USDA To Boost Beef
Purchases, Says NCBA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — USDA has announced a "bonus" beef buy, says the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA had advocated the purchase as a way to move more product at a critical marketing time for producers.

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said USDA will spend $30 million to purchase frozen ground beef, canned beef, and processing beef in addition to beef normally purchased for the National School Lunch Program and federal food assistance programs. In a March letter, NCBA President John Lacey, Paso Robles, Calif., suggested USDA make the buy to move more beef during the fall cattle marketing season while at the same time saving taxpayer dollars spent on food programs.

"Coupled with USDA's accelerated beef purchases earlier this year, the bonus buy will ease market pressure on cattlemen and provide program recipients with an inexpensive, nutritious product," said NCBA Nutrition and Health Committee Chairman Dave Bateman, Elburn, Ill. "NCBA has been a long-time advocate of government beef purchasing during peak supply periods because it both saves money and moves beef. We commend USDA for timing the buy with the heavy fall run of non-fed cattle."