Oklahoma Ranchers seeking Supreme Court intervention in State Checkoff Referendum

Two organizations are seeking state Supreme Court intervention to prohibit the certification of the beef checkoff referendum. Last week, members of the Organization for Competitive Markets and R-CALF USA joined to file with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, requesting the court enter declaratory judgement and prohibit the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry from certifying the Oklahoma beef checkoff program referendum. "The legal application is in response to the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association's attempt to create a new Oklahoma state beef checkoff program through a referendum which began on Oct. 2, 2017," according to a joint press release from OCM and R-CALF USA. If passed, the referendum would require all state cattle producers to pay the Oklahoma Beef Council another $1 for each head of cattle sold, according the release. In the current federally mandated beef checkoff program, producers already pay $1. The state referendum then would effectively double state cattle producers' beef checkoff fees by requiring an extra $3.2 million a year. Documents filed with the state Supreme Court outline numerous constitutional and legal irregularities for both the petition signature gathering and election processes, according to the release, saying it creates an "unfair and unjust election." Two organizations are seeking state Supreme Court intervention to prohibit the certification of the beef checkoff referendum. Last week, members of the Organization for Competitive Markets and R-CALF USA joined to file with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, requesting the court enter declaratory judgement and prohibit the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry from certifying the Oklahoma beef checkoff program referendum. "The legal application is in response to the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association's attempt to create a new Oklahoma state beef checkoff program through a referendum which began on Oct. 2, 2017," according to a joint press release from OCM and R-CALF USA. If passed, the referendum would require all state cattle producers to pay the Oklahoma Beef Council another $1 for each head of cattle sold, according the release. In the current federally mandated beef checkoff program, producers already pay $1. The state referendum then would effectively double state cattle producers' beef checkoff fees by requiring an extra $3.2 million a year. Documents filed with the state Supreme Court outline numerous constitutional and legal irregularities for both the petition signature gathering and election processes, according to the release, saying it creates an "unfair and unjust election."...more