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The Ohio Beef Checkoff, a proposed equine marketing program and the Ohio Sheep and Wool marketing program recently corralled strong backing by industry leaders.

Ohio cattle producers passed a statewide referendum that will increase the Ohio Beef Checkoff from 50 cents to $1 per head if the U.S. Supreme Court would rule against the national checkoff.

Half of every checkoff dollar currently goes to the national program, so the move does not increase the total amount producers pay.

Arguments regarding the constitutionality of the national beef checkoff were presented before the Supreme Court in December 2004. The primary question is whether the program’s advertising component is government speech because producers are required to fund advertisements with which they might disagree without the option of a refund. A ruling is expected by spring of this year.

The beef checkoff has produced the widely recognized "Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner" campaign. According to the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, the checkoff has increased consumer demand for beef by more than 16 percent since 1998, resulted in increased profits for producers and provided both convenience and confidence to consumers.

Along with the beef checkoff results, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced that the Ohio Sheep and Wool marketing program will not be put out to pasture following a hearing to review the program in late January. Everyone who provided comments favored the program’s continuation.

ODA Director Fred Dailey said the constitutionality of Ohio’s checkoff programs is not in question because Ohio law provides for refunds and periodic hearings.

The sheep and wool checkoff collects a half percent of the sale price of all sheep and lambs to support educational and quality assurance programs as well as many other sheep marketing projects.

A new bill may also allow horse breeders to pony up for a marketing and promotion program. Ohio Senate Bill 37 seeks to amend current law to allow for the creation of an equine checkoff.

The money would be used to increase advertising, promotion, education, research and development of the equine industry, according to David White, OFBF director of commodity relations. White provided testimony in favor of the bill to legislators last month.

"Ohio’s equine industry is highly diversified, supporting a wide variety of activities in all regions of the state," White said.

White noted that there are approximately 192,000 horses in Ohio. He said the state’s equine industry produces goods and services valued at $776 million and provides 11,400 full-time equivalent jobs.