A voluntary checkoff plan to promote agricultural interests is making its debut at the Cedar Livestock Market.
Under the plan, 25 cents per cow, 50 cents per horse and 5 cents per sheep will be set aside in transactions at the market for use in litigation or lobbying on such matters as grazing fees, wetlands issues, endangered species problems and predator control.The monies will be administered by a 14-member board for the Western states and four-member boards in individual states, said Met Johnson, Western States Livestock Marketing Association representative.
The money will be apportioned 30 percent for the state and 70 percent for the Western coalition, he said.
The Okanogan Livestock market in Washington is scheduled to begin the checkoffs later this month, "and after that we anticipate there will be 1,200 entities across the entire United States and Canada that will make this beginning for this Stewardship Investment Contribution," Johnson said.