Kentucky’s cattle producers will get to vote in two elections this November.
A referendum on whether producers may be assessed two dollars per head of cattle marketed in Kentucky is scheduled for November 20.
For each animal sold in Kentucky, one dollar is currently placed into a pool for beef marketing, research, and education. Half remains in the state while the rest goes into a national reserve. The assessment has remained at one dollar since 1985.
"The program has been around for a long time and the value of a dollar now compared to where it was 28 years ago is like 44 cents," says Dave Maples, Executive Vice President of the Kentucky Cattleman's Association. "We do have competition out there so we want to promote our product and have people keep eating beef."
The referendum will be held from 8:00 am-6:00 pm on November 20 at all county extension offices across the state. If cattle producers vote in favor of the increase, it would become effective next April.
