An official form is now available for Montana Beef Producers to authorize the Montana Beef Council to spend their Beef Checkoff dollars in-state.
As we reported right here a few weeks ago, U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris on June 21 granted R-CALF USA a preliminary injunction that could stop the Montana Beef Council from using Beef Checkoff dollars to fund its Montana-based programs. (CLICK HERE to read “Beef Promotion in Montana in Jeopardy”)
Effectively, unless a cattle producer provides prior consent authorizing MBC to retain a portion of that producer’s assessment, then 100{b9074abe8f97d35d556dcc91d04f630e2f89dbb1fa8fca20af3e4b7ae12c3e5a} of each of their Beef Checkoff dollars must now be forwarded on to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for use on national programs and projects.
This change caused serious concern among many Beef Producers, because the MBC is the industry’s main vehicle for beef promotion and education in Montana and their budget has historically retained about 50{b9074abe8f97d35d556dcc91d04f630e2f89dbb1fa8fca20af3e4b7ae12c3e5a} of the Beef Check-off dollars to be spent on in-state programs.
With the end of their fiscal year fast-approaching on September 30, the MBC faces the prospect of operating under a new budget without the ability to spend dollars in-state.
To allow Beef Producers a way to provide the required “prior affirmative consent” authorizing the Montana Beef Council to retain a portion of their assessment, the USDA has now provided a simple one-page form, (click here for the “PRODUCER REQUEST FORM“.) Producers can choose to grant consent for a month at a time, or for the rest of the calendar year.
Dozens of Beef Producers have already downloaded this simple form and sent in their authorization to the Montana Beef Council. Additionally, a “SAMPLE – Producer Consent Form” form has been provided, so that producers can easily see the proper way to complete it.
Producers who want up to 50 cents of their federal $1-per-head Beef Checkoff assessment to remain under control of the Montana Beef Council must complete this form. Completed forms can be sent to Montana Beef Council, P.O. Box 80865, Billings, MT 59108 or emailed to: info@montanabeefcouncil.org
Source: Northern Ag Network
PRODUCER REQUEST FORM to Retain Beef Checkoff Assessments MT.pdf
