The battle to decode beef check-off dollars continues.
According to recent court documents, millions of dollars from an industry marketing fund is being diverted to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. By law, check-off funds must be used to advertise beef in the U.S. and international markets, and cannot be used for lobbying.
NCBA is a trade and lobby group but it claims funds are only being used for marketing and administrative services. However, state cattle groups say dollars have been misused in the past. In a lawsuit between a group of independent cattle ranchers and the USDA, ranchers want more say in where their checkoff dollars go.
The suit now includes 14 states.
