Seeking Public Input On New Beef Checkoff Program

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service is asking for public comment on a new beef checkoff program in an effort to "guide its development". Ag Information Network's Greg Martin has the details.

MARTIN: Thanks Lacy. This new industry-funded checkoff program for beef and beef products would be in addition to the existing beef checkoff program, which Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says "will provide American beef producers with more resources for marketing of their products and research to help strengthen the country's beef industry." As the parallel checkoff is being built from the ground up public input is being sought on decisions ranging from fund collection and governance to the amount of the assessment. AMS says it will be seeking public comment on issues such as who should be assessed, the board structure, how the board should be selected, powers and duties of the board, who has decision making authority, how the assessment rate is determined, how assessments are collected, and when the referenda should be conducted.

The current $1 per-head-of cattle per producer assessment has remained the same since 1985 and most beef industry leaders agree this is too little. Interested parties have until Dec.10, 2014, to submit comments online at regulations.gov. Details of the notice of inquiry will appear in the Federal Register as of today.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.