ABOUT US

Oregon’s cattle ranchers have joined together to promote their product - nutritious, delicious beef - through an agency called the Oregon Beef Council.

At the request of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, the legislature enacted the Oregon Beef Council’s enabling statute, ORS 577, in 1959. The Beef Council is one of 26 commodity commissions that promote Oregon agricultural products under the supervision of the State Department of Agriculture.

In 1986, the federal Beef Promotion and Research Act authorized the collection of a $1.00 per head checkoff at the time of sale of each bovine animal. Of each dollar collected, 50 cents is sent to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board located in Denver to fund national programs of promotion, education and research. The remaining 50 cents, less a collection fee, is sent to the Oregon Beef Council.

On June 23, 2006, the Oregon Beef Council unanimously approved the proposed administrative rules required by House Bill 2656 which increases the Beef Checkoff in Oregon by 50 cents. On July 3, 2006 the Oregon 50 cent checkoff went into effect.