|
©Tennessee Emu Association
All Rights Reserved
| |
American Emu Association Endorses Beef Checkoff Program
Dallas, TX -August 2004– The American Emu Association announced today that the
emu industry is joining over one hundred other interested agricultural groups,
including the American Farm Bureau, in support of the Beef Checkoff Program.
The Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 allowed the Beef Industry to
establish a Beef Checkoff program. The program has been challenged by
disgruntled cattlemen who object to the use of the funds in generic advertising
that do not specify American Beef. The assessments collected through this
program funds not only advertising, but also research, consumer information and
educational programs.
“American beef is the safest in the world,” stated Gerald Edwards, president of
the American Emu Association. “This is due in part to research funded by the
program on food safety and disease control. If this program is eliminated, then
research to protect Americans from serious health concerns, will either be
terminated or struggle to exist based on state contributions, voluntary
donations or taxpayer assistance.” Commodity marketing programs are used by a
number of American agricultural pursuits, including the cotton, potato, egg,
pork and dairy industries. These programs are implemented in a variety of ways.
In the Beef Checkoff program each time an animal is sold at a sale barn a dollar
is collected. A single animal can raise $5 or $6 during its lifetime. Concern
has been expressed that should the Beef Checkoff program be eliminated, other
commodity programs would follow.
The American Emu Association was investigating a checkoff program to benefit the
emu industry at the time the Beef Checkoff first came under attack. “It was
decided to put development of an emu checkoff program on hold until the beef
checkoff issue was resolved,” said Edwards. He went on to say that AEA was
interested in working with USDA to establish a program for the emu industry to
help fund research and marketing efforts. A checkoff program for feed, oil
rendered or the sale of individual birds to slaughter facilities has been
discussed. “At the time the Beef Act was passed the beef industry was in a 20
year downward spiral,” stated De McCleery, AEA Agricultural Committee Chair.
“The checkoff program has provided funds not only for educating the consumer but
for the promotion of beef in 80 countries overseas. Beef exports have risen over
300% since enactment.” McCleery went on to say that voluntary checkoff programs
do not work well because usually less than half the affected industry will
participate. “The funding small numbers of farmers or ranchers provides cannot
promote an entire industry successfully,” she said. “We become reactive rather
than proactive and it is a struggle to move forward. This is the reason AEA
needs a checkoff program in place.”
Source: American Emu Association Contact: Pat Sauer, Executive Director Ph:
1-541-332-0675 email: info@aea-emu.org Website: http://www.aea-emu.org
#####
|
