PRIVACY POLICY

PUBLISHED: JUNE 15, 2020

PRIVACY POLICY

U.S. Premium Beef LLC (“USPB,” “we,” or “us”) is a marketing company owned by U.S. beef producers that provides producers the opportunity to retain ownership of the beef they produce from ranch to retail. We facilitate efforts of our members and associates to access markets that value high-quality cattle and beef products and related ranching and feeding operations. As part of our business, we collect and use “Personal Information” – information that can be used to identify, contact, or locate a particular individual or household – from members and associates and from individuals who contact us expressing an interest in our business. Most of the Personal Information we collect is contact information, and we gather it through our business interactions with members and associates and when individuals contact us through our website, email, or on the telephone or in person. Our use of Personal Information and privacy practices are fairly simple. We use Personal Information to communicate with our members and associates and people who request information from us and to fulfill our business obligations, such as tracking product shipments, executing payments, maintaining records of marketing activities. Safeguarding Personal Information and respecting individuals’ privacy are some of our priorities. We do not sell Personal Information, and we share Personal Information with other organizations only when necessary to fulfill our marketing activities or when instructed to do so. This is a basic summary of our privacy policy. A more detailed explanation is below. We encourage you to review it, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us, using the contact information listed below.

1. Policy Scope

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) is issued on behalf of USPB. It describes our policies and procedures concerning the collection of Personal Information from members and associates and all individuals from whom we collect information through the use of our website and communications with us in email, telephone calls, and in person. We refer to these uses and interactions as our “Services.” This Policy applies to all persons from whom we collect information and explains what rights individuals have under this Policy and how they can be exercised.

This Policy applies only to our business. It does not apply to any other organization. Although our website links to other organizations’ websites (for example, National Beef Packing Company, Kansas City Steak Company, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association), the Policy applies only to our Services. Please refer to the privacy policies on any third-party businesses or websites to learn how they use your Personal Information.

We encourage you to read this Policy carefully to understand how we may collect and use your Personal Information if you elect to use our Services. We understand your use of our Services to mean that you accept and consent to the use of your information as described here.

2. Categories of Information We Collect and Collection Methods

We interpret the term Personal Information in accordance with applicable law as referring to information that may be used to identify, contact, or locate a specific person. We collect Personal Information from individuals who volunteer their information to us to enable us to contact them regarding our Services. There are two general types of Personal Information that we collect: “User Information” and “Usage Information.”

User Information. Depending on your specific interaction with us, the User Information we collect might include your name, address, telephone numbers, fax number, email address, and any other details or other information that you provide to us, such as comments or questions. For members and associates, we may need to collect Social Security numbers or tax ID numbers. If you do not want us to collect information from you, please do not provide it. But if you decline to provide certain information, you might not be able to take advantage of our Services.

We collect User Information is a variety of ways. For members and associates, we collect Personal Information as part of the application process and in the course of our business relationships. For others, if you get in touch with us through our online portal, you will be prompted to enter your name and email, and you will be able to send a message to us. Similarly, if you email us, we will receive your email address, name, and other information you include in your message.

Usage Information. When you use our website or click on live links in emails that we send to you, we will automatically collect certain categories of information from you that enable us to interact with you online and understand how our website is being used. Usage Information may include your IP address or other device identifiers, the type of browser, device, or operating system a user employs, the URL that referred users to our website, how and when users interact with our website, and other similar information. In particular, we collect information about the manner in which our website is used, the devices on which is used, and our website’s performance. Depending on your device or browser privacy settings, Usage Information can include location data, such as geographic information regarding the location of the accessing device. If we combine Usage Information with User Information, we will treat the combined data as User Information.

To gather Usage Information, we use cookies and similar technologies, such as web beacons. A cookie is a small amount of data that is transferred to your browser by a web server that facilitates communication between browser and server. A cookie can function like a bookmark, enabling efficient return to a desired website. You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but browser settings can be changed to decline cookies based on user preference. If you decline cookies, you may not be able to experience all features of our website.

3. How We Use the Information We Collect

We use the Personal Information we collect in conjunction with providing the Services for a variety of business purposes that we believe are consistent with general expectations for a contemporary business with online activities.

Serving Members and Associates. We use the Personal Information collected from members and associates to conduct business with them and to fulfill our obligations to them. For example, we use their Personal Information to provide reports and other information about our business performance, to facilitate any payments to our members and associates, to keep track of product shipments, and to generally run our operations.

Announcements and Marketing. If you register to receive announcements, we will use your name and contact information to provide you with news about our activities, industry developments, and other information about our business. From time to time, we may also conduct surveys or seek information from subscribers. Similarly, we may use your information to respond to any questions you have about USPB.

Enhancement of Services. We may rely on Usage Information to learn how we can improve the performance and functionality of our website. Usage Information helps us to compile overall statistics about website traffic, pages visited, and is not recorded according to individual activity. This analytics information helps us to determine how best to organize our site and what features are of the most interest so we can better serve website visitors.

Security and Appropriate Use. We hope everyone who uses our website will do so appropriately and with respect for our community. But, probably like you, we realize that not all online activity is beneficial. Therefore, we will use Personal Information to protect, investigate, and deter against fraudulent, unauthorized, or illegal activity relating to our Services and generally safeguard and maintain the security of our website and business. For example, we may log and retain Usage Information reflecting activity on our website.

4. How We Share Information

We DO NOT sell Personal Information. But in the course of running our business, may need to share certain Personal Information either to perform business functions or fulfill our obligations to our members and associates. And there may be special circumstances when we are required to provide information collected to other organizations or persons.

Supply Chain Partners and Purchasers. As part of our services for our members and associates, we will share certain Personal Information of theirs to facilitate the marketing of their products to supply chain partners and purchasers.

Transfer or Assignment in Connection with Business Transfers or Bankruptcy. We plan to run our business for a long time. But in the event of a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy or other sale of all or a portion of our assets, any information owned or controlled by us may be one of the assets transferred to third parties. We reserve the right, as part of this type of transaction, to transfer or assign your information and other information we have collected to third parties. Other than to the extent ordered by a bankruptcy or other court, or as otherwise agreed to by you, the use and disclosure of all transferred information will be subject to this Policy. Any information you submit or that is collected after this type of transfer may be subject to a new privacy policy adopted by the successor entity in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Legal Requirements. We may be required to use or discloses Personal Information when necessary to comply with legally mandated reporting, subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process requirements.

Publicly Posted Content. If you post comments or other content to a location which is public-facing, including any public-facing locations, or social media, your posted information will be publicly viewable.

With Your Consent. We may share some or all of your information with a third party with your affirmative consent or instructions. For instance, we may display personal testimonials on our website in addition to other endorsements. With your consent we may post your testimonial along with your name. If you wish to update or delete your testimonial, you can contact us.

5. Right to Access Your Information

Under our Policy – consistent with the rights conferred upon California residents under the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) – you have a right to access the information we have collected during the last 12 months. Specifically, you have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request (see Exercising Consumer Rights, below), we will disclose to you:

  • The categories of Personal Information we collected about you.
  • The categories of sources for the Personal Information we collected about you.
  • Our business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling that Personal Information.
  • The categories of other businesses or persons with whom we share that personal information.
  • The specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you.
  • If we disclosed your Personal Information for a business purpose, the Personal Information categories that each category of recipient obtained.

6. Right to Request Deletion

Under our Policy – which is also consistent with the rights established under the CCPA – you have the right to request that we delete any of your Personal Information that we collected from you, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request (see Exercising Consumer Rights, below), we will delete your Personal Information from our records, unless an exception applies. For example, we may need to retain Personal Information to complete a transaction or for maintaining our website’s security. If we need to retain Personal Information, we will tell you our reason for doing so.

7. Correcting and Updating Personal Information

If you believe the Personal Information that we have for you is incorrect or out of date, you can contact us to correct it.

8. Exercising Your Rights under Our Policy

To exercise the rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us by one of the following methods:

  • Emailing us at privacy@uspb.com; or
  • Calling us toll free at 866-877-2525

Only you, or, if you are a California resident, a person registered with the California Secretary of State that you authorize to act on your behalf, may make a verifiable consumer request related to your personal information. You may also make a verifiable consumer request on behalf of your minor child. You may only make a verifiable consumer request for access or data portability twice within a 12-month period.

To verify the identity of an individual making a request, a two-step process will need to be completed. A verifiable consumer request must:

  • Describe your request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it.
  • Separately provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify you are the person about whom we collected personal information or an authorized representative.

We cannot respond to your request or provide you with personal information if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request and confirm the personal information relates to you.

Making a verifiable consumer request does not require you to create an account with us. We will only use personal information provided in a verifiable consumer request to verify the requestor’s identity or authority to make the request.

9. Response Timing and Format

We will endeavor to provide an initial response to a verifiable consumer request within 10 days of receipt and will attempt to fulfill a verifiable consumer request within 45 days of its receipt. If we require more time, we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing.

We will deliver our written response by mail or electronically, at your option.

Any disclosures we provide will cover only the 12-month period preceding the verifiable consumer request’s receipt. The response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request, if applicable. For data portability requests, we will select a format to provide your personal information that is readily useable and should allow you to transmit the information from one entity to another entity without hindrance.

We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your verifiable consumer request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why we made that decision and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request.

10. Personal Information of Children Under 13

Our Services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect any Personal Information from children under 13 years of age. If you think we have collected Personal Information from a child under 13 years of age for whom you are the parent or guardian, please contact us at the notice address provided below.

11. Security

USPB maintains administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to reasonably and appropriately protect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of your Personal Information. For example, the file containing your Personal Information will be maintained in secure locations at our offices or on our servers (or those maintained by our service providers) with access limited to authorized employees, representatives and agents. Our employees receive training on our security practices and obligations. While we encrypt sensitive data, such as Personal Information, using SSL or VPN when it is transmitted over the Internet and when it is stored on our servers and backup systems, we cannot completely ensure the privacy of certain communications such as email to and from our Services because they are not encrypted.

Given the nature of the Internet and the fact that network security measures are not infallible, we cannot guarantee the security of your Personal Information. In the event we become aware of a data security breach, we will provide you with notice as required by applicable federal, provincial and state laws. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we will provide any such notice to you at the email address you provide with your registration, as updated from time to time. By using our Services, you agree to accept such notice electronically.

12. Notification of Changes

If we change this Policy, we will post the updated Policy and its effective date on this page, and we may post a notice on our website’s main page and other pages to alert you about the change.

If the Policy changes materially so that we are going to use your Personal Information in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection, we will notify you by either sending you an email or by posting a notice on our website’s main page. We reserve the right to make the changes to the Policy applicable to all previously collected Personal Information.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Policy, please contact us at:

U.S. Premium Beef
Attn: Privacy Office
P.O. Box 20103
Kansas City, MO 64195

Email: privacy@uspb.com

Toll Free: 866-877-2525

P.O. Box 20103
Kansas City, MO 64195
Phone: 866-877-2525 | Fax: 816-713-8810

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