Legislators from 11 states sent a letter last month to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack expressing concerns about the viability of independent cattle producers and calling for more accountability in the Beef Checkoff program.

The program assesses cattle producers $1 for every head of cattle they sell to promote beef.

But the group said the mandatory program doesn’t give their cattle-producing constituents an opportunity to influence where those advertising dollars go.

And, according to the group, the system is broken.

“This tax was voted on in 1985 under the auspices that the money raised would go to promote exclusively USA beef. Unfortunately, that money is being funneled away from its original intent and is being used by private associations and entities that do not exclusively represent USA beef,” the letter stated.

“Why is a federally mandated tax going to support and promote foreign beef as well as private entities?” the lawmakers asked.

Domestic producers should have the basic protection of the original intent of the Beef Checkoff program, they said.

“Our state cattle producers deserve to advertise their own exclusive product with a checkoff that’s working for them, not against them,” they said.

The lawmakers asked Vilsack to call for an immediate referendum on the checkoff to give producers a bigger voice in their industry.

The letter was signed by 65 lawmakers in Kansas, 27 in Oklahoma, 11 in Arkansas, nine in Utah, seven in North Dakota, six in Wyoming and 1 each in South Dakota, Colorado, California, Georgia and Missouri.

An earlier version of this article stated Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin had also signed the letter. However, Griffin has issued a statement saying his name was mistakenly included in the letter and he does not want his name included.