Protectionist ranchers’ group says checkoffs promote ‘less safe and less wholesome’ imported beef
Reading Time: 3 minutes A group of cattle ranchers is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, claiming their checkoff dollars are being used to promote Canadian and other imported beef. The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America — best known as R-CALF — also claims imported beef is “less safe and less wholesome.” But the lawsuit filed […] Read more
R-CALF’s USDA lawsuit takes aim at Canadian beef
Bid to boost beef checkoffs remains stalled
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s no resolution in sight on the issue of checkoffs, even though beef industry groups say research and marketing will suffer if the levies aren’t increased. “We need to invest more in marketing, research, and issues management,” said Rich Smith, executive director of Alberta Beef Producers (ABP). “We simply believe we need a higher level […] Read more
Tax credits available for checkoffs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Wheat producers who paid the Alberta Wheat Commission provincial checkoff and did not request a refund are eligible for a tax credit. For the 2015 tax year, 20 per cent of the checkoff is eligible for the federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax incentive program. The tax credit percentage is based on the dollar […] Read more
Checkoffs a priority for Alberta Beef Producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Boosting the $1 national checkoff to $2.50 had a prime spot on the agenda at Alberta Beef Producers’ annual fall meetings. The 23 meetings held across the province attracted about 900 producers and “as we had hoped, the fall meetings generated good discussion among producers on the issue of industry funding,” the organization said in […] Read more
Hefty checkoff rebates put squeeze on Alberta Beef Producers
Marketing and research are suffering because one-third of voluntary checkoffs are being rebated, say officials
Reading Time: 4 minutes Checkoff refunds continue to hobble Alberta Beef Producers, which had to give back $2.5 million in the past year, mainly to cattle feeders. “The $2 service charge that we have here would be sufficient if we were able to invest it all, but we lose about a third of it,” said Rich Smith, the organization’s […] Read more
Canola checkoff brings tax credit
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta canola growers who don’t request a checkoff refund qualify for a tax credit for the 2014 tax year. The Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit allows growers to claim the tax credit for the portion of the checkoff paid used to fund qualifying research. The rate for Alberta canola producers in 2014 is […] Read more
Alberta producers want cattle checkoff raised
Alberta Beef Producers says its members have endorsed raising the checkoff
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta producers want to see the checkoff on cattle rise by a third — and be made mandatory. Attendees at Alberta Beef Producers’ meetings earlier this winter were asked if they favoured a higher, mandatory checkoff and the answer was a strong ‘yes,’ said Rich Smith, the organization’s executive director. “The producers who attended those […] Read more
Five-year beef plan seeks boosts in demand, efficiency
A new strategy from national and provincial cattle producer and beef marketing agencies has set five-year percentage benchmarks for the industry’s productivity, added value and cost-effectiveness. Canada’s beef sector groups on Wednesday formally released their National Beef Strategy, a guiding document for “how the organizations can work together to best position the Canadian beef industry […] Read more
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