Supreme Court Grants Extension For Filing In Checkoff Case
(DENVER) - Jan. 9, 2004 - The U.S. Supreme Court this week granted a 30-day extension to the U.S. Department of Justice and interveners in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Beef Checkoff Program.
Under the extension, the Department of Justice will have until the end of the day on Feb. 13, 2004, to file a request for writ of certiorari, or a request seeking Supreme Court review of the Livestock Marketing Association’s lawsuit opposing the checkoff program. The previous deadline for filing the request was Jan. 14.
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The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. State beef councils retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA oversight. The checkoff assessment became mandatory when the program was approved by 79 percent of producers in a 1988 national referendum vote. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.
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