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| Illinois beef producers to vote on checkoff’s return |
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Illinois beef producers to vote on checkoff’s return
By STEVE BINDER
Illinois Correspondent
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — In about two months, for Illinois producers it will be “Beef. It’s What’s On the Ballot.”
Supporters of reinstating a 50 cents per-head statewide checkoff program learned earlier this month the Illinois Department of Agriculture has approved conducting an election in February to determine whether the fee will be reinstated next year. The referendum will take place during a two-week period in February and votes can be cast three different ways.
Producers can cast a vote from Feb. 16-20 at any Farm Service Agency office throughout Illinois, at the Illinois Beef Expo at the Springfield fairgrounds from Feb. 19-22 or by casting a mail-in vote between Feb. 16-27 with the ballot postmarked no later than Feb. 27. Mail-in ballots can be requested online at www.illinoisbeef.com
“Our industry is up against tremendous adversity,” said Alan Adams, a producer based in Sandwich and vice president of the Illinois Beef Assoc. (IBA). “The national checkoff has been successful in combating those challenges, but more resources are needed to more aggressively confront beef industry issues that are critical to our way of life.
“The fast completion of the petition process and early backing from the Vote Yes coalition shows that Illinois beef producers recognize the need to further support our great industry.”
The association is a big backer of the state checkoff’s reinstatement, as are other members of the Vote Yes group, including the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Growers Assoc., Illinois Milk Producers Assoc., Grain & Feed Assoc. of Illinois and the Illinois Hereford Assoc.
The state checkoff was first approved in 1983 but was discontinued after the national beef checkoff was approved and collection of that $1 per-head fee began in 1987. Several other states with checkoffs also discontinued their own checkoff programs once the national fee began.
All of the money collected from an Illinois checkoff would stay in the state, noted IBA Executive Vice President Reid Blossom, and be used to promote Illinois beef. Half of the national checkoff total collected also stays with the states where cattle sales originate. By law, no money collected through the checkoff process can be used to lobby federal or state lawmakers.
“Our current national checkoff’s buying power has been eroded by 56 percent due to inflation over the years,” Blossom said. “Just like input costs on the farm, the cost of promotion and education has risen. The industry must invest in order to reach Illinois consumers and ensure a viable beef business for years to come, and the proposed Illinois beef checkoff would help in a number of areas.”
He noted that “activists” continue “to attack our industry, and more money is needed to promote beef.”
Last year, Illinois-originated beef sales totaled about 600,000 head, meaning the new checkoff would have generated approximately $300,000 for beef marketing to be overseen by the State Beef Council, an arm of the IBA.
A total of 14 states have state beef checkoffs, including the largest producer of beef, Texas. That state approved a new checkoff earlier this year. Unlike the national checkoff, a reinstated Illinois checkoff would be voluntary, meaning any producer may request a refund of checkoff amounts levied against their own sales. |
| 12/17/2014 |
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