The Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association last week announced that eligible beef producers can request an absentee ballot to participate in the referendum on whether the 50-cents-per-head state beef checkoff in Iowa should be reinstated. The referendum will be held Nov. 30, 2016. 

Any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or association that has owned or acquired cattle during the year prior to the referendum (December 1, 2015 to November 30, 2016) is an “Eligible Beef Producer” for the purposes of this referendum.

Who is a beef producer? Eligible to vote in checkoff referendum?

IOWA CHECKOFF: Producers can request an absentee ballot beginning Oct. 10 to vote on whether to have a state beef checkoff. Ballots must be returned during November. Or visit your county Extension office on Nov. 30 to vote in person.

A person shall not be considered a producer if: 1) the person’s only share in the proceeds of a sale of cattle or beef is a sales commission, handling fee or other service fee; or 2) the person acquired ownership of cattle to facilitate the transfer of ownership of such cattle from the seller to a third party; resold such cattle no later than 10 days from the date on which the person acquired ownership; and certified as required by rules adopted by the council.

Want to vote by absentee ballot? Contact Iowa Department of Ag

Producers who wish to vote by absentee ballot may do so by contacting the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.  Producers may call 515-281-5321, email [email protected] or visit Iowaagriculture.gov and download the form located in “Hot Topics.” They may also visit the Henry Wallace Building, 502 E 9^th St., Des Moines, IA 50319 to solicit an Absentee Ballot Request Form.

The Absentee Ballot Request Form must be signed and returned to Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship. The producer will then be mailed an absentee ballot. Absentee Ballot Request Forms should be received by the Department by November 23, 2016 and absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 30, 2016.

A petition to vote on the state beef checkoff was delivered to the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship on September 2. The petition contains over 500 signatures of cattle producers in the state of Iowa who are interested in a referendum.

If beef referendum passes, collection of funds will begin March 1

If the referendum passes, collection of the new state beef checkoff will begin March 1, 2017. The Iowa beef checkoff will be mandatory, but refunds will be available to interested producers. The federal beef checkoff of $1 per head remains in place and would not be affected by the Iowa vote.

For more information on how checkoff dollars are used contact the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association at 515-296-2266 or find out more online at iacattlemen.org. In accordance with Chapter 181 of the Iowa Code, the Iowa Department of Ag & Land Stewardship is responsible for holding beef checkoff referendum votes.  All costs incurred by the state ag department will be reimbursed by the ICA.