09/24/08 Possible checkoff changes

The officers of the Cattlemen's Beef Board spent time this summer traveling the country to meet with a dozen industry organizations in an attempt to develop and recommend changes that could improve the beef checkoff program. Beef Board CEO Tom Ramey says they also have written suggestions from nearly four dozen other state and national groups. The suggestions will be presented to a subcommittee next week in Chicago. Ramey says beef board operational changes can be implemented quickly. RAMEY "If it's a suggestion that impacts just the beef promotion research order so that could be anywhere from six to twelve months probably closer to twelve and then if its something that impacts the beef promotion research act then there's no telling how long that could act." Some of the suggestions received; a periodic referendum, increasing the resources for checkoff and taking the assessment on an animal at slaughter not every time it's sold. RAMEY "We've heard suggestions from many organizations that we should change the requirements for what types of organizations can qualify or be certified to nominate to the beef board. Another thing that we heard from a lot of organizations is that we should loosen the requirement for who the operating committee can contract with." The plan is to have a set of recommendations to the full Beef Board and the Agriculture Secretary by December. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott