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SDCA to propose state checkoff legislation
South Dakota
The South Dakota Cattlemen's Association (SDCA) prepares to act as the U.S. Supreme Court decides once and for all if the program that funds the "Beef. It's what's for dinner" advertising will continue. Oral arguments were heard Dec. 8 to decide the constitutionality of the national beef checkoff.
In light of these circumstances, the members of SDCA unanimously passed a directive instructing the association to form a coalition of agriculture organizations to prepare legislation providing for a voluntary state beef checkoff to be instituted only in the case that the national beef checkoff is struck down, said SDCA live cattle marketing chairman Doug Van Duyn.
"The concept of an in-state checkoff program caused a lot of excitement at our annual convention. After witnessing the huge successes of the national beef checkoff and corn and soybean programs, our members definitely wanted to try to keep a viable program going in the state," said Mike Stahly, SDCA president.
The association is planning to present legislation during the 2005 session that would create a program to collect a fee of up to $1 per head of cattle sold in the state. The funds collected would be used in much the same way as the current $1 per head checkoff, except it would all be distributed on a state level as decided by a producer-elected board.
Even though the function of the state checkoff would be mainly education, research and promotion, it would have an element of flexibility that would allow for spending on a variety of programs. The funds could not be used for lobbying, Van Duyn said.
The national beef checkoff can be credited with helping raise consumer demand for beef 16 percent in six years and playing a major role in the development of more than 2,100 new beef products. Studies have shown that "Beef. It's what's for dinner," is one of the most recognized advertising slogans in the country. All of these factors work together to create more demand for beef, resulting in better prices for cattle producers.
"We think the legislature will look at this as a way for us to help ourselves. It's not enough to rely on the fact that people like beef. We have to realize that the industry is always changing and be prepared for those changes," Stahly said.
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