Cleveland County Cattlemen to host ‘Truth in Labeling’ meeting set for March 3

With all the day-to-day responsibilities a beef cattle producer has, marketing may not always be at the forefront of your mind. When you start talking about consumer product labeling, that part of marketing may seem so far down the chain that it hardly seems to affect you. However, laws and regulations regarding labeling can greatly affect public perception of beef and affect what consumers ultimately buy in the meat case. These purchases in turn affect cattle markets, processors, feedlots and cow-calf producers.

The Cleveland County Cattlemen’s Association and Cleveland County OSU Extension have invited William Payne, owner and operator of Destiny Ranch near Asher, Oklahoma, to present "Truth in Labeling" on March 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cleveland County Extension office Classroom C. As a longtime cattle producer and direct seller of beef to the public, Payne has a great deal of experience with navigating state and federal food labeling laws. He has also spoken at Murray State College and the Oklahoma State Capital on this topic. 

Katie Waltman, FSA’s new county executive director for Cleveland and McClain Counties, will follow Payne to introduce herself and discuss some of the FSA programs that producers may find beneficial for their operations.

The meeting is free and open to the public. If you plan to attend, please RSVP on or before Feb. 28 by contacting the Cleveland Country Extension office at 405-321-4774.