I was just getting out of agriculture that area as the Beef Checkoff was being talked about, for each head of beef sold in state $1 was to go to the Nebraska Checkoff, allot cattlemen grumbled about it cutting in on what little profits they did get, I see its finally paying off.
Last Year the United States sold more than $5.4 billion in U.S. beef and $6.1 billion in U.S. pork-- pork exports jumped 18% to 2.25 million tons and beef exports 21% to 1.29 million tons in 2011.
"That equates to a lot of soybeans, corn and distillers grains going overseas via value-added red meat products," he said, estimating those figures at more than 94 million bushels of soybeans and more than 568 million bushels of corn. "Meat exports not only support hog and cattle producers by adding value to beef and pork, but they support corn and soybean farmers through the value of exports."
The Nebraska Corn Board has supported the U.S. Meat Export Federation since it was founded in 1979. In 2011, that support totaled $430,000, but other Nebraska ag groups, including the soybean and beef checkoffs, brought the total support from Nebraska farmers and ranchers to more than $1.2 million. When you compare this with the $1.3 billion export value of Nebraska beef and pork in 2011, the return on investment is tremendous.
http://farmprogress.com/nebraska-farmer-story-nebraska-checkoff-groups-play-role-record-red-meat-exports-9-58364
