Agricultural News
OCA's Michael Kelsey Says Oklahoma Considering State Beef Checkoff
Fri, 29 May 2015 17:54:52 CDT
Increasing the national beef checkoff assessment might be tougher sell in today's political climate in Washington D.C. Political consultant Chandler Keys thinks it would be dangerous to reopen the 1985 Beef Promotion Act and has advised cattlemen to think of another route to increase funding for promotion, education and research. He recommended cattle states work to pass a state beef checkoff into law to supplement the current federal beef checkoff.
Some states have already done that like Texas. With authorization from the state legislature, Oklahoma is also looking at that as an option as well. Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey said they have begun meeting with those entities and organizations involved. He said right now they are trying to refine what they would present to the countryside to cattle producers in regards to the assessment level, what the state checkoff would be able to do and how the assessment would be collected. He is hoping to be able to present a petition outlining those aspects in the near future for Oklahoma to consider, but a lot needs to happen between now and then. The timeline is very flexible, so at the very earliest there could be state vote in the spring of 2016. Kelsey that would be pretty aggressive in getting that accomplished.
Agricultural groups are also starting their planning and preparations for the 'Right to Farm' initiative that will on the ballot in November 2016 to be voted on by Oklahomans. At that time, there will also be a Presidential election, along with state Senate and House races as well. Kelsey said it's time for agriculture to pull together in a "Vote Yes" campaign. In addressing cattle producers, he said it's time to gear up to vote.
"We need 'yes' votes, so first and foremost be prepared to go to the ballot box and vote 'yes'," Kelsey said.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays recently caught up with Michael Kelsey. Click or tap on the LISTENBAR below to listen to today's Beef Buzz feature.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
