Manitoba cattle producers approved an increase to their checkoff during their annual meeting in Brandon this month.
There is now a $2 per head checkoff, with $1 for the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association and the other dollar for the national agency to support beef cattle research, promotion and market development.
No time frame has yet been set for when the cattle checkoff in Manitoba will rise to $3 per head, said MCPA executive director Keith Robertson.
When implemented, the increased checkoff will result in $2 per head going to the MCPA and $1 to the national agency.
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“The additional dollar would be used to increase our lobbying ability, which is going to take more staff and resources,” said Robertson. “As we all know, lobbying is not cheap.”
The additional funding will also support research and product promotion specific to the cattle industry in Manitoba.
During discussion of the resolution to increase the checkoff, at least one producer asked what is being done to ensure the existing checkoff is applied on all eligible cattle sales.
“That’s not just an issue in Manitoba,” said Robertson in a later interview.
“It applies across the country. People take on their own interpretation of who should collect and if they should collect. We know there is some slippage out there in those areas.”
Ongoing effort
Meanwhile, work continues to bring all provinces onto the same page for the national checkoff on cattle.
“Once all the provinces are signed on, we can actually put the wheels in motion,” Robertson said. “The wheels are in motion now in terms of collecting it and remitting it to the (national) agency, but the step that’s missing is getting it back to the provinces of origin.
“That’s the step that we’re working on now. That’s still part of the education process.”
