Formation of a single independent beef marketing organization is being recommended by a special working group tasked with streamlining beef marketing and promotion in Canada.
In a news release and media conference Jan. 6, the Canada Beef Working Group (CBWG) proposed the amalgamation of the Beef Information Centre (BIC), the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF) and the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency, the latter more commonly known as the national check-off agency.
The new entity, with the proposed name of Canada Beef, is expected to be “more efficient and nimble,” said working group co-chair Brad Wildeman. It is also expected to provide better accountability and activity reporting to various beef industry factions that have been critical of how check-off dollars are spent.
The working group, which spent four months developing its report and recommendations, estimates a savings of $1.3 million annually should its proposal proceed. Most of those savings, $848,000, would be realized in salaries, with the equivalent of 11 fewer positions among the three organizations, and through an estimated $277,000 in savings on administration.
The proposal has the unanimous agreement of cattle organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Prince Edward Island to seek approval among their respective memberships.
Wildeman said BIC, CBEF and the check-off agency will also now consider the recommendation and decide whether to take it forward to their respective boards and members.
Ideally, he said, the new organization would be in place by the end of June, although he acknowledged it would not be a simple task to organize.
“Most of the work is at the governance level and we’re not in control of that process,” he said.
If formed, Canada Beef would be governed by at least 12 members, equivalent to directors, and eight of those would be primary cattle producers. It would be headed by a president and chief executive officer.
The special working group included representatives from BIC, CBEF, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the national check-off agency, cattle feeder organizations and the major meat packers.
