to Australia. The contest concludes in January.

Meat NZ held a “New Zealand Fair in Fukuoka” in Kyusyu Prefecture for the month of October. Several of Fukuoka’s major hotels offered various special New Zealand beef items on their menus.

Also in Fukuoka, CANBEF held its annual Canadian Beef and Veal Seminar on October 15, inviting Japanese industry people from all sectors to expand sales of Canadian beef and beef products and restore consumers trust in Canadian beef.

To read more about the USMEF response to the BSE crisis, see a September 4, 2002, news release which summarizes the campaign — /TradeLibrary/News02_0904a.asp.