|
| | ||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBE | NEWSSTAND LOCATIONS | ||||
| ||||
|
|
| | |
Beef Checkoff Task Force looks at hike in rates Saturday, December 29, 2007
Agri News staff writer
A Beef Checkoff Task Force, put together by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, has made four recommendations to update the Beef Checkoff Program.
If followed, one of the suggestions would lead to the first national raise in the rate producers pay to the program in its 20-plus year history.
"The task force was an idea started at the grassroots level by some state cattlemen associations," said Mike John, former president of the NCBA. "At their direction, NCBA initiated this industry-wide review because we believed it was important to provide a forum for all national organizations involved in the industry to discuss and develop recommendations to strengthen the promotion, education and research engine of the beef industry."
The program collects $1 per head on all cattle sold in the country and $1-per-head equivalent on imported cattle, beef and beef products.
The task force said the rate should be increased to $2 per head "to assure strong demand-building initiatives for the beef industry in the future and to offset 20 years of inflation..." since the checkoff was established in the 1985 farm bill.
Tom Pyfferoen, president of Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association, said the new rate probably won't be hard for producers to pay, but he's not sure they'll be willing to give it up.
"To go out there and say that you want to double the checkoff with a 100 percent increase and it's gonna happen all at once, I'm not sure what producers' reactions would be. I personally would have reservations," he said.
But he also understands the need to offset inflation, as the cost of checkoff initiatives -- such as research, advertising and developing export markets -- increase.
"I think it would benefit producers primarily from an export standpoint," he said. "There probably could be more dollars put into some research projects on animal diseases, E. coli and salmonella. Those are issues that are constantly haunting the industry."
Pyfferoen has heard proposals to raise the rate in increments over time.
Jay Truitt, vice president of government affairs for the National Cattlemen's Association, said he hasn't heard much discussion from members about the checkoff rate rising specifically to $2, and he's even heard other figures up to $10.
The task force's recommendations, and other issues, are currently being discussed by state cattlemen associations so they can bring their input to the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show Feb. 6-9 in Reno, Nev.
The other three beef checkoff recommendations from the task force are: an opportunity to petition for a referendum every five years on continuing the checkoff, an enhanced understanding of the Federation of State Beef Councils; and to make the checkoff more inclusive by allowing non-profit, producer-driven organizations formed after 1985 to apply for funding from the program. |
| | |
| |
Copyright 2008 Agri News
All Rights Reserved
