The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is a grassroots
organization that provides leadership to cattlemen from all sectors of the
industry. OCA was formed in 1963 as the “Ontario Beef Improvement
Association”.
In 1976, the name changed to Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to reflect
its increasingly important role as a commodity lobby organization.It begins
with the investment of Ontario cattle producers
Under Regulation 54 of the Beef Cattle Marketing Act, a
compulsory checkoff of $3.00 per head sold by cattle producers is
payable to the OCA to fund its programs and activities. Packing plant
operators, auction market operators and livestock dealers purchasing
cattle by private treaty are required to deduct the OCA checkoff from
the proceeds payable to the seller and remit checkoff fees to the OCA.
This checkoff funds the activities of OCA.
The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association’s
constitution provides that any person who has paid an OCA licence fee
(checkoff) deduction is a member of the OCA and the affiliated county or
district branch in which he/she resides.
Of the total checkoff dollars, approximately 16% is
contributed to the beef advertising programs which are coordinated by
the Beef Information Centre, a branch of the national organization, the
Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The balance of this amount is used to
provide members with such services as:
-
market information and analysis;
-
production and marketing research;
-
a regular publication - Ontario Beef;
-
county promotional support;
-
lobbying on issues at the provincial and national level;
-
support for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and
other commodity/livestock interest groups and
-
administration of the Association.
|
