WASHINGTON – Beef producers may be permitted to redirect their checkoff contributions to the national beef checkoff plan instead of state boards or councils, the Agricultural Marketing Service of the US Dept. of Agriculture announced.

The beef checkoff program authorizes the collection of a per-head assessment from cattle producers. In most cases, the assessments are collected by a qualified state board or council that retains a portion of the funds. The state boards and councils forward the remainder of the assessments to the national programs.

Cattle producers who want their assessments redirected to the national program must be in a state where there is no state law requiring an assessment to a state board or council; or there is a state law requiring assessments, but the state law allows for refunds.

Details of the proposed changes are in the Federal Register. Comments must be submitted by Sept. 13 and may be submitted online at www.regulations.gov.