EDMONTON – About 1,000 Alberta cattle producers have requested $2.5 million of the now refundable Alberta Beef Producer checkoff during the first two refund periods.
The money represents 30 percent of the check-off revenue collected during the period.
Fourteen percent of the refund requests were for amounts greater than 1,000 head, which represented about $2.1 million, or 80 percent of the money refunded.
ABP finance chair Dave Solverson said he is disappointed the cattle industry no longer speaks with a unified voice.
He said the requests for refunds have created a watered down $5 million budget that must now stretch to cover a wide range of issues from research to fighting international trade disputes.
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“It is important to note that historical budgeted expenses were not considered excessive, nor containing any unreasonable expenses,” Solverson said at the organization’s semi annual meeting.
“An inconsistent message going to government is never very effective.”
The Alberta government changed the cattle checkoff from mandatory to refundable at the request of other cattle organizations, which hoped some of the check-off money would be redirected to them.
Phil Rowland, president of the Western Stock Growers Association, said he is not willing to say how much of the refunded cattle check-off money has been funneled their way.
“We’ve had some uptake for sure. I don’t think I’d like to say how much,” he said. “We could always hope for more.”
Rowland said his group hasn’t targeted any specific project with the money, but it will be put to use for the overall cattle industry.
Doug Price, chair of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association, said he didn’t know how much of the $2.5 million refunded from the ABP checkoff has been redirected to his organization.
“We’ve got more money than we’ve ever had before, that’s for sure. I know we aren’t getting it all.”
He said the organization feels it’s critical to diversify beef sales beyond North America and target producer initiatives that are trying to develop brands overseas. Price recognized that a voluntary system also means some money will not be directed back to any organization.
“When you have voluntary, you will have some slippage. Some people would just as soon put it in their pocket. Over time you may get 80 percent.”
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