The survey*, conducted by Aspen Media & Market Research, examined attitudes of 1,225 beef and dairy producers nationwide. The Beef Board conducts producer surveys regularly to gauge producers’ economic moods and their expectations of checkoff investments, as well as checkoff program familiarity, strengths or weaknesses. The bi-annual surveys are funded with checkoff monies.

The survey also indicates that advertising and news coverage has increased the checkoff’s visibility among producers. Some 52 percent reported seeing, hearing or reading something about the checkoff in the past six months, compared to a recall rate of 40 percent in January 2005, according to Sugie Sartwelle, a Texas producer and chairman of the joint producer communications committee. Survey results were released during the 2006 annual cattle industry summer conference in Reno, Nev.

The survey also confirmed a consistent downward trend among the producers who disagree with the checkoff. Since June 2003, disapproval ratings have dropped from 22 percent to the current 16 percent, the lowest level since 1988, Sartwelle said. In recent years, surveys have consistently indicated a range of 16 percent to 27 percent of surveyed producers who disapprove of the checkoff program.

Source: Cattlemens Beef Board