R-CALF: Checkoff Survey Results Match Group’s Policy Positions
R-CALF USA Checkoff Committee Chair Jim Hanna said the organization is extremely encouraged by the results of the recently completed survey of cattle producers on the Beef Checkoff Program. The survey was conducted by the Gallup Organization.
“To have an overwhelming majority of those surveyed agree completely with R-CALF’s policy positions gives us a tremendous boost as we begin to work with Congress to make needed changes to the program,” Hanna said.
“Specifically, the survey showed that 66 percent of the producers polled would support the idea of allowing the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) to contract directly with vendors, ending the requirement that they contract with an existing national industry governed organization, and 82 percent of respondents said they would support a periodic referendum on the Checkoff,” he noted. “Ninety-one percent thought the current $1 per head assessment was adequate, while 92 percent wanted to use Checkoff dollars to support products derived from cattle that are specifically born, raised and processed in the United States.
Quick primer on the beef checkoff. A $1 per head fee charged when any bovine critter changes hand. The idea was approved by Congress and voted on by producers many, many moons ago and is still in operation today. The money is split between the State beef board and the national beef board. These entities use the money to promote beef. The "Beef, its what's for dinner" campaign is the one you might recognize as a beef checkoff promotion. There has been a lot of controversy among producers lately as to whether the checkoff is Constitutional and whether we should vote on it again.
So, we see that producers would like to have a referendum on the checkoff. I know I would. The current leadership of the beef board has been opposed to this idea. Afraid they would lose their cushy job I guess.
The current $1 per head is high enough according to the survey. I agree, the current leadership wanted to raise it quite a bit. I guess they are a little out of touch with producers.
A large percentage would like to promote only US beef. Sounds like a lot of producers would support
COOL and then want the Checkoff to promote it. That makes sense to me. Still I am not convinced
COOL is a good idea but I will go with the flow on this one.
The Beef Board needs to pay attention to this survey. It reflects the mood of producers that they seem to be out of touch with.
If you don't pay attention and if your imagination isn't pretty much engaged, you're going to miss things and you're going to miss opportunities for it to be as compelling and as creepy as it can be. Bruce Greenwood
