{"id":1699,"date":"2019-09-25T17:44:32","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T17:44:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmstand.chee.studio\/case\/beef-checkoff-case-r-calf-usa-v-perdue\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T00:14:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T00:14:39","slug":"beef-checkoff-case-r-calf-usa-v-perdue","status":"publish","type":"case","link":"https:\/\/farmstand.org\/es\/case\/beef-checkoff-case-r-calf-usa-v-perdue\/","title":{"rendered":"Beef Checkoff (R-CALF v. Vilsack and R-CALF v. USDA)"},"content":{"rendered":"
For an in-depth explanation on how checkoff programs hurt independent farmers and how FarmSTAND uses litigation to fight for a fairer system, read our Inmersi\u00f3n profunda<\/a>.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

R-CALF challenges the checkoff\u2019s First Amendment violations (R-CALF v. Vilsack et al., D. Mont.)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We were lead counsel on behalf of the nation\u2019s largest organization of independent cattle producers, R-CALF USA, in a suit raising a First Amendment challenge to the administration of the Beef Checkoff program in Montana, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these states, ranchers have to pay a $1 tax per head of cattle sold into a checkoff fund allegedly to promote beef consumption. By default, for every $1 the government collects from ranchers, it hands 50 cents to the private state beef council. These state beef councils have used these funds to promote the interests of multinational corporations rather than independent ranchers \u2014 like when the Montana Beef Council used checkoff money to advertise for Wendy\u2019s, which does not commit to buying meat from Montana or even United States ranchers. We argued that the checkoff is a form of compelled speech, and that the government failed to properly regulate how that money has been spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We won an injunction against the collection of checkoff funds in Montana on these grounds, with the district court finding that because USDA lacked sufficient control over the state beef councils\u2019 use of checkoff funds, the collection of those funds from independent ranchers was likely unconstitutional compelled speech<\/strong>. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld that decision. We then asked for a halt to the collection of checkoff funds in the remaining states in question. But before the district court reached its decision, the state beef councils in question entered into Memoranda of Understanding with USDA. These MOUs are agreements that require the state beef councils to share certain information with USDA and allow USDA to pre-approve the state beef councils\u2019 spending on certain contracted plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the MOUs address some of R-CALF\u2019s concerns, they do not fix the whole problem. R-CALF asked the courts to consider whether the MOUs provide enough control over the checkoff money, appealing all the way to the Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court declined to take the case.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alegatos de bienhecho<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Plaintiff’s Combined Opposition to Defendant & Intervenor’s Motions for Summary Judgment (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff’s Reply In Support of its Motion to Strike Portions of Defendant-Internvenors’ Statement of Disputed Facts (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complaint (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amended Supplemental Pleading (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiffs’ Brief in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magistrate Judge’s Findings of Fact and Recommendations (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff’s Objections to Magistrate’s Findings of Fact and Recommendations (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff’s Objections Defendant-Intervenors’ Objections to Magistrate’s Findings of Fact and Recommendations (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

District Court Memorandum Opinion (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Attorneys’ Fees (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affidavit (Bullard) in Support of Motion for Attorneys’ Fees (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affidavit (Muraskin) in Support of Motion for Attorneys’ Fees (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magistrate Fee Decision (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Alegatos de apelaci\u00f3n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Appellant Brief (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appellant Reply Brief (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

9th Cir. opinion (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari Appendix (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reply Brief for the Petitioner (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supplemental Reply Brief for the Petitioner (Beef Checkoff 1st Amend.)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

R-CALF challenges unlawfully entered agreements between USDA and state beef councils (R-CALF v. USDA, D.D.C.)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The MOUs between USDA and the state beef councils are not just insufficient at controlling checkoff spending \u2014 their creation was also unlawful. That\u2019s why we represented R-CALF in a lawsuit against USDA for violating the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) when it entered the MOUs. The APA requires the government to give a notice and comment period when making a new rule so that the public has an opportunity to share their thoughts for the government to consider.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We took USDA back to court because R-CALF\u2019s members are entitled to have their voices heard on decisions about how their checkoff dollars are spent. But instead of following the law, USDA made private, closed-door deals with the state beef councils to avoid public and judicial scrutiny stemming from our first checkoff case.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the court granted USDA\u2019s motion for summary judgment on standing, bringing this case to a close. FarmSTAND continues to investigate opportunities to support independent producers in challenging unfair checkoff programs and drawing attention to the issue.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alegatos de bienhecho<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Complaint (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff\u2019s Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opinion and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff\u2019s Motion for Summary Judgment on Standing (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plaintiff\u2019s Reply Motion for Summary Judgment on Standing (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumer Protection Expert Report (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumer Protection Supplemental Expert Report (Beef Checkoff APA)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For an in-depth explanation on how checkoff programs hurt independent farmers and how FarmSTAND uses litigation to fight for a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"issue":[21],"class_list":["post-1699","case","type-case","status-publish","hentry","issue-farmers-rural-communities"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBeef Checkoff (R-CALF v. Vilsack and R-CALF v. 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