July 31 is the deadline for applying for a refund under the Western Wheat and Barley Checkoff Program.
Alberta Barley, which administers the program, is reminding farmers who want their checkoff refunded to submit the paperwork before the deadline.
The five-year transitional program was established in August 2012 to ensure an uninterrupted source of producer funding for the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) and the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI).
Checkoffs under the program are collected at the point of sale at a rate of 48 cents per tonne of wheat and 56 cents per tonne of barley (.04 cents per tonne of barley sold in Alberta).
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The checkoff is separate from wheat and barley checkoffs collected by provincial wheat and barley commissions.
“The second year of this program went very smoothly,” said Syeda Khurram, manager of finance and human resources with Alberta Barley.
“In the coming months, our accounting staff will continue to actively answer check-off questions and assist farmers through the refund process.”
Levies collected under the program are mandatory but refundable.
Refunds are processed once a year, and cheques are issued before the end of October.
For more information, visit wheatbarleycheckoff.com or phone 800-265-9111.
