Your BEEF CHECKOFF NEWS

Rules and Regulations

The Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) is a nonprofit organization responsible for administering programs of promotion, education, research, and consumer and industry information. The MBIC is part of a coordinated state/national effort funded and controlled by beef producers who are assessed $1-perhead each time a beef animal is sold. Half of each dollar is forwarded to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB) and the other half of the dollar is retained by the Missouri Beef Industry Council to fund state-based programs, which complement and extend the industry-wide effort.

MBIC is governed by a board of directors, which are selected as representatives for beef producers in each of the four regions across the state as well as groups such as the livestock markets, dairy producers, and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Each region elects two board members to serve alongside two members at-large and three appointed representatives, one each to represent the livestock market, dairy, and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association interests of the state. These board members are charged with the responsibility to allocate the Beef Checkoff dollars that are retained by Missouri for the purpose of driving beef demand and improving consumer trust in beef closer to home alongside national campaigns working to do the same across the US.

By law, all producers selling cattle or calves, are required to pay $1 per head to support promotion, education, and research projects. The buyer, generally, is responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for seeing that the dollar is collected and paid. In Missouri, the collection and compliance of funds is overseen by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. More information about collection can be found in the bullet-points below.

• Whoever makes payment to the seller is considered a “Collection Point” or person and must withhold $1-per-head, remitting those funds to the Qualified State Beef Council (QSBC) where they live. Collection points could include auction markets, feedyards, dealers/order buyers, other producers, auctioneers, clerking services, banks, packers and other entities.

• The buyer is generally responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller. By law, both buyer and seller are equally liable to see that $1-per-head has been collected and paid.

• Also under the Act and the Order, the State Beef Council is legally responsible for collecting monthly assessments as well as a two percent late charge on checkoff remittances if they are not received in our office postmarked by the 15th of the month following the month of sale.

• No producer is exempt from the checkoff. Buyers who resell cattle no more than 10 days from the date of purchase may file a non-producer status form and avoid paying an additional dollar. They are, however, responsible for remitting collected funds and reporting any transaction to the QSBC.

• Remember: A dollar or a document! All selling/ purchase transactions must be reported. In each case, either $1-per-head or non-producer status form document must be collected by the buyer from the seller to show the dollar has been collected and paid within the past 10 days.

• If it’s more convenient, the seller of cattle may collect and remit funds collected. For instance, purebred breeders selling to many different buyers may wish to remit the checkoff themselves; persons exporting cattle should also pay when the cattle change hands. Buyers should keep receipts showing the checkoff has been paid.