Cattlemen's Beef Board Chairman Jay O'Brien of Amarillo, Texas says the site was started last year in an effort to provide complete transparency for producers who pay into the $1 per head national Beef Checkoff.
"We're trying to get information out to the producers to let them know exactly what's going on at the convention and even allow them to have input back in to the committees, so that all of the people who pay the checkoff will be part of the process."
The web log will feature postings throughout the convention following the various committee meetings to inform producers about discussions that are taking place and decisions that are made on how their beef checkoff dollars will be spent.
The interactive nature of the web log format will allow producers to get information from the committee meetings almost as soon as it happens and provide feedback immediately as well. To provide input, all producers will have to do is click on the comments link under any of the committee information pages on the site. Comments will be continuously monitored, collected and circulated to committee members during the meetings.
"If we have people who want to have input, we welcome them to enter in on the blog what their feelings are and we'll get their opinions to the appropriate people."
CBB contracted ZimmComm New Media, LLC of Missouri to design and develop the web log and provide on-site coverage of the convention. In addition to committee reports, content during the convention will include photos, audio interviews and video clips.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
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