In 1975, the Beef Research and Information Act was introduced as a Congressional program that would help cattle producers to increase market development. After the act passed in 1976, cattle producers decided to hold a national referendum to develop a "system for financing, activating, and administering its own research, consumer and producer information, promotion and market development programs." The goal of the National Beef Referendum of 1976 was to vote on a system to help advance research on problems that cattle producers faced and also to improve the quality of information used in decision-making through the cattle industry. The program would be funded through a check-off program. Any legitimate cattle producer was allowed to vote, including FFA and 4H youth who owned their own cattle.

The Beef Research and Information Act was passed by Congress in May 1976, but the national beef referendum voted on by cattle producers failed. The referendum received 56.6% of the vote, but not the two thirds required to pass.

This collection (1977-1978, undated) includes news releases, brochures, and audio recordings. The news releases, mostly from the Iowa Cattlemen's Association, are concerned with the referendum itself and with the Beef Market Development Plan, a product of the Beef Research and Information Act (S-772, HR-7656). The brochures mainly deal with the Beef Market Development Plan by answering frequently asked questions and showing the benefits of such a plan to ordinary producers. The audio recordings include public service announcements and interviews.