Saskatchewan beef producers might soon speak with one voice.
Cattle producers in the province rely on a government-run beef industry committee to decide how check-off dollars are spent.
The Saskatchewan associations for cattle feeders and stock growers say the industry committee has done a good job of funding research and beef promotion projects.
But they are concerned about stable, core funding for a new organization that would allow for policy and economic analysis, so they want to take over the administration of the check-off program.
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Former provincial agriculture minister Mark Wartman said before the recent Saskatchewan election that he was encouraging cattle producers to take over from the appointed industry committee.
Bob Ivey, former president of the cattle feeders group, is recruiting producers who have been on the feeders and stock growers boards to sit on the proposed new committee.
Initially the cattle feeders had hoped to work with the stock growers to study the possibility of taking over the checkoff. However the stock growers association chose not to participate in funding the feasibility study.
Framework Consultants of Calgary analyzed the situation and recommended that a new board be created with elected cattle producer representatives from each of the nine crop districts in Saskatchewan, with two districts having an additional member due to the high cattle populations in those areas.
The report also recommended adding two directors appointed from each of the stock growers and cattle feeders associations.
“We need core funding to be able to attract and keep professional staff,” said Ivey. “You can’t operate in this rapidly changing policy and economic environment without that representation and support.
“Government is looking to producers to advise them on policy direction. We need to have that policy analysis on board,” he said.
Dennis Fuglerud of the stock growers agrees that producers should take control of their check-off funds.
“Our members know what needs to be done to promote their interests,” he said.
Ivey said Saskatchewan is the only province where cattle checkoffs are not controlled by producers.
“Pigs do it, canola does it, cereal grains, pulse crops. We should be doing it, too,” he said.
Ivey and Fuglerud say they each have members who are not comfortable working with other industry groups. However, Ivy said both groups are interested in creating a healthy cattle business.
He expects the two groups will continue to function after the new organization is operating and “will continue to voice the concerns of their members as they have in the past.”
Ivey has gathered producer representation from all crop districts, with the majority so far coming from stock growers members. He has held a few meetings with that group to plan for further discussion and adoption at upcoming cattle feeder and stock grower meetings in January.
The checkoff is collected under the Cattle Marketing Deductions Act. Any change would require amending legislation and would need the co-operation of the new Saskatchewan Party government.
