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DENVER (July 21, 1999) - The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Board of Directors approved a total operating budget of $65.8 million for fiscal year 2000 at its meeting during the Cattle Industry Summer Conference here. The Dues Division proposed a budget of $7.76 million for work focused exclusively in the policy area. The Checkoff Division, which represents the federation of state beef councils, proposed a budget of $58 million to fund beef promotion and research programs. Adding value to the chuck and round, the most under-utilized portion of the beef carcass, remains the top priority.
Of the checkoff budget, $42.25 million will be forwarded to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee for approval. The Operating Committee is an independent body created by law to approve individual program authorizations and contractors. It meets Sept. 22-23 in Omaha, Neb., to consider these and other funding proposals. The federation of state beef councils will contribute the majority of the balance of checkoff funding, $15 million.
True to cattle producers’ wishes, the budget reflects a more focused and coordinated effort between programming and budget allocations. Eighty-two percent of next year’s checkoff funding is focused in four areas: nutrition, convenience, food safety and international markets. Those priorities were previously identified by beef producers as areas where they wanted their $1-per-head checkoff dollar invested.
Addressing attendees of the Cattle Industry Summer Conference, NCBA chief executive officer Chuck Schroeder said, “There is some genuine progress in hand. The programs that you have invested in as an industry … real numbers say that maybe you’re having a real effect on the marketplace.”
Program funding levels as approved are: nutrition and health, $11.6 million; convenience (adding value to the chuck and round), $20.3 million; food safety, $3.1 million; international markets, $6.9 million.
Budget by area:
- Consumer Marketing - $37.18 million
- Quality - $3.9 million
- Communications - $7.2 million
- Association Services - $1.7 million
- Public Policy - $623,000
It also was announced that the consolidation of NCBA's Chicago office into the Denver headquarters continues on schedule. To make room for the combined staff, NCBA will build a new building on the eastern edge of the Denver metropolitan area. The current building will be sold at a fair market value and those funds will be applied to the costs of the new building, which is tentatively scheduled to open in October of 2000. Groundbreaking would have to occur this fall to keep that schedule. Schroeder stated that all of the memorials that had been contributed to the present building will be transferred to the new facility.
The meeting included a tribute to John Huston, who has retired from his post as vice president of consumer marketing. Huston invested 32 years of his life to help promote the beef industry and was a key figure in numerous marketing successes. He exited the stage with these words.
“Thank you for letting me be your hired hand for 32 years, and somehow, I hope I’ve been worth my keep.”
-- NCBA --
Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry. |