USDA’s Office of Inspector General has concluded an audit of the Agricultural Marketing Service’s oversight of the beef checkoff program. According to the OIG – the relationships between the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board and other industry-related organizations – including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association – complied with legislation. The OIG also determined that the AMS needs to strengthen its procedures for providing oversight to the beef research and promotion program. Cattlemen’s Beef Board Chairman Weldon Wynn said the Board was gratified that the OIG audit of the Beef Checkoff Program for the years 2008 to 2010 identified no audit issues and reported full compliance by the Beef Board and its contractors. He added that the audit validated the effectiveness of the systems and processes in place to safeguard producer and importer investments into the Beef Checkoff Program.
Even with this confirmation that the Beef Board’s systems of oversight of funds are robust and effective and that its relationships with checkoff contractors are in compliance – Wynn said the Beef Board maintains a mission toward continual improvement in its responsibility to producers. He noted that the CBB has operated under an intensified review and verification process – along with expanded and specific guidelines for contractors – since 2010. In addition – Wynn said CBB now requires contractors to provide additional information about implementation costs as they prepare funding requests – providing decision makers with a more detailed understanding of project costs before approving them.
Source: NAFB News service