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About Us The Utah Beef Council is a non-profit organization charged with the
promotion and marketing of beef and beef products in Utah. The UBC is funded by the
beef
checkoff program, a $1 per head assessment on the sale of cattle. Checkoff
dollars are used to increase beef demand through programs of promotion, research
and education. The organization is directed by an 11-member board of cattlemen
who represent the state's
cattle
producers.
Frequently
Asked Questions About The Beef Checkoff
What is the beef checkoff? The Beef Promotion Act of 1985 and Order 1986 provided for
the establishment of a coordinate program of promotion and research designed to
strengthen the beef industry's position in the marketplace and to maintain and
expand foreign and domestic markets for beef and beef products. Who pays the beef checkoff? Any producer marketing cattle (any breed, age, or value) of
that person's own production or purchased cattle owned more than ten days. All
imported cattle or beef equivalent will be required to pay the one dollar at the
point of entry into the United States.
How is the beef checkoff collected? In Utah we have an agreement with the Utah Department of
Agriculture to collect the beef promotion funds along with the brand inspection
required on all sale transactions of cattle or at processing. In the event of a
sale transaction not requiring a brand inspection, the beef promotion dollar
should be submitted directly to the state beef council. How can checkoff dollars be spent? Federal law required that moneys collected through beef
checkoff could only be used in the following areas: Promotion,
Education, Research,
and Consumer and Industry Information programs.
USDA has placed a 5% cap on the amount of funds used for administration. To date
the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board has always been well below
that cap. Beef Promotion funds can in no way be used for lobbying purposes. Who makes the decision on how the money is spent? Producer boards approve all expenditures. On the national
level, the Beef Promotion Operating Committee reviews and approves funds for all
checkoff activities. On the state level, the Utah Beef Council Board of
Directors makes the decision on how state funds should be used. State and
national staff have no vote on the use of the funds. They only carry out the
programs as approved by the producer boards. USDA reviews and approves marketing
plans and audits annually to monitor the legal use of checkoff dollars by the
producer boards. Who is on the Utah Beef Council and how did they get there? By-laws of the Utah Beef Council, Article 1: Members of the
Board of Trustees of the Utah Beef Council shall be the Immediate Past
President, President, First Vice President, and the three Second Vice Presidents
of the Utah Cattlemen's Association and a representative of the Utah dairy
industry. In addition, Utah's representative on the checkoff division of the
Board of Directors of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association will serve on
the Board of Trustees. The Utah Department of Agriculture Commissioner,
President of the Utah Cattlewomen's Association and the Utah Representative on
the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board shall serve as Ex-officio
members. All above members have full voting rights.
How can I know that the money is
spent in accordance with the law? Annually, the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board
collects the proposed budgets and marketing plans of the individual state beef
councils and reports those along with national program plans to the USDA. Those
marketing plans are reviewed for any possible misuse of funds. At the end of the
year, an independent auditing firm audits the state beef council and the
Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board to see that funds were used
according to the approved marketing plan. Utah's audit is submitted to the USDA,
Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, Utah Department of Agriculture
and the State Auditor. Because the checkoff is producer driven, your first contacts should be to the producer members of the Board of Trustees of the Utah Beef Council. If you have questions on the administration procedures, the staff at the office will be glad to help you. Producers serving on any of the beef promotion boards both locally and nationally welcome your input on programs. |
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