Hawaii Beef Industry Council

The Hawaii Beef Industry Council, a non-profit organization, is a Qualified State Beef Council (QSBC) under the national Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Our purpose is to promote beef and beef products in the State of Hawaii, as well as research and education. The Beef Check-off is authorized and in fact required under Federal Law and is administered by the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture).

Wholesalers/Retailers/Food Service:

We are happy to provide beef promotional materials to supermarkets, restaurants and beef wholesalers and other retailers on all Islands. We also provide grant monies to approved bona-fide beef promotion or education efforts. We provide (usually free in limited quantities) recipes, posters and other promotional materials.

Beef Producers:

The Hawaii Beef Industry Council is your State Organization, which is responsible to collect Check-off dollars on each head of cattle sold or slaughtered in the State of Hawaii. By having a State Organization, Hawaii benefits by having fifty cents of every dollar collected held in State for promoting Beef in Hawaii. Your Check-off funds kept in Hawaii continue to promote beef on all Islands… your beef. We provide funds for promotions at the Island Farm Fairs and other public events. We provide beef promotional materials to supermarkets, restaurants and beef wholesalers and other retailers on all Islands. We also provide grant monies to approved bona-fide beef promotion or education efforts. If you market your own beef, we are happy to provide to you (usually free in limited quantities) recipes, posters and other promotional materials.

Collection information for Producers, Cattle buyers and Slaughterhouses:

Whether you sell your cattle through local markets in Hawaii or on the Mainland, cattle producers nationwide continue to reap the benefits of the National Beef Check-off program. Check-off research shows conclusively that the beef/cattle industry has benefited significantly by increased demand from advertising programs as well as programs which deal with food safety issues, convenience of preparation and the nutritional benefit of eating beef.

Hawaii is already at a disadvantage for beef promotion. Most of our cattle are shipped as young calves to the Mainland for pasture, feeding and processing. Therefore, the check-off dollars for most of the cattle born in Hawaii is collected and kept in other States. Adding to the inequity, Hawaii has an above average proportion of foreign beef shipped into our State (Australia/New Zealand), and while an equivalent of $1 per head is collected on that Beef by the U.S. Customs Service, the entire dollars goes to the national Cattlemen’s Beef Board for national promotions, with none coming to Hawaii for Hawaii Beef Promotion. That is why it is so important for Hawaii to make sure that all Check-off dollars due to our State Council is properly paid.

Buyers and slaughterhouses, please remember that under Federal Law, you are required to collect One Dollar for every animal purchased or slaughtered and remit it to the Hawaii Beef Industry Council if ownership transfers in Hawaii, or within 10 days of arriving on the Mainland. Mainland buyers, please remember that this is your responsibility too! Furthermore, when a half interest is sold in cattle, when people partner, One Dollar per head is due on half the cattle sold.

Producers, please be aware that failure by the buyer to collect and remit the One Dollar per head, does not relieve you of the responsibility. If they don't do it, by law you must. Please remember this when you sell or slaughter your cattle.

If producers do not pay what they are required by Federal Law to pay, then we will be forced to disband our Hawaii Beef Industry Council, and enforcement would be handled directly by the national Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Another result is that funds would be used for National Promotion with no specific benefit for Hawaii promotions.

Collectors are reminded that The Beef Check-off is due on a monthly basis, by the 15th of the month following the month the cattle were sold or slaughtered. For instance the $1 per head Check-off on any cattle sold or slaughtered during June is due to the Hawaii Beef Industry Council by July 15, no matter how small the amount. Making quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments on all cattle sold or slaughtered during those periods is not acceptable, no matter how small the amount.

Under Federal Law, 2% per month must be paid on all late check-off remittances. As stated above, check-off payments must be made no later than the 15th of the month following the month the cattle are sold or slaughtered.

If you need remittance forms please do not hesitate to call, fax or e-mail us. The form, in PDF format, can be printed or can be filled out on your computer and mailed in with your remittance (you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available free on the Internet). The form is available on this web site. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you so much for your kokua.



CONTACT INFORMATION:

Phone: (808) 885-5599
Fax:     (808) 887-1607
e-mail: HiCattlemens@hawaii.rr.com
Mailing:64-957 Mamalahoa Hwy Kamuela  HI  96743

Please click on your selection below:

Collection Information
Photos
www.beefboard.org
Recipes