Summer Conference July 10-13

Cattlemen will be gathering in Reno, Nevada July 10-13 for the 2006 Cattle Industry Summer Conference. Various cattle associations and groups hold their summer meetings during the convention, including the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and several checkoff contractors.

During the 2006 meeting, producers who sit on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the board of the Federation of State Beef Councils will work in joint committees to make recommendations for programs to fund with national checkoff dollars in Fiscal 2007, which begins Oct. 1, 2006. All checkoff committee and Beef Board meetings are open to all producers.

Agendas for each committee meeting during the summer conference are posted under the “Committees” button along the lefthand side of this page. Actions of the committees will be posted shortly after their meetings, and minutes are posted within a couple of weeks after the meeting.

Below are some of the highlights of the upcoming summer conference for Cattlemen’s Beef Board members. All of those listed take place at the Reno Hilton Hotel:

Monday, July 10

• CBB Administration Subcommittee – 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
• CBB Executive Committee – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• CBB Audit Committee – 4 to 6 p.m.
• Joint Evaluation Committee – 7 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, July 11:

• Beef Industry Issues Forum Opening Session – 7:30 to 9 a.m.
• Dairy Producers Education Forum – 12:30 to 1:45 p.m.
• CBB Update Session – 2 to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 12:

• General Session II – 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.
• Joint Committee and Subcommittee meetings – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (see “Committees” for details)
• CBB Reception and Dinner – 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, July 13:

• 7:30 a.m. - CBB Summer Meeting (as part of joint meeting of CBB and NCBA)

Beef Board Budget Recommended

AMARILLO, Texas – June 8, 2006 — The Beef Promotion Operating Committee today recommended a Fiscal 2007 budget for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, toward building consumer demand for beef amid myriad challenges in the marketplace.

Based on projected checkoff revenue of $45.6 million in the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, 2006 – plus money available for programs coming in below cost – the Operating Committee recommended a $53.15 million budget, up slightly from $52 million in the current fiscal year.

The breakdown of the budget recommendation, which must be approved by the full Beef Board and USDA before any funds are expended, includes the following budget elements: promotion ($27.5 million); research ($7.4 million); consumer information ($6.6 million); industry information ($1.5 million); foreign marketing ($4.9 million); producer communications ($2.5 million); evaluation ($230,000); program development ($125,000); USDA oversight ($210,000); and administration ($2.1 million).

As the budgeting process continues, the full Beef Board will be asked to consider the Operating Committee’s recommendation at its meeting in Reno in July. Joint industry advisory committees and subcommittees also will meet in Reno to prepare recommendations for specific program proposals that are funded with that budget. Those proposals, then, are considered by the Operating Committee in September, and must be finally approved by USDA before any funds are spent.

Operating Committee to Recommend Budget

AMARILLO, Texas – June 8, 2006 - The 20 producers who serve on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee are meeting here in Amarillo this week to identify what they believe are the most effective ways to invest cattlemen’s checkoff dollars in Fiscal 2007.

The committee is currently reviewing strategies for safety, nutrition, new products, industry resources, producer communications and veal promotion, research and information programs.

By the close of the meeting later today, the committee will recommend a Beef Board budget based on the priorities and strategies recommended by joint industry committees and committee leadership at the annual Cattle Industry Convention in February, and since then. We’ll share the budget recommendation here with you as soon as the discussion concludes and the vote is taken.