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 collected and allocated: a $1 national checkoff is collected at the point of sale, 50¢ goes to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for national programs and up to 50¢ remains with the state council for local and regional programming. The council pays the state brand board a 5% collection fee for assessing and remitting the checkoff at sale barns.

Kuwahara highlighted several program areas. Retail education has included meat-manager trainings conducted with University of Idaho meat scientist Phil Bass and pilot work with major retailers; a $10,000 investment in a recent retailer campaign generated "over, about a million dollars in traceable sales," she said. Food-service work includes operator research and a planned promotion around National Burger Week and an effort to promote finger steaks as an Idaho menu item; the council said it will promote chef partnerships and limited-time offers it hopes may become permanent menu items.

The council also funds research projects relevant to international trade and product quality. Kuwahara cited prior projects such as tests of acerola cherry powder to extend shelf life for exports and feed additives to reduce methane. She said the council is preparing an RFP for an economic-impact study that would estimate the consequence to Idaho if the beef industry were removed.

Committee members pressed the presenters on near-term risks. "From the time I make a decision to retain a heifer, to the time that her first calf is eligible for processing is about 27 months," said Cameron Mulroney of the Idaho Cattle Association, underscoring the multi-year timeline for rebuilding herds. Mulroney said public-land closures or multi-season rest periods after large fires can reduce available grazing and that those effects could reduce state herd size for about two years after severe events.

On trade policy, Mulroney said Idaho ships live cattle across borders for feeding and processing and that new tariffs could affect where cattle are marketed and processed. He said the full effect of recently implemented tariffs was uncertain and that the association had asked for data from Canadian counterparts on cattle movements but had not yet received comprehensive figures.

JW Wood, vice chair of the Idaho Beef Council board and a representative of Boise Valley Feeders, briefly reiterated the council’s goal of making Idaho beef as profitable as possible and noted the council’s work to coordinate across production, processing and marketing partners.

The council identified Idaho processing assets including CS Beef (Simplot), True West, Riverbend Meats and Intermountain Packing, plus value-added processors such as CTI Foods, SSI Foods and BND Foods. Kuwahara said Idaho’s beef sector ranges from seed stock and cow-calf operations through feeders, auctions and processors, and that promotion seeks to reflect that integrated supply chain.

Committee members asked for additional details on specific points raised during the presentation; Kuwahara and Mulroney offered to provide further data such as counts of cattle moving out of and back into Idaho for processing and a list of recent research projects.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt minutes of 02/11/2025: moved by Senator Zito; seconded by Senator Leahy; voice vote, motion passed (counts not specified).

- Motion to adopt minutes of 02/13/2025: mover recorded as Senator Lent; seconded by Senator Van Orden; voice vote, motion passed (counts not specified).

The committee adjourned after the presentation and questions. Kuwahara and council representatives said they would follow up with requested information and materials, including the council’s annual report and details on recent research and marketing outcomes.