The dollar-per-head assessment on cattle sold in the U.S. will fund more than $40 million worth of research and promotion projects in the beef checkoff’s next fiscal year.
Last week, members of the Checkoff Beef Board gathered to consider projects before allocating about $40.9 million through the 2020 Plan of Work. Projects receiving checkoff funding range from a $10.4 million promotion effort that includes “continuation of the checkoff’s consumer digital advertising program” to a $8.3 million project to engage in foreign marketing and education in 80 countries.
The largest recipient of checkoff funds in the next fiscal year is by far the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which will have five proposals funded for about $27.3 million. The U.S. Meat Export Federation — which a CBB release notes is a subcontractor to NCBA — will have one proposal funded for $8.2 million. The North American Meat Institute (four proposals for $1.9 million) and CBB (one proposal for $1.6 million) are the only two other entities to receive more than $1 million in checkoff funds. Four other groups had a single proposal funded: The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (a $698,300 proposal); the Meat Import Council of America ($498,786); the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association ($359,126); and the National Livestock Producers Association ($99,757).
CBB said the seven contractors originally submitted requests topping $50.7 million.
By law, checkoff funds cannot be used for policy purposes. The projects are still subject to USDA approval.
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