The Agricultural Marketing Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is calling for public opinion regarding the new beef ‘checkoff program’.
This industry-funded research, promotion and information order will bolster the country's beef industry, acting alongside the existing one, by fortifying it with more research and resources.
Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary, commented: "The Beef industry representatives agree that this important programme needs more resources. The USDA is stepping up at a critical juncture to help achieve the industry's goal. With this action we can boost research investments, increase beef exports, and encourage folks here at home to support American beef producers."
Congress created the beef 'checkoff program' in 1985, where the fee agreed upon was $1 per-head-of-cattle for a single producer, which has now been deemed too little by industry leaders. However, changing the fee requires a bill passed by Congress.
Any further programmes, such as education, consumer advertising and new-product development, proposed to develop the beef industry would help tackle burning issues like nutritional information, and more.
More resources thrown in could raise domestic as well as international beef demand, profiting not only the domestic beef industry but also the cattle barons. The USDA has taken up the task of becoming the channel to keep the benefits coming to all beef producers.
Public has been called upon to communicate their opinions on the new order provisions. After assessments, within three years a referendum would be conducted on an order initiated under the 1996 Act to ascertain whether the cattle barons supported the programme or not. After commencement, the programme would see a second referendum held within seven years.
