Anybody on their local cattle associations?

[BFW]

in Alberta there is a refundable checkoff. No one from ABP has ever asked me why I take it back. Now they and others complain that they need more funding to advance the industry and need to have a mandatory checkoff to stop the freeloaders. I am not cheap and I believe the checkoff system is not relevant to the way the industry is structured today especially at the provincial levels.

[BFW]

tend to agree with Grassfarmers comments in regards to marketing.

[BFW]

and Grassfarmers thoughts on research and promotion of the actual cattle industry and its practices.

[Horse]

The only aim of the ABP is to keep there welfare coming from crown lands, and they need numbers to try to make there point.
I would like to see 1 tangable thing they have dpne for the betterment of the industry as a whole.

[Horse]

The only aim of the ABP is to keep there welfare coming from crown lands, and they need numbers to try to make there point.
I would like to see 1 tangable thing they have dpne for the betterment of the industry as a whole.

[comtex]

I agree 100% with Grassfarmers comments in regards to marketing. That is an underhanded way of getting someone else to pay for their advertising

[grassfarmer]

It's a widespread and long standing tradition though - we had similar levies in Scotland as far back as the 1970's always the primary producer paying to promote the end product. I never thought it strange until someone here brought up the steel/car analogy. Now I can't get past that. Don't know of any other industry that has this funding structure other than agriculture.

[Happytrails]

I will second BFWS experience re: the ABP having no interest in why a refund is requested. They could make use of the opportunity to feel out producers but don't. Don't care about being more relevant apparently.

FWIW I have been taking back a small half of my check off deductions mostly as a matter of principle. Never a question asked.