US Federal appeals court issues stay on injunction
A US Federal appeals court has halted an order that would have delayed collections under the national beef checkoff programme.
The programme can continue its activities while the appeals court further considers last month's ruling by U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann of South Dakota. Kommann ruled the programme unconstitutional, violating the First Amendment rights of cattle producers.
Under the checkoff programme, since 1985, livestock producers have had to pay a mandatory $1-per-head fee on cattle sold in the United States. Half the money from the checkoff, which yearly collects about $86 million, goes to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board and half to qualified state beef councils.
