Alberta cattle producers voted to raise their checkoff by 50 cents, increasing the levy to $2 on each sold animal. The approval came at producer meetings held across the province this fall.
The checkoff collected by the Alberta Cattle Commission is spent on research, beef promotion and lobbying government. A budget showing the increase will be presented at the annual meeting in Calgary Dec. 8.
If the budget is approved, the increase will be in effect April 1, 1999.
The commission started with a levy of 10 cents a head in 1971. It grew to $1.50 by 1987 and has not increased since. ACC officials said if the increase is not approved, programs could be axed because the annual budget would be short by $700,000.
If the checkoff remains at $1.50, the finance committee estimated fees at $6.3 million. About $4.2 million of that is sent to national programs and export development.
