Oct. 5, 2004 - Coordination of National, State Checkoff Programs Helpful

State beef councils collect the $1-per-head beef checkoff, and are allowed to keep 50 cents of every dollar collected on programs seen as important by producers in those states.  So coordination of state and national programs is a critical element in the checkoff’s overall success.

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee met recently to finalize the national budget for the checkoff’s 2005 fiscal year.  Todd Johnson, executive director for the Kansas Beef Council, attended the event, and says he’s encouraged by the coordination going on.

Cut #1     :25        Outcue: "...are in step."

Johnson says having a coordinated state/national program is helpful to him as a staff member of a state organization.

Cut #2     :18        Outcue: "...try to bolster that."

The national Operating Committee meeting was held the week before the Kansas Beef Council was to hold its budgeting and program session, which Johnson says was helpful.

Cut #3     :28        Outcue: "...markets to go into."

Johnson’s message to beef producers who pay into the $1-per-head program is a positive one.

Cut #4     :23        Outcue: "...the same thing here."

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee is made up of 10 representatives nominated by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 members nominated by the Federation of State Beef Councils.  It met in Denver Sept. 23 and 24.  The fiscal year for the national Beef Checkoff Program began Oct. 1. 

The National Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, a group of 108 beef producers from across the country who volunteer their time to help identify programs that can increase beef demand.  It was created in the 1985 Farm Bill, with oversight provided by the USDA.