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Tues. February 27th: Check-off Town Hall being held online

Missed this webinar? Watch the recording here.

Each time you sell cattle in Canada, you pay a national check-off. If you want a better understanding about where your national check-off dollars are spent and the increase from $1/head to $2.50/head, join the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency’s online town hall on Tuesday, February 27th.

Note: if you registered for all upcoming BCRC webinars, you have not been registered for this webinar, because it is hosted by the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency, not the BCRC, so you need to click the link below to register for this webinar separately.  

We encourage beef producers from across the country to join this town hall webinar and ask questions live.

When:

There will be two sessions on Tuesday, February 27th to accommodate producers across Canada:

  • 3:00pm – 4:30pm MST (2pm PST; 4pm CST; 5pm EST; 6pm AST)
  • 6:00pm – 7:30pm MST (5pm PST; 7pm CST; 8pm EST; 9pm AST)

How to Register:

Watch the recording of this webinar here.

Speakers:

Melinda German, General Manager, Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency

The Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency (the Agency) manages and administers the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off. By working with core partners, the Agency ensures that check-off dollars are invested into research, market development and promotion programs that deliver measurable value to the Canadian beef industry. The Agency is responsible for communicating the value of the check-off investment, as well as training and education of producers and funding partners, regulatory management, collection and administration of check-off dollars.

Tracy Herbert, Extension & Communications Director, Beef Cattle Research Council

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is Canada’s national industry-led funding agency for beef research. The BCRC is funded through a portion of a producer-paid national levy as well as government funding, and is directed by a committee of beef producers from across the country.  The BCRC’s mandate is to determine research and development priorities for the Canadian beef cattle industry and to administer check-off funds allocated to research. In 2018/19, it is projected that the BCRC will receive approximately 27 per cent of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off to invest.

Ron Glaser, VP Corporate Affairs, Canada Beef

As the Agency’s internal marketing division, Canada Beef works to promote all Canadian beef products collectively on a global scale. The organization’s purpose is simply to increase the demand that the global consumer has in Canadian beef by making sure they know what the Canadian beef industry stands for and what the industry’s values are. Canada Beef works to improve mind-share, which can be defined as how often consumers think about Canadian beef when they are hungry for beef. It is projected that Canada Beef will receive approximately 62 per cent of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off to invest on behalf of producers.

Tom Lynch-Staunton, Manager of Partner and Stakeholder Engagement, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

The goals of the Issues Management program are to increase public confidence, and enhance the credibility, reputation, and trust in the Canadian beef industry, thereby increasing overall demand for beef in Canada and long-term sustainability for beef producers; and to develop stronger relationships and connectivity among industry partners and organizations to manage issues more efficiently and effectively. The issues management hub is housed under the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, but works collaboratively with provincial and national groups to address public trust in the beef industry. Issues Management is projected to receive approximately four per cent of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off in 2018/19.

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We welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. Contact us directly or generate public discussion by posting your thoughts below.


Comments


Stuart McDowallFebruary 27, 2018

Can those who pay the check off direct it to the organization or Association of their choice? If not, why not, as a "directed" check-off assures accountability and is democratic. Choice is good.

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Canadian Beef Check-Off AgencyFebruary 27, 2018

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for the question.

Each provincial cattle organization (eg. Alberta Beef Producers, Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, ect.) has the opportunity to allocate the national dollars collected in their province to what is important to their producers. They can choose to allocate the dollars, by percentage, in three ways:

- Research (Beef Cattle Research Council)
- Market Development & Promotion (Canada Beef)
- Provincial Investment (money stays in the province to fund research, market development and promotion activities that have national benefits)

These provincial cattle associations are democratically governed, and have their own channels of two-way communication like regional/zone meetings with their producers where things like the allocation percentages can be discussed.

All of the provincial associations, along with five national groups also worked together on the National Beef Strategy, which laid out a plan to 2020 with goals for the industry to achieve. The Strategy also included recommended allocation percentages of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, to ensure those goals can be met. These recommendations aren’t binding, and it is still up to each provincial association to allocate based on their priorities. You can learn more about the strategy at www.beefstrategy.ca.

These same provincial associations are designated a number of voting delegates at the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency's AGM, where they are able to vote in elections, on resolutions, and discuss the management of producer's check-off dollars. Our board is also made up of producers who work closely with their home provincial cattle associations as well.

Long story short, there are mechanisms in place to ensure transparency, accountability and democracy in the management of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off. If you are interested in getting involved in the process, we encourage you to contact your provincial cattle association.

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