How are your Checkoff Dollars Spent?
The Wyoming Beef Council is accountable to all who pay the beef checkoff. Below are some links to show where dollars are being spent. For specific publications, such as marketing plans, financial audits, and annual reports, visit the publications page.
What is your Return on Investment?
FAQ
What is the Checkoff Dollar?
The checkoff is a producer-funded marketing and research program designed to increase domestic and international demand for beef. This can be done through promotion, research and new product development, and a variety of other marketing tools. The Cattlemen's Beef Board and USDA oversee the collection and spending of beef checkoff funds.
How can Checkoff dollars be used?
As mandated by law, checkoff dollars must be invested in programs to increase consumer demand for beef, and to create opportunities to enhance producer profitability. The Beef Promotion and Research Act defines six program categories: promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications. It’s important to note that the law does not allow checkoff dollars to be invested in production research.
Who pays the dollar?
By law, all producers selling cattle or calves, for any reason and regardless of age or sex, must pay $1 per head to support beef promotion, research and information through the Beef Promotion and Research Act. The buyer is generally responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for that the dollar is collected and paid. In addition, the checkoff also is collected at the same rate on every live beef animal imported and at the equivalent rate of $1-per-head on all beef products that are imported [import assessments were about $6.3 million in 2012.]
Who benefits from the Beef Checkoff?
The fundamental goal of every checkoff program is to increase commodity demand, thereby increasing the potential long-term economic growth of all sectors of the industry. The overwhelming majority of beef and dairy producers say their beef checkoff has value for them in many ways. (Beef Producer Attitude Survey, Aspen Media & Market Research, Jan. 2012, a random survey of 1,200 beef producers nationwide with a ±2.8% margin of error).
Is anyone exempt from paying the dollar?
No producer is exempt from the checkoff, according to the Act. Buyers who resell cattle no more than 10 days from the date of purchase may file a non-producer status form and avoid paying an additional dollar. They are, however, responsible for remitting collected funds and reporting any transaction to the qualified state beef council. [More recently, producers of 100 USDA percent certified organic products were exempted from most commodity checkoffs in separate legislation, but they must reapply for this exemption annually.]
What is the penalty if someone doesn't pay the $1 per head assessment?
USDA can assess a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per transaction [the sale of one animal] plus late fees.