(Le Mars) — Iowa cattle producers have recently voted to start a state-wide check-off program on all beef sales. Many commodity organizations already implement some type of a check-off program, including cattle producers. Since
the 1980’s the nation’s cattle producers have contributed one dollar per head at the time of sale for a national check-off program. An example of the use of the check-off for beef promotion is the popular slogan: “Beef…Its What’s for
Dinner”. What’s different now is, Iowa cattle producers voted by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin to start up a fifty-cent per head state-wide check-off program. So, in addition to contributing a dollar per head to the national beef
check-off program, Iowa cattle producers will contribute an additional fifty cents per head for the new state beef check-off program. Lowell Vos is a cattle producer from Kingsley. He serves as the Regional Vice President of the Iowa
Cattlemen Association representing northwest Iowa. Vos says Iowa cattle producers want to see additional efforts to promote and market Iowa beef.
The new fifty-cent per head beef check-off is mandatory for all cattle producers, including dairy producers, at the time of sale of cattle at either the packing companies, livestock auctions, or private sales. Vos says producers do have the opportunity to file for a refund of check-off investments. Vos has high hopes the new state beef check-off program will encourage additional
exports of Iowa beef to foreign nations.
Iowa Cattle producers just finished up with a series of state-wide meetings. Vos says producers are deeply concerned with the low price for cattle at $105 per hundred weight. He says cattle producers are losing as much as $400 per head.
The Plymouth County cattle producer says many are worried about the outlook for the future.
That new Iowa beef check-off program will begin on March 1st, 2017.
