02/13/08 Cattle group wants process to enhance Beef Checkoff

Washington Ag February 13, 2008 At their recent annual meeting members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association directed the organization to ask Congress to approve a process that will allow producers to vote on enhancements to the Beef Checkoff Program. NCBA Policy Division Chairman Bill Donald of Montana explains just what that means. Donald: "All we are asking Congress to do is empower producers with a referendum process and then the producers will have to decide themselves whether they want to increase the assessment. And if they do want to increase the assessment, they will have the process in place that will allow them to do that." The one-dollar per head check off, split 50-50 between the national check off program and state beef councils and commissions, became mandatory in 1986. Inflation has eaten away the purchasing power of that one dollar. A few states like Washington have increased their own assessments. Donald says the sense of cattlemen at the convention was that $2 per head would adequately fund the program at this time but no specific rate was included in the NCBA resolution. Any increase in the one-dollar a head assessment would require congressional action. NCBA members also want to see some amendment options on whether the check off could be used to specifically promote U.S. born and raised beef domestically, instead of promoting all beef. I'm Bob Hoff.