About the California Beef Council

The California Beef Council (CBC) was established in 1954 to serve as the promotion, research and education arm of the California beef industry, and is mandated by the California Food and Agricultural Code. The Council is comprised of 42 members and alternates, appointed by the California Secretary of Agriculture. The members set priorities for the CBC and represent all segments of beef production within California including range cattle, dairy cattle, feedlots, packers/processors and the general public.

Beef Promotion Act and Order
As part of the 1985 Farm Bill, a national Beef Checkoff Program was established which assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB), which oversees the national checkoff program. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef. The CBB's 110 members are appointed by and held accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. CBB members represent all segments of the beef industry including beef, veal and dairy producers, and importers.

California Beef Council Mission Statement
"The mission of the California Beef Council is to amplify the voice of the California beef industry to strengthen beef demand through innovative promotions, research, and open communication."

California Beef Council Vision Statement
"To be the dynamic and trusted voice of California beef producers through innovative, vibrant, and engaging programs."

The California Beef Council is an "instrumentality of the State of California," created by the California Beef Council Law, originally passed by the state legislature in 1954. Our members are appointed by the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and serve to carry out the council's mission under the direct oversight of the CDFA Marketing Branch. Our minutes, meetings, annual budgets and program messages are reviewed and approved by state officials as part of that oversight responsibility. We are required to submit two annual audits to CDFA: a financial audit; and a policy compliance audit which reviews our operational procedures as they relate to state mandates for California marketing programs.

We also submit our budget, marketing plan and audit annually to the Cattlemen's Beef Board for their review and approval. The council's annual audits and annual reports can be found on this Web site under the "About" tab.