Who is paying for the beef you eat?

[Luddly Neddite]

Big Beef by Siddhartha Mahanta | The Washington Monthly

Independent ranchers and animal rights activists don’t agree about much, except that it’s time to stop using federal tax dollars to support the meat lobby.

Imagine if the federal government mandated that a portion of all federal gas taxes go directly to the oil industry’s trade association, the American Petroleum Institute. Imagine further that API used this public money to finance ad campaigns encouraging people to drive more and turn up their thermostats, all while lobbying to discredit oil industry critics—from environmentalists to those calling for better safety regulations or alternative energy sources.

That’s a deal not even Exxon could pull off, yet the nation’s largest meat-packers now enjoy something quite like it. Today, when you buy a Big Mac or a T-bone, a portion of the cost is a tax on beef, the proceeds from which the government hands over to a private trade group called the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The NCBA in turn uses this public money to buy ads encouraging you to eat more beef, while also lobbying to derail animal rights and other agricultural reform activists, defeat meat labeling requirements, and defend the ongoing consolidation of the industry.

http://www.alternet.org/food/ranchers-and-activists-agree-its-time-stop-big-beef-subsidies-0

The NCBA holds the U.S. beef industry hostage, pocketing nearly 99 percent of all beef tax dollars — blocking independent ranchers and food origin labeling.

If not for tax-paid subsidies, hamburger would cost well in excess of $25 a pound.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Right. I'm a member of the Cattlemans association, Luddly. We live on a ranch and raise Red Angus cattle. Those advertisements that we pay into go nationwide. We may have money allocated to us in Ga. and it is spent in Wyoming. It is a national industry. Our own money goes towards those advertisements and also State money. No matter where the commercial is run. * the claim on tax subsidies & hamburger price are false.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Right. I'm a member of the Cattlemans association, Luddly. We live on a ranch and raise Red Angus cattle. Those advertisements that we pay into go nationwide. We may have money allocated to us in Ga. and it is spent in Wyoming. It is a national industry. Our own money goes towards those advertisements and also State money. No matter where the commercial is run. * the claim on tax subsidies & hamburger price are false.

Thank you for adding this information.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Thanks, Stat. I've recently become a vegetarian myself. I really ate very little beef anyhow but I decided to give it up completely. I'm just telling Luddly I know the commercials go nationwide and the State gets money but it could go to any State not necessarily Georgia. ( where I am )

I do know that no one pays me or any of my friends to raise cattle. There is no payout to the rancher in my state. We pay the full cost to raise them, care for their medical needs, feed, etc. I wouldn't let someone pay $35.00 for a hamburger. I'd give them the beef for free. We shouldn't exploit people if prices ever did go astronomical on beef. I don't believe most ranchers would do that to people.

 

[bripat9643]

Big Beef by Siddhartha Mahanta | The Washington Monthly

Independent ranchers and animal rights activists don’t agree about much, except that it’s time to stop using federal tax dollars to support the meat lobby.

Imagine if the federal government mandated that a portion of all federal gas taxes go directly to the oil industry’s trade association, the American Petroleum Institute. Imagine further that API used this public money to finance ad campaigns encouraging people to drive more and turn up their thermostats, all while lobbying to discredit oil industry critics—from environmentalists to those calling for better safety regulations or alternative energy sources.

That’s a deal not even Exxon could pull off, yet the nation’s largest meat-packers now enjoy something quite like it. Today, when you buy a Big Mac or a T-bone, a portion of the cost is a tax on beef, the proceeds from which the government hands over to a private trade group called the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The NCBA in turn uses this public money to buy ads encouraging you to eat more beef, while also lobbying to derail animal rights and other agricultural reform activists, defeat meat labeling requirements, and defend the ongoing consolidation of the industry.

No More Subsidies to Huge Beef Farmers | Alternet

The NCBA holds the U.S. beef industry hostage, pocketing nearly 99 percent of all beef tax dollars — blocking independent ranchers and food origin labeling.

If not for tax-paid subsidies, hamburger would cost well in excess of $25 a pound.

How does a tax on beef make beef cheaper? Hamburger would be cheaper if it wasn't for the import duties on foreign beef.

$25/lb my ass.

 

[bripat9643]

Right. I'm a member of the Cattlemans association, Luddly. We live on a ranch and raise Red Angus cattle. Those advertisements that we pay into go nationwide. We may have money allocated to us in Ga. and it is spent in Wyoming. It is a national industry. Our own money goes towards those advertisements and also State money. No matter where the commercial is run. * the claim on tax subsidies & hamburger price are false.

You mean beef consumers pay for ads.

 

[HenryBHough]

If not for tax-paid subsidies, hamburger would cost well in excess of $25 a pound.

Subsidies aside, it soon will cost well in excess of $25 a pound when people start noticing all the Obamabucks floating around cleverly disguised as money.

 

[bripat9643]

Thanks, Stat. I've recently become a vegetarian myself. I really ate very little beef anyhow but I decided to give it up completely. I'm just telling Luddly I know the commercials go nationwide and the State gets money but it could go to any State not necessarily Georgia. ( where I am )

I do know that no one pays me or any of my friends to raise cattle. There is no payout to the rancher in my state. We pay the full cost to raise them, care for their medical needs, feed, etc. I wouldn't let someone pay $35.00 for a hamburger. I'd give them the beef for free. We shouldn't exploit people if prices ever did go astronomical on beef. I don't believe most ranchers would do that to people.

It's good to see that you're so nice.

Now back to reality. If you were really concerned about the consumer, you would support repealing import duties on foreign beef, right?

 

[Statistikhengst]

If not for tax-paid subsidies, hamburger would cost well in excess of $25 a pound.

Subsidies aside, it soon will cost well in excess of $25 a pound when people start noticing all the Obamabucks floating around cleverly disguised as money.

Hope that helps.