New rules to streamline beef check-off collection

Starting August 1, 2025, changes to Canada’s beef check-off collection rules will take effect in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan to bring greater consistency and fairness to levy collection across Canada.

Under the new guidelines, the check-off rate applied to a cattle sale will now align with the seller’s home province, regardless of where the sale occurs. This change ensures that beef producers’ contributions continue to support the programs and initiatives of their own province—even when cattle are sold outside of it.

“This is about fairness and alignment,” says Trevor Welch, Chair of the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency. “Producers, provincial cattle associations, and other stakeholders have been asking for a more consistent system that reflects their home province’s priorities, especially as interprovincial marketing and transport become more common. This change delivers on that.”

What’s changing:

• Effective August 1, 2025, the check-off rate applied at sale will be determined by the province where the seller resides, not the location of the sale.
• This applies to all interprovincial sales, including auction markets, dealers, and direct farm-gate transactions.
• The change affects remittance chains, especially for auction markets, dealers, and processors who will need to adjust how they identify and apply provincial rates.

Why it matters:

• Ensures the right amount of producer dollars stay in their home province, supporting provincial priorities.
• Promotes consistency and transparency in a system that was previously varied and harder to track.
• Supports compliance and clarity across the value chain, from farm gate to processor.

All stakeholders—from auction markets to beef producers—are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new requirements before the August 1 deadline. Toolkits and updates are available through provincial cattle associations and at https://www.cdnbeefcheckoff.ca/2025change/.

For more information, there’s a recording of Alberta Beef Producers’ virtual meeting on the change on YouTube, and details available via the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency website.