4th in nation

To the editor,

As a beef producer and board member on the Iowa Beef Industry Council, I feel the need to respond to Alan Guebert’s opinion (Feb. 24, “Fishing, check-off style”) on the beef checkoff.

In Iowa, besides the mandatory 50 cents we send to the cattlemen’s beef board, in 2011 we invested an additional $600,000 in national promotion, research and information programs to help reach consumers, especially in California, New York and Florida.

Iowa ranks fourth in fed cattle. Iowans cannot consume all the beef we raise, so our producer-directed board believes we should help promote beef in other high population states with low cattle numbers.

Iowa checkoff funds are also invested in international market development through the U.S. Meat Export Federation and Iowa’s international marketing trade missions.

Record high beef exports in 2011 returned a value of more than $206 per head of fed slaughter. That’s a terrific return for a $1 per head investment on a 1,400- pound steer.

Scott Heater, Wapello

Board Member, Iowa Beef Industry Council