Canada’s beef promotion groups and the national check-off agency have agreed in principle to consolidate.
The Canada Beef Export Federation, Beef Information Centre and Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency, also known as the National Check-off Agency, plan to sign the consolidation agreement soon.
Provincial and parliamentary approval is also required.
“We are keen to get this consolidation underway,” CBEF chair Gib Drury.
Talks have been underway for more than two years to create a single entity responsible for marketing and promoting beef as well as collecting the checkoff.
“As a new organization, we are still committed to free trade and opening markets,” he said.
Bylaws and structure are being developed, but the new board will comprise 16 members with a majority being primary producers, said Robb McNabb, executive director of the National Check-off Agency.
Provincial cattle groups responsible for collecting and remitting the $1 per animal sold checkoff will be represented at the new board. Each province must also have representation.
“The ultimate objective is to make sure that all provinces that are part of the check-off system will be part of any decisions relative to the checkoff,” said McNabb.
The agency will market beef collect the checkoff on interprovincial beef sales and imports.
A new chief executive officer will be hired and staff from the current groups may join the new unnamed agency.
The committee responsible for creating the new agency was called the Canada Beef working group, but it may have a different name once all details are settled, said McNabb.
