A legal challenge is being planned against the Oklahoma Beef Checkoff vote by two out of state activist organizations. R-Calf USA, based in Billings, Montana and the Organization for Competitive Markets, based in Lincoln, Nebraska have plans to file a lawsuit in Oklahoma to stop voting now underway for the secondary state beef checkoff referendum that was authorized earlier this year by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

In a memo dated October 7th, R-Calf updated members and affiliates about plans to initiate a lawsuit against the parties involved with the State Beef Checkoff in Oklahoma.

According to the memo from R-Calf- "Our plan is to file a lawsuit in the state of Oklahoma as quickly as possible to obtain an injunction to stop the Oklahoma Beef Checkoff Referendum on grounds that it violates Oklahoma's Constitution, state statutes and administrative rules.

"We will work with the Organization for Competitive Markets on this to minimize costs to our respective organizations.

"The plaintiffs in the case will not be R-CALF USA and OCM, but will be an Oklahoma R-CALF USA member and an Oklahoma member of OCM. R-CALF USA is looking for an Oklahoma member willing to be a plaintiff. The member from OCM who will be a plaintiff is former Oklahoma State Senator and current rancher Paul Muegge.

The memo then goes on to solicit an "a beef checkoff paying rancher in Oklahoma" willing to be a plaintiff in the effort to stop the Oklahoma Beef Checkoff vote. The memo indicated that R-Calf's goal was to file a lawsuit within ten days (with the clock starting last Saturday).

No details were given as to who might be sued- but since the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture authorized the referendum, it's likely they will be named in any legal action brought forward by the out of state groups.

Click or tap here to read more on these latest efforts by these out of state groups that have ties to anti animal agriculture groups PETA and HSUS

In this week's edition of the Cow/Calf Corner newsletter, Dr. Derrell Peel reviews the latest numbers of the US beef export market year-to-date.

According to Peel's article, increases in the volume of beef exports during the month of August were led by product moved into Japan, with a 39.3 percent increase. Japan claimed a total
30.6 percent share of total beef exports in August.

This week, members of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association are gathering in Amarillo to attend the organization's annual convention. I have made the trip myself to cover the event.

Yesterday, I had the chance to catch up with NCBA President Craig Uden, who brought me up to speed on several of the most pressing issues facing the beef industry, currently. One of which is the progress of trade negotiations being made by the Trump Administration.

Since August, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been under renegotiation. By and large, Uden says the deal has been very beneficial for the ag industry - cattle producers in particular, with a zero percent tariff. However, the longer the negotiations go on, the more potential there is for ag's gains in the trade deal to be compromised. Uden says the industry just wants talks to be done and over with as soon as possible.

"It is a big worry," Uden said, regarding the NAFTA negotiations. "People don't realize the amount of volume that gets traded up and down in Canada - and Mexico is vital to us. It's never a good thing to have those trading partners on edge because what it does is, it makes them start look for other alternatives - and that's never a good option for us."

Uden says that the future of the beef industry will rely on a robust trade portfolio and he believes that if the industry is going to grow, then we need to be working with our closest neighbors to see that realized.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to pull the US out of the KORUS free trade agreement with South Korea. Just recently, the USTR's office and Korean trade officials formally brought the agreement under review. Uden says we can not afford to lose Korea.

Over the weekend, Claremore ag teacher and Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association board member, Matt Boyer, joined me during our "In the Field" segment on KWTV News9.

Boyer and I discussed the OCA's ballot initiative that would establish a secondary Beef Checkoff program. Currently, the voting process has already begun. Up until October 20th, ballots can be requested from the OCA office and must be turned in or at least postmarked by or before October 27th. After that, you can vote in person at your local extension office for one day only - November 1st.

All cattle producers in the state are eligible to vote, regardless of age. As long as you own or sell cattle in Oklahoma, you can vote.

According to Boyer, the additional dollar per head sold, will be collected and managed by the Oklahoma Beef Council and will not be shared with the National Beef Checkoff Program - like the primary Checkoff does. The funds will stay entirely within our state's borders, he says.

And, should the initiative pass and you still do not wish to contribute as a producer, you can request a complete and total refund.

Boyer says the additional money raised through this program will help to further advance the work of the Oklahoma Beef Council to promote beef and support the industry.

To watch our visit from this past weekend, or to listen to our entire off-camera interview for more details on this initiative and for instructions on how to cast your own vote, click over to our website.

For the first time in many years, a new cattle industry organization for the state of Oklahoma is being formed. The effort to establish this new group dubbed the Oklahoma Independent Stock Growers Association, is being led by Andrea Hutchison of the Chain Ranch in Canton. She explained to me that this organization is needed to give likeminded producers a voice in the industry, at a time when they perceive it to be headed in the wrong direction.


"There's a growing concern among independent state producers, that we're kind of losing our voice," she said. "I've watched at-large forces come in, global forces come in - the World Wildlife Fund being a major player - in this drive to squelch our voice."


Hutchison claims the problem started with the creation of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. She believes this and the US Roundtable for Stainable Beef, are "usurping" producers' rights to produce livestock and market them as they see fit. She believes the sustainability movement happening throughout agriculture is being orchestrated through the United Nations, and is being implemented by groups like the USRSB to spread its influence on a grassroots level. Now, she says mainstream cattle industry associations are signing on with collaborative initiatives being promoted by the USRSB - which Hutchison says will ultimately squeeze independent producers out of the market if they do not conform to the rules and regulations of these initiatives.


"I just wrote a resolution and presented it at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association meeting this past summer and - I got beat," Hutchison said, explaining her decision to branch off and form a new group of producers who share her interest. "This is a global beef trust. We can't have foreign law come into the United States, but that's what this is. If you don't comply with the rules and the policy and such that they deem acceptable then they're going to incrementally drive you out of the market."


Hutchison plans to formally get this new organization off the ground with its first official meeting, October 28th at the Chain Ranch Headquarters in Canton, Oklahoma featuring guest speakers and an election of officers. For more information, the group has a presence on Facebook now. Just search for Oklahoma Independent Stock Growers Association.


Listen to Hutchison further explain her position on the state of the beef industry and why she believes there is a need to form a new industry group, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

 

The mood is upbeat at the 2017 TCFA Convention in Amarillo- over 500 feeders and supporters are there- the organization represents feedlots in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Monday- the group heard from their current Chairman Jim Lovell, NCBA President Craig Uden of Nebraska, Ag Futurist Dr. Lowell Catlett and Millennial Expert Jason Dorsey. 

We sat down and talked with several of the newsmakers- including Craig Uden- see the story up higher in the email list- and also got a lot of industry insights from the cattle industry leaders that are there from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and more.

They continue their meeting today- if you want to follow things on Twitter from that meeting- the hashtag is #TCFA50.