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Group reports ‘progress’ in beef checkoff talks

After three years of negotiations, the group tasked with finding ways to improve the current beef checkoff is reporting “progress”.

The Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group has drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining proposed changes to the program.

Scott Stuart serves as the co-facilitator of the working group.

“The MOU covers, I think, the main points of what we’re looking at,” Stuart says. “It certainly speaks to the increase of the assessment from one dollar to two dollars and at the same time provides for a refund component for those that may not be comfortable with that—that they could request a refund of that additional dollar into the future.”

Stuart says the MOU also addresses the checkoff governance issues that have been a sticking point for some members of the working group.

“What it does is essentially create a nominating committee of Cattlemen’s Beef Board members and Federation of State Beef Council members as well as representatives of industry groups that have an interest in the beef checkoff,” he says. “So it really is, I think, a unique solution to what we have really wrestled with for quite some time.”

The proposal would require legislative changes in the 1985 Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order. The various groups involved will use the next six weeks to collect feedback on the proposal. The working group will meet again in March to discuss potential next steps.

AUDIO: Scott Stuart