Beef Loving Texans is the consumer-facing brand of the Texas Beef Council, which supports the state’s beef industry by increasing beef demand through promotion, research and education. The Texas Beef Council (TBC) is a non-profit organization charged with the promotion and marketing of beef and beef products. TBC is funded by Texas farmers and ranchers through the national Beef Checkoff program and the Texas state Beef Checkoff program. Checkoff dollars are used to increase domestic and/or international demand for beef through programs of promotion, research and education. The organization is directed by a 20-member board of cattlemen, representing the state’s 149,000 beef farmers and ranchers. The Beef Checkoff was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill and is a $1 per head assessment on the sale of cattle. It’s a national marketing and research program funded by America’s cattle farmers and ranchers. Cattle farmers, ranchers and importers direct the national checkoff program, which uses funds toward research and promotion efforts designed to increase domestic and/or international demand for beef. The Cattlemen’s Beef Board and USDA oversee the collection and spending of these beef checkoff funds. Texas cattlemen and women voted in a referendum in June 2014 to establish a state-level beef checkoff program to further support Checkoff activities in Texas. The Texas Beef Checkoff program is funded through a $1 per head assessment on the sale of cattle in Texas. The funds are managed in accordance with Texas law by a council of 20 cattle producers, known as the Beef Promotion and Research Council of Texas (BPRCT). TBC serves as a contractor to the BPRCT. Collections for this program started in October of 2014. For additional beef checkoff information visit www.texasbeefcheckoff.com.