Ag organizations are pushing back against a proposed amendment by U.S. Representative Victoria Spartz (R- IN) to prohibit federal funding from going to commodity checkoff programs. The groups say her amendment to the 2024 USDA appropriations bill is “frivolous” and a waste of congressional time, since checkoff programs are not funded by taxpayers.
“Representative Spartz’s amendment targets programs like the Beef Checkoff and is a direct attack on America’s farmers and ranchers,” National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Policy Division Vice Chair Tim Schwab says. “The Beef Checkoff conducts critical nutrition and food safety research, strengthens consumer demand for beef, and helps farms and ranchers stay in business. I hope Representative Spartz withdraws her amendment and sides with Indiana agriculture over animal rights activists.”
The American Soybean Association (ASA), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the Indiana Beef Cattle Association (IBCA) joined the NCBA in issuing a public statement condemning the amendment. ASA President Daryl Caste says he was surprised to learn of the Spartz amendment, noting that only 708 of his organization’s more than 500,000 soybean farmers requested a vote on continuing the Soy Checkoff when it was last considered in 2019.
“That means hundreds of thousands of farmers continue to support the Soy Checkoff,” Caste says. “They understand the significant role the checkoff plays in developing and protecting markets for their crops, conducting research and promotion to sustain their livelihoods and the environment, and keeping U.S. soy available domestically and competitive globally.”
During a recent interview, Representative Spartz defended her amendment, contending that ag checkoff programs lack oversight and transparency. While acknowledging that federal money does not go to checkoff programs, she said that mandatory checkoff payments equate to a farming tax. She believes Congress should have oversight so that legislators and farmers know more about what the checkoff programs are doing.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
The article lays out the most salient points of why farmers/ranchers overwhelmingly support the self-funded checkoff programs. Yours truly is also a huge supporter of farmer/rancher developed, voted and funded checkoff programs. I helped in the creation of over a dozen of them while serving as the Director of Agriculture in Michigan. They help fund valuable research, education and promotional programs for various commodities, both domestically and overseas, in most instances. Many new products, innovations for farmers/ranchers, and expansion of markets have been a direct result of these industry- funded programs. And, they do have extensive oversight from either the state Department of Agriculture, if they are state programs, or from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, if they are national programs. The amount of scrutiny they receive, especially the national programs, is almost overwhelming. Representative Spartz might be better served to find a different pony to ride – this one doesn’t need any attention. But you, on the other hand, should pay attention to farmers/ranchers in your area by putting your truck inventory on AgTruckTrader.com!
