What is the BEEF CHECKOFF?
In Georgia, we have the Georgia Beef Board, which is the organization responsible for promoting beef and educating consumers here in Georgia. Our job is to help build trust in beef, increase beef demand, and support the people who raise cattle by making sure consumers have accurate information about beef nutrition, food safety, cooking, and modern cattle production. Think of the Georgia Beef Board as Georgia’s team dedicated to telling the story of beef.
To learn more about the National Checkoff, check out Beef. It's What's for Dinner.
More About the Georgia Beef Board
Think of the Georgia Beef Board as Georgia’s team dedicated to telling the story of beef.
That work can include things like:
- Consumer advertising and marketing campaigns
- Retail and restaurant promotions (like burger weeks or in-store beef promotions)
- Nutrition education with health professionals
- Cooking demonstrations and recipe development
- Youth and classroom education
- Producer education initiatives like Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)
- Partnerships with events, schools, chefs, media, and community organizations
- The Georgia Beef Board does not lobby for political issues or set cattle prices. Its focus is education, promotion, and research that benefits the beef industry as a whole.
What is the National Beef Checkoff?
The National Beef Checkoff is a producer-funded program created to strengthen beef demand across the United States.
Every time cattle are sold, $1 per head is collected as part of the Beef Checkoff. Those dollars are pooled together and used to fund programs that promote beef, conduct research, educate consumers, and provide information that benefits the entire beef industry.
A simple way to think about it:
Individual producers contribute small amounts, and together those dollars create large-scale programs no single producer could fund alone.
National Beef Checkoff dollars support things like:
- National beef advertising campaigns
- Consumer nutrition education
- Research on beef safety and nutrition
- Sustainability research
- International market development
- Beef product innovation
- Educational resources like Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.
How Do Georgia and National Programs Work Together?
When the $1 checkoff is collected:
- 50 cents stays in Georgia to fund Georgia Beef Board programs
- 50 cents goes to the national program to fund larger national and international efforts
- This allows beef producers to have both:
- Local programs tailored to Georgia consumers
- National campaigns with broad reach and research resources
In short, they make a big impact together.
Georgia Beef Board = Beef promotion and education here at home
National Beef Checkoff = Larger national research, promotion, and education efforts funded by producers across the country
Checkoff Forms
By law, all producers selling cattle or calves, for any reason and regardless of age or sex, must pay $1-per-head to support beef/veal promotion, research and information through the Beef Promotion and Research Act created by the 1985 Farm Bill. In 2015, Georgia added the Agricultural Commodity Commission for Beef, which is funded through an additional assessment of up to $1 per head. The commission supports research, promotion and education for Georgia’s beef industry.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHERE DO I MAIL MY PAYMENT?
Georgia Beef Board, Inc. Remittance Department P.O. Box 116797 Atlanta, GA 30368-6797WHEN IS MY PAYMENT DUE?
Checkoff payments must be postmarked by the 15th of the month following the month the cattle were sold and mailed to the Georgia Beef Board.WHAT CAN OUR CHECKOFF DO?
The Beef Checkoff Program was designed to stimulate others to sell more beef and stimulate consumers to buy more beef. This is accomplished through a combination of initiatives, including consumer advertising, research, public relations, education, and new product development.WHAT CAN'T OUR CHECKOFF DO?
The beef checkoff doesn't own cattle, packing plants, or retail outlets. It can't control prices or single-handedly turn around a bad market. By law, checkoff funds cannot be used to influence government policy or action, including lobbying.
WHAT IS A COLLECTION POINT?
Whoever makes payment to the seller is a collection point or collection person (this could be the actual buyer or the buyer's agent). That entity or person must withhold $1 per head and remit those funds to the Georgia Beef Board. Examples of collection points are: Auction Markets, Feedyards, Packers, Dealers, Order Buyers, Other producers, Auctioneers, Sale Managers, Clerking services, Banks, and other entities that buy or sell cattle.
HOW DO I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS CONTRIBUTING?
The Georgia Beef Board is charged by law to monitor all cattle transactions and ensure uniform payment of the checkoff assessment. GBB is also required to turn over to the Beef Board the names of any producers or collecting points that refuse to pay the checkoff for action that can include a restraining order and a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per transaction.
WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE BEEF CHECKOFF?
Contact the Georgia Beef Board Office at 478-224-5900 or Wyatt Doolittle directly at 706-617-9713. You can also find information about national programs implemented by the Beef Checkoff at www.drivingdemandforbeef.com.