Beef checkoff

[boondocks]

I guess I'm still officially a newbie. I have wondered for a bit what this "beef checkoff" was about. I just was reading up on it and it says we are supposed to send in a buck per head sold (whether sale barn, private treaty, or butchered for sale).
Now, as a new "producer" (ha) I have sold or butchered about a half dozen head, all told. (Go ahead and laugh, I'll wait :lol: )

So, do I really need to write a check for 6 bucks? Or can I wait til next year and send a check for the new total? I'm cheap with stamps, and we plan on doing a good bit (for us) of sales over the next 9 months or so.

I have no problem paying it, but when you sell a cow here and a cow there, sending them a check for a dollar (via a stamp that costs half that) seems ludicrous....

 

[Bigfoot]

Come to find out, the money goes to support the packer not the producer. It might be better spent in the meat department at your local grocery store. Maybe buy a round steak, and cook it over a hot flame till it's well done. Enjoy the bitter taste of defeat. That's what I plan on doing anyway.

 

[Craig Miller]

They do it for you when you sale at the barn. I don't think anybody sends any checks personally though.

 

[Ebenezer]

If the checkoff worked and the money was not being wasted we would not have the sudden downturn in prices as demand would be up and we would all not be in the dark as to what is causing an unnecessary drop. I'd say it is money wasted on elites to give them and their friends jobs and prestige. Otherwise, I see no proof that it is working. The dumbest thing: put beef checkoff ads in farm and beef magazines when the efforts are supposed to be targeted to the consuming public. Like showing a picture of a rabbit to a pen of beagles. More like government than a farm organization. But you have to pay.

 

[Jogeephus]

If you go to a cow show or any FFA event you'll see your checkoff dollars at work with all the posters and things they make to promote beef but when is the last time you've seen these same posters in a grocery store? Or, when is the last time you saw a television ad? Almost like preaching to the choir.

But by law, you are supposed to collect the six dollars but what you might want to do is put it in a jar and leave it in your barn and they can come get it when they want.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I'm against the beef Checkoff and was the only azz to speak against it at the state meeting held in Macon. But I see some of the benefits of the Checkoff at some of the different events the wife and I attend. The beef recipe books which are great by the way, bumper stickers, hand bags, pencils and all the different things we give away cost a lot of money. The GCA and the NCBA try and do a hundred+ presentations at schools here in Georgia per year. Countless different fairs and seminars at grocery stores and other promotional things concerning beef throughout the state.
And one other major thing, besides the employees of GCA and NCBA, everyone else donates their time and travel expenses to promoting beef for FREE.

 

[boondocks]

Interesting background, everyone. I like the "jar in a barn" idea.I'll put in an extra dime in case they want interest.

 

[js1234]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.
Some of the smarter states, such as Oklahoma, have done co-op deal with states like California, using their dollars to push beef to Mexican consumers in the LA basin etc. with fantastic results as per polling data at Mexican grocery stores and other methods of monitoring results.
I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

 

[boondocks]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.
Some of the smarter states, such as Oklahoma, have done co-op deal with states like California, using their dollars to push beef to Mexican consumers in the LA basin etc. with fantastic results as per polling data at Mexican grocery stores and other methods of monitoring results.
I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

Ok, but when you sell one animal here and one there (and you can count the year's sales on one hand, usually with fingers left over), are you really supposed to send them a check for a dollar using a ~50cent stamp? That is silly.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.
Some of the smarter states, such as Oklahoma, have done co-op deal with states like California, using their dollars to push beef to Mexican consumers in the LA basin etc. with fantastic results as per polling data at Mexican grocery stores and other methods of monitoring results.
I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

Ok, but when you sell one animal here and one there (and you can count the year's sales on one hand, usually with fingers left over), are you really supposed to send them a check for a dollar using a ~50cent stamp? That is silly.

I agree with you.

 

[farmerjan]

If an organization doesn't take it out of my check, I sure am not going to send it to the gov't since I did the promoting to sell my animal privately. Let them come ask me for it..... :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:

 

[Ebenezer]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.

Wonder if someone will tell us what cattle prices would be right now if we did not have a checkoff program? Maybe us paying them to haul them off? :cry2:

I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

Our state does OK, I think. My concern is at the national level. Did they fight the imports, are they able to tell us how the market crashed and why? Have they offered solutions?

 

[True Grit Farms]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.
Some of the smarter states, such as Oklahoma, have done co-op deal with states like California, using their dollars to push beef to Mexican consumers in the LA basin etc. with fantastic results as per polling data at Mexican grocery stores and other methods of monitoring results.
I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

I've heard the same thing, but don't believe it. NCBA is for the big dogs not the little peons like me. I'm going to give up my membership to NCBA. Because I think their stand on COOL is the reason for the crash in cattle prices to the producer. NCBA hurt me so screw them.

 

[js1234]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.
Some of the smarter states, such as Oklahoma, have done co-op deal with states like California, using their dollars to push beef to Mexican consumers in the LA basin etc. with fantastic results as per polling data at Mexican grocery stores and other methods of monitoring results.
I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

Ok, but when you sell one animal here and one there (and you can count the year's sales on one hand, usually with fingers left over), are you really supposed to send them a check for a dollar using a ~50cent stamp? That is silly.

I agree with you.

To be fair, I must not understand how your state does it. Here in the West, the deduction is made by the sale barn, video auction country buyer or however your calves are marketed.
I grant you that if you sell 5-6 calves a year and have to mail your own buck or two per head in, it could certainly be a more trouble than it's worth sort of task that gets lost in the shuffle.

 

[boondocks]

Ok, but when you sell one animal here and one there (and you can count the year's sales on one hand, usually with fingers left over), are you really supposed to send them a check for a dollar using a ~50cent stamp? That is silly.

I agree with you.

To be fair, I must not understand how your state does it. Here in the West, the deduction is made by the sale barn, video auction country buyer or however your calves are marketed.
I grant you that if you sell 5-6 calves a year and have to mail your own buck or two per head in, it could certainly be a more trouble than it's worth sort of task that gets lost in the shuffle.

Well we have only put one thru the sale barn and I don't know if they took out a buck. Rest were sold privately (or butchered). A recent mailer from the state Angus Assn had a short blurb on it (and I think listed a website to download the form to send in with your check for a buck using your 50 cent stamp, on an animal that if I cared to do the math, I'm quite sure I lost $ on...). Gotta love it...

 

[js1234]

Actually, it has been proven that each checkoff dollar makes many times itself in return and that is with most of the States not being very good at it in my opinion.

Wonder if someone will tell us what cattle prices would be right now if we did not have a checkoff program? Maybe us paying them to haul them off? :cry2:

I have found that most organizations that are receiving checkoff dollars, are very unqualified to use them to promote beef. The results of States like the aforementioned Oklahoma should really be a rubric for other States.

Our state does OK, I think. My concern is at the national level. Did they fight the imports, are they able to tell us how the market crashed and why? Have they offered solutions?

I can honestly say, having been to DC on quite a few of the lobbying trips with NCBA and legislative conferences etc., the NCBA and their lobbyists are working very hard.
I cannot dispute that the results are often underwhelming and I would like to see more. I frankly didn't think they did much of anything until I became very involved at a National level and saw how hard they are trying to push water up hill as it were, first hand. I am impressed at how hard their staff works to fight for the industry and keep coming back for more, whether I was spending other people's money or not, I may have long since thrown in the towel if I were in their shoes.
NCBA in general and the checkoff in particular has its fair share of warts, that's undeniable. It's one of the best tools out there right now though.
As far as NCBA catering to the big producers, that's not completely inaccurate. It's a balancing act, the average member is quite small but the bulk of the revenue and basically all the PAC contributions come from ranches of 500 mother cows or 1,000 yearling plus. While I think NCBA has the intention to try to look out for all its members, it would be foolish to try to say the source of the majority of funding doesn't get it's interests well looked after. Right or wrong, I am one of those "large" producers and while I could be mistaken, I would be very surprised and very impressed if EVERY member received the personal contact etc. that I have from both the staff in Washington and Denver. I'm sure a paid employee of the NCBA would disagree or point out stats pointing otherwise but that's one dumb ranchers opinion after having been pretty involved for quite a while now.

 

[js1234]

I agree with you.

To be fair, I must not understand how your state does it. Here in the West, the deduction is made by the sale barn, video auction country buyer or however your calves are marketed.
I grant you that if you sell 5-6 calves a year and have to mail your own buck or two per head in, it could certainly be a more trouble than it's worth sort of task that gets lost in the shuffle.

Well we have only put one thru the sale barn and I don't know if they took out a buck. Rest were sold privately (or butchered). A recent mailer from the state Angus Assn had a short blurb on it (and I think listed a website to download the form to send in with your check for a buck using your 50 cent stamp, on an animal that if I cared to do the math, I'm quite sure I lost $ on...). Gotta love it...

Out of curiosity, when you think of it, look at a sale barn check stub. I would assume there is a line item, something like "beef promotion" for $1/head. I'd be interested to know about NY State. I was under the impression, it was deducted at barns nationally.

 

[boondocks]

To be fair, I must not understand how your state does it. Here in the West, the deduction is made by the sale barn, video auction country buyer or however your calves are marketed.
I grant you that if you sell 5-6 calves a year and have to mail your own buck or two per head in, it could certainly be a more trouble than it's worth sort of task that gets lost in the shuffle.

Well we have only put one thru the sale barn and I don't know if they took out a buck. Rest were sold privately (or butchered). A recent mailer from the state Angus Assn had a short blurb on it (and I think listed a website to download the form to send in with your check for a buck using your 50 cent stamp, on an animal that if I cared to do the math, I'm quite sure I lost $ on...). Gotta love it...

Out of curiosity, when you think of it, look at a sale barn check stub. I would assume there is a line item, something like "beef promotion" for $1/head. I'd be interested to know about NY State. I was under the impression, it was deducted at barns nationally.

I don't have the paperwork for the one cow we sold at the sale barn 2 or 3 years back, but found this rather alarming website that says that not only are seller and buyer equally responsible for making sure the buck is paid, but that they can charge you a $7500 fine per sale if you don't comply. Wowzers. (And/or they can charge 2% interest).
I would assume the sale barns remit the buck per head rather than risk fines.