Idaho Beef Council outlines promotion, research and market strategies as checkoff funds face limits

TK Kuwahara, a representative of the Idaho Beef Council, told the Idaho Senate Agricultural Affairs committee that the council uses state and national checkoff dollars to promote Idaho beef, fund research and educate producers and buyers.

The council’s presentation explained how the $1 national checkoff and a separate 50¢ state checkoff are collected and spent, described recent retail and food-service promotions that the council funded, and summarized research and international marketing activities. The council and Idaho Cattle Association representatives answered committee questions about tariffs, wildfire impacts on grazing and industry capacity, and plans to market Idaho specialty products such as finger steaks.

The Idaho Beef Council’s checkoff funding supports promotion, education and research, not lobbying. "We can only use checkoff dollars for beef promotion, education, and research. So by law, we cannot use these funds to lobby or directly work on issues," Kuwahara said. She described the council as a producer-represented, producer-driven state agency with an eight-member board that includes representatives from cow-calf operations, auctions, feeders and dairy.

Kuwahara described how checkoff funds are…