Cattle producers will be voting this fall whether to make the provincial $2.00 check-off non-refundable.

The check-off is a service charge collected on every head of cattle sold in Alberta, or fed and slaughtered in Alberta, and is used to fund initiatives promoting and developing the cattle industry.

Producers will be able to vote in the Alberta Cattle Producer's Plebiscite from Friday, October 19 to Friday, November 23.

Chair of the Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) and Trochu beef producer, Charlie Christie, says this is an opportunity to invest another $2.5 million annually into the industry if producers vote to make the check-off non-refundable.

"This is a really important decision for our industry, and it's a chance that producers have been asking for, for some time. It's very important that a good number of producers get out and vote, so I encourage you to vote, and I encourage you to challenge your fellow producers to vote as well."

Christie says producers can vote at one of the 27 ABP Falling Meetings taking place across the province, in the mail, or at any AFSC offices.

In the coming weeks, the Alberta Marketing Council will be sending information packages about the plebiscite directly to producers.

"In the event of a successful plebiscite, we'll see the creation of the Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund with approximately $1.4 million going into that fund," Christie says. "This fund would support our beef industry through strategic investments of producer check-off dollars in research, tech transfer, market development, education, consumer advocacy, and industry collaboration between industry organizations."

Alberta Beef Producers says they've issued over $20 million in refunds since 2010.

For more information on the plebiscite, and to find a Fall Meeting near you, you can visit their website.

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