March 5, 2014
www.gfb.org
Vol. 32 No. 9
GEORGIA BEEF COMMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REFERENDUM The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef (ACCB) received statements of support during a hearing on Feb. 28 at the Macon State Farmers Market regarding its proposal to establish a $1 per head assessment to fund research, education and promotional efforts for Georgia’s beef industry. Following the hearing, the five-member ACCB board met and chose to move forward with the referendum process. Ballots will be mailed to Georgia beef producers who registered with the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) by Dec. 31 to vote in the referendum. The ballots will be accepted from March 15 to April 15. For the referendum to be valid, a minimum of 25 percent of the ballots issued must be returned and 66.67 percent must vote affirmative for the referendum to pass. Should it pass, the assessment would be in effect for three years beginning July 1. The assessment would be collected when cattle are sold. Cattle that sell for less than $100 per head would be exempt, as would cattle that have been owned for 10 days or less. The hearing, which is required by law, was attended by a total of 31 people and was administered by GDA Legal Services Officer Ashley Short. The hearing began with GDA Commodities Promotion Manager Nathan Wilson introducing documents showing efforts to form the ACCB, beginning with Senate Bill 97, which was passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2013 and authorized the formation of the ACCB. Six beef cattle industry stakeholders spoke during the hearing, all of them in favor of the assessment. The GDA also accepted written comments until 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. “As an industry we need to step up and fund a program that would help not only research but education, and invest in the things that will help our industry move forward. We’ve got to catch up,” said former Georgia Cattlemen’s Association President Steve Blackburn, who compared 1986 prices to the current prices on gasoline, a pound of ground beef, pickup trucks and other consumer items to illustrate the diminished value of the dollar. “I encourage anyone with an interest in the beef industry to vote positively for this referendum.” The state assessment would be used to fund research, promotion and education programs to benefit Georgia beef producers. The current National Beef Checkoff only funds promotional efforts. ACCB Chairman John Callaway said that most other states around Georgia either have their own assessment or are working toward one. “I think this is the way that it’s happening nationally. More and more states are putting it upon themselves to come up with a state assessment,” Callaway said.