ISSUES POLICY
Investing in the Future of the Beef Industry
By Pete Bonds, president, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association T
HE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (TDA) RECENTLY ANNOUNCED TEXAS CATTLE PRODUCERS VOTED TO ESTABLISH A STATE-LEVEL BEEF CHECKOFF PROGRAM. THE REFERENDUM
PASSED WITH BROAD SUPPORT AND I BELIEVE THIS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD FOR THE TEXAS BEEF INDUSTRY. Since the U.S. beef checkoff program was established
in 1985, we have seen value added to the beef cattle you and I produce. Lately, however, we have been op- erating under a few disadvantages. Well-funded groups, such as The Humane Society
of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have worked tirelessly to push their anti-meat agenda and tried to put us out of business. Additionally, the drought has caused a reduction in cow herds, which has resulted in lower collections for the national checkoff program. These are some of the reasons I believe the Texas Beef Checkoff is needed. We must face these challenges head-on and make sure we are doing everything possible to promote our product and educate consumers. The Texas Beef Checkoff will help us expand beef
demand and better educate consumers by investing an additional $1 per head into this state checkoff program. The checkoff will be used to extend vital marketing, education and research efforts, which will help us to continue providing a safe, abundant and affordable beef supply. This will not only help us promote beef in Texas, but also in the U.S. and internationally. It is critical that we continue fi nding
tscra.org
ways to enhance current programs and look for oth- ers that will increase the profi tability of Texas cattle producers. I know these extra resources will help us accomplish our goals. The state checkoff referendum was initiated by Texas
cattle producers and will be controlled by the same men and women who work daily to supply the world with quality beef. The Texas Commissioner of Agriculture has appointed producers to manage the program who are men and women with a direct involvement in beef production. It is reassuring to know the decisions on how the checkoff funds will be spent will be made by my fellow Texas cattle producers. The hard work and effort I saw from cattle industry
groups and producers statewide to establish the state beef checkoff was extraordinary. I would like to thank the Independent Cattlemen’s Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas CattleWomen Association, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Association of Dairymen and the Texas Purebred Cattle Alliance for working with TSCRA to make this a reality. I also appreciate the many Texas cattle producers who got out and voted. Your voices were heard. Now we can move forward with implementation this fall. It’s quite simple. If we want to help our industry
thrive, we must invest in the future. I believe the Texas Beef Checkoff program will allow us to build a future that is built to last and I look forward to seeing the positive results.
August 2014 The Cattleman 89
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