Action Alert (Texas): Did You Vote on the Beef Checkoff? Confirm Your Eligibility!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote on the issue of the state checkoff, the new tax on cattle owners!
The voting is over, but the election is not: the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is now going through a “validation” process. To do this, TDA is contacting a random sampling of voters to confirm that they were eligible to vote – in other words, that they owned at least one head of cattle between June 6, 2013 and June 6, 2014.
If you are one of the people selected for validation, you will have only 7 days to respond to TDA, or your vote will not count! You can provide a feed receipt, bill of sale, or any other document that shows your ownership. (More information below.)
If a representative from TDA calls you, please respond promptly. We don’t want them to throw out people’s votes! And if the adjusted vote tally would change the outcome of the election, then TDA will have to go through this process for every single voter.
This process is not under our control or direction, but we will do our best to help you if you have any questions. Feel free to contact Alexandra Landeros at info@farmandranchfreedom.org or (512) 537-2692.
Didn’t Vote?
You can still help us by spreading the word – please forward this alert to any cattle owners you know. The URL for this alert is: https://farmandranchfreedom.org/alert-beef-checkoff-validation-process
More Info: Providing Proof of Eligibility
CLICK HERE to download the Texas Beef Checkoff Voter Eligibility Fact Sheet from the Texas Department of Agriculture.
To be eligible to vote, a producer must have owned at least one head of cattle between June 6, 2013, and June 6, 2014. TDA will request proof from the producer that he or she owned cattle some time during that timeframe. The following documentation can be used to provide proof of voter eligibility:
- Feed receipts
- Bill of sale/auction
- Business records
- Check stubs
- Documents that demonstrate ownership within the designated period (June 6, 2013 – June 6, 2014)
Proof of ownership must be submitted to the TDA within 7 calendar days from being contacted. Documentation may be submitted to TDA one of three ways:
- U.S. Postal Service: Lance Williams, PO Box 12847, Austin, Texas 78711
- Fax: (800) 909-8520
- E-mail: Lance.Williams@texasagriculture.gov