USDA Proposes To Realign Beef
Board, Amend Collection Rules

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to reapportion membership on the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. The proposed reapportionment is due to changes in cattle inventories since the last board reapportionment in 1996.

Dr. Enrique E. Figueroa, administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, said this reapportionment would decrease the board's membership from 111 members to 110 members.

Under the proposal, domestic cattle producer representation on the board would decrease from 104 to 103, while importer representation would remain at seven members.

Missouri, Texas and the Northwest unit, composed of Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, would each lose one member, while Kansas and Nebraska would each gain one member.

The two-member Western unit, composed of Nevada and Oregon, would be dissolved and Nevada and Oregon each qualify independently for a board member.

The decrease is based on requirements of the 1986 Beef Promotion and Research Order, authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985. The order provides for a board review of geographic distribution of U.S. cattle inventories and the volume of imported cattle, beef, and beef products at least every three years and not more than every two years. Board membership then must be reapportioned accordingly.

A state or unit must have an inventory of 500,000 head of cattle to be represented on the board and is entitled to an additional member for each additional 1,000,000 head of cattle.

The board used an average of USDA's January 1 cattle inventory for 1996, 1997 and 1998 to determine representation. The revised representation would be effective with nominations in 1999 for appointments effective early in the year 2000.

USDA also proposes amendments to clarify requirements for documenting cattle sales transactions for which no assessments are due.

Figueroa said that amendment would specifically require

the timely filing of "Statement of Certification of

Non-Producer Status" forms to obtain exemption from

assessments.

Under the Act, a $1-per-head assessment is due each time cattle are sold by a producer. However, when cattle are sold within 10 days of purchase by a person who certifies that he or she acquired ownership of the cattle to facilitate the transfer of ownership to a third party, a completed Statement of Certification of Non-Producer Status form may be provided to the collecting person in lieu of the $1 assessment.

The proposed amendment specifies that the form must be provided "at the time the collecting person makes payment to the seller of cattle."

"This proposed amendment is designed to improve enforcement of assessment collection," Figueroa added.

Comments on the proposals, in duplicate and postmarked no later than Sept. 27, may be sent to Ralph L. Tapp, Chief, Marketing Programs Branch, STOP 0251, Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA, Room 2606-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456.