02/02/07 Beef checkoff survey

Nearly three of every four livestock producers approved of the beef checkoff program. USDA says a survey it conducted last fall of more than eight thousand beef, dairy and veal producers measured their attitudes about the Beef Checkoff program. 72 percent strongly approved or somewhat approved of the checkoff. WILDER "That's consistent with all of the other surveys that have been done recently that were not conducted by the USDA. I think that is a good vote of confidence for the work that we're doing on behalf of beef producers to build demand for beef." That's Laura Wilder, executive director of the Idaho Beef Council. Over the past year a beef checkoff task force has been studying the one dollar per head assessment on all cattle sold in the United States. That task force has made some recommendations on changing the checkoff program. WILDER "As you know the beef council cannot be involved in any of the work that's being done there because that will be a policy process that will have to come from industry organizations and we'll work through those channels." It could be a year before the various industry and producer organizations can review the survey before taking a stand or make recommendations on any proposed checkoff changes. Representatives of the USDA, Cattlemen`s Beef Board, the Livestock Marketing Association, and the Federation of State Beef Councils worked together to develop the survey questions. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott