South Dakota legislation · 101st Legislature (2026)
South Dakota HCR6016: supporting reform of the beef checkoff program.
Status: In committee, February 20, 2026
What the bill says
A concurrent resolution supporting reform of the beef checkoff program. [ADDED.
From the introduced text, February 4, 2026:
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION supporting reform of the beef checkoff program. [ADDED: WHEREAS, the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985, commonly known as the beef checkoff, mandated a fee of one dollar per head on cattle sales to fund research, promotion, and education, replacing a successful voluntary program; and] [ADDED: WHEREAS, since its inception, the beef checkoff has coincided with industry challenges, including a decline in the number of United States beef cows from 35.4 million in 1985 to 27.9 million in 2025, the lowest number in multiple decades; and] [ADDED: WHEREAS, per capita beef consumption decreased from seventy-seven pounds in 1985 to between fifty-six and fifty-eight pounds today; and] [ADDED: WHEREAS, United States beef imports as a percent of domestic consumption have increased from ten percent in 1985 to twenty-two percent today, making the United States the second-largest beef importer globally, and contributing to a fifty percent loss in cow-calf producers and a seventy percent loss in independent feedlots; and] [ADDED: WHEREAS, meatpacking concentration has increased from fifty percent in 1985 to eighty-five percent today; and] [ADDED: WHEREAS, the beef checkoff program has been criticized for conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and providing moneys to organizations such as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, which supports policies that many producers view as harmful, including free trade and opposition to …
Sponsors
- Julie Auch (R, HD-018) · primary sponsor
- Aaron Aylward (R, HD-006)
- Jana Hunt (R, HD-028)
- Travis Ismay (R, HD-028)
- Phil Jensen (R, 33)
- Carl Perry (R, 03)
- Kathy Rice (R, HD-029)
Latest actions
- : Adopt Resolution
- : Adopt Resolution
- : Scheduled for hearing
- : Referred to Agriculture and Natural Resources
- : First Reading House
Votes
- Adopt Resolution (February 19, 2026): 10 yea, 3 nay, passed
- Adopt Resolution (January 27, 2026): 32 yea, 34 nay, failed
Subjects: House Concurrent Resolution, Animals and Livestock
Common questions
- What is HCR6016?
- HCR6016 is a bill in the South Dakota Legislature (101st Legislature (2026)): supporting reform of the beef checkoff program.
- What does HCR6016 do?
- In its own words: A concurrent resolution supporting reform of the beef checkoff program. [ADDED.
- What is the status of HCR6016?
- In committee as of February 20, 2026. Latest action: Adopt Resolution (February 20, 2026).
- Who sponsored HCR6016?
- Julie Auch (R, HD-018), with 6 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HCR6016?
- On the South Dakota Legislature website: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/27270
Source: official South Dakota record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.