Fiscal responsibility left D.C. a long time ago, with pressure being put back onto the general population in the form of taxes, fees and regulations. I am deeply worried about the next few years in our global economy as we are seeing a sweeping shift in consumer spending. The American population has added over $1 trillion in credit card debt in the past year and an additional $2.9 trillion in overall debt on the American household. Fortunately, the fed left interest rates unchanged as they sit at a 22-year high; hopefully meaning they feel inflation is moderating. As a consumer, it’s tough to see how much longer it takes for all things including fuel, groceries and utilities. They’ve all seen huge hikes this past year, and the consumer is in a deep balancing act.
Beef is an easy target and when it comes to consumer editorials, beef seems to be in nearly every article. We have the attention, both good and bad, and continue to be used as a measuring stick against all other foods. With our consumer paying more at the counter, I think consumer education and trust is as important now as it’s ever been.
I do believe programs that return a positive return on investment back to its represented industry is a just cause and should be easily supported. We certainly have a few areas that cattlemen simply won’t all agree on, and checkoff programs fall right in that space. Conflict is sometimes a good thing, albeit it’s not very fun to deal with. My personality likes to avoid conflict, but I’m not afraid to have the discussion to resolve it, especially if it’s for the good of our business.
Last week, 130 organizations came together to support striking an amendment that would have put any research and promotion board’s funding at risk. In a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), the groups wrote:
“Congress has expressed support for these programs multiple times by adopting legislation authorizing checkoffs requested by different producer groups. These programs are entirely funded and directed by those who pay assessments into them—in other words, producers themselves. As such, all checkoff expenses, including the salaries of USDA personnel overseeing them, are funded by the same receipts they generate. There are no taxpayer dollars used to implement checkoffs, and no appropriated dollars are used to oversee. Further, contrary to claims made by proponents of this amendment, checkoffs are regularly audited for transparency and compliance and this amendment would do nothing to increase transparency measures at USDA. We urge opposition to the Spartz Amendment and request a ‘NO’ vote on its adoption.
“Research and promotion boards exist to develop new markets and strengthen existing channels for specific commodities while conducting important research and promotional activities. They also work to educate consumers on behalf of a particular commodity to expand total demand to the benefit of all producers. Using the pooled resources and stakeholder investments obtained through checkoff assessments, they promote the product as a whole to create an industry-wide benefit through increased sales, consumer awareness, and higher overall demand both at home and abroad. For every dollar invested into a commodity checkoff, producers see several more in return. Congress should not interfere with these popular, successful programs which benefit U.S. agriculture and natural resources producers.”
These programs have coined key phrases that built trust and equity with our consumers. “Got Milk?” “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner,” “Pork. The Other White Meat,” and “The Incredible, Edible Egg,” just to name a few. These phrases have helped drive products to consumers, build product awareness and bolster acceptance at the checkout line. Consumers must trust the products they buy, especially when their dollar only buys a fraction of what it did just a few years ago.
I understand the debate. It’s easy to see the money going out and hard to quantify the money coming back. For me personally, I’d rather contribute than have nothing on the national scale to fight for our causes. Everyone needs to make their own decisions and do their own research, but for me, I think consumers are already making hard decisions at the shelf and I’d prefer to not make it an easy decision for them to choose something else. That’s the value I see in all checkoff programs. — LOGAN IPSEN
