News

Group drops checkoff-related suit against MDA

The Missouri Rural Crisis Center has dismissed its lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Agriculture about the referendum on whether a new state beef checkoff should be put in place.

A news release from that organization says the suit is dismissed without prejudice with plans to refile after the referendum takes place.  Missouri Rural Crisis Center Communications Director Tim Gibbons tells Brownfield that actions by the Missouri Department of Agriculture were not lawful.

“The way they’ve been doing the process and making the rules have all been behind closed doors without a public comment and rulemaking process,” said Gibbons, in an interview with Brownfield Ag News before the lawsuit’s dismissal was announced.  “And they’ve come up with a new definition for producer, which includes corporate shareholders, which they did behind closed doors without having any input.”

Mike Deering with the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, which favors the state beef checkoff, says the process has not been exclusionary.

“Every group, including those who are opposed to this checkoff, was involved in drafting and making recommendations to that,” Deering told Brownfield, “so it’s  been very open and transparent.”

Voting on the referendum by cattlemen in Missouri begins Monday.

AUDIO: Tim Gibbons (before suit dismissal) (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Mike Deering (4 min. MP3)