New economic research conducted at Cornell University shows for every checkoff dollar invested from 2014 through 2018, $11.91 was returned to cattle producers. Cornell’s Harry Kaiser also found all nine categories where the Cattlemen’s Beef Board allocated checkoff dollars had marginal benefit-cost ratios well above 1.0, indicating marginal benefits were greater than marginal costs.
Kaiser, known internationally for his expertise in the economics of generic advertising and promotion programs, concluded without any demand-enhancing activities over the five-year period, total domestic beef demand would have been 14.3% lower than actual.
The nine checkoff investment areas are generic beef advertising; foreign market development; retail and foodservice marketing; public relations; nutrition research; new product and culinary development; beef safety research; product enhancement research; and industry information.