BEEF BOARD OKS 4-GROUP MERGER

LAURA KLEPACKI

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Beef Promotion and Research Board here overwhelmingly approved a proposal to join with three other beef industry organizations to create one unified structure.

The voice vote took place at a board meeting earlier this month in Albuquerque, N.M., according to Bruce Berven, Beef Board senior vice president.

The proposal calls for the merger of the Beef Board with the Beef Industry Council of the National Livestock and Meat Board, Chicago, the National Cattlemen's Association here and the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Denver.

The Beef Industry Council is holding a special meeting Dec. 29 and 30 in Chicago to discuss and then vote on the measure. Both the National Cattlemen's Association and the Meat Export Federation will be voting at a joint meeting in Nashville on Jan. 28.

The plan was developed by the Beef Industry Oversight Committee here, which is composed of members of each of the four industry groups. The proposal would essentially consolidate the programs of the four groups to eliminate overlapping programs and better promote and market beef.