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Officials report 8,550 tlemen’s associations. Cattle producers currently pay a $1 per head checkoff fee to the U.S. Beef Checkoff program, which returns 50 percent to Missouri for education, promotion, research and consumer information. Davin Althoff, MCIB business director and chief financial officer, says the additional checkoff funds are needed due to devaluation of the dollar, increased advertising and promotion costs and the decrease in cattle numbers in the state due to drought and loss of farmland to development and conversion of pastureland to row crops. The checkoff is opposed by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, which has filed a petition in Cole County Circuit Court to stop the April election. Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce set a hearing for March 21 on whether to halt the election, but the state A The Missouri Department of Agriculture reports that 8,550 beef producers registered to vote in the Missouri beef checkoff referendum that will take place in April. Registration closed on March 4. Missouri had an estimated 59,000 beef producers in 2014. The referendum will determine whether beef producers will pay an additional $1 per head checkoff tax for cattle sold in the state. The agriculture department is conducting the referendum and will mail ballots to registered producers on April 4. Ballots must be returned by April 15. Results will be announced on April 25. The Missouri Beef Industry Council petitioned Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce for the referendum, which is supported by the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri and National Beef Cat- 50 registered for beef checkoff filed a request for an extension on March 9. The MRCC claims the referendum has been “a closed door process” with little input from cattle producers and without a public rulemaking process. It also claims the requirement for farmers to disclose confidential business information about their cattle sales numbers served to discourage farmers from registering to vote in the referendum and caused confusion about who could register. The MRCC, a statewide organization that represents thousands of Missouri livestock farm- ers, said the checkoff dollars promote foreign beef in U.S. markets and the NCBA supports policies favoring corporate meat packers. Supporters say the checkoff is voluntary and beef producers who do not want to participate can receive a refund.