OFF Act Would Silence Producers, Not Help Them

A South Dakota state representative recently claimed that the national Beef Checkoff has failed cattle producers and supports the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act as the solution. But let’s be honest, this bill would do far more harm than good. As a South Dakota cattle producer who values facts over rhetoric, I feel it’s important to set the record straight.

The Beef Checkoff is not the reason we’ve seen fewer cattle producers since 1985. Every major industry has consolidated — banking, airlines, and yes, agriculture. This consolidation is driven by global markets, labor shortages, and cost pressures, not a $1-per-head promotion program.

In fact, the Beef Checkoff is one of the few tools we control. It’s built and funded by producers, for producers, without a dime of taxpayer money, and it works. USDA studies show it returns to producers more than $13 for every $1 invested. It promotes beef at home and abroad, counters misinformation with education, and helps separate real beef from the growing wave of fake and lab grown protein products.

The OFF Act, backed by fringe groups and animal rights activists, wouldn’t “fix” anything. It would cripple our ability to promote beef, ban collaboration with trusted partners, and open producer-led programs to activist lawsuits and endless red tape.

This bill isn’t about transparency or fairness; it’s about shutting down the Checkoff and weakening the voice of cattle producers. It would hurt the very folks it claims to help, especially smaller operations that depend on consumer trust and growing markets.

The state representative asked who the Checkoff works for. I’ll tell you:

• It works for cow-calf producers whose cattle earn premiums.
• It works for cow-calf producers who earn more when beef demand is strong.
• It works for young producers trying to build a future.
• And it works for U.S. beef — still the most trusted protein in the world.

Let’s not handcuff ourselves with bad legislation backed by groups who want to end animal agriculture. The Checkoff may not be perfect — but it’s working for us. Let’s keep it that way.