Check-off refunds

ABP service charge refund request instructions

Effective November 30, 2010, the $3.00 deduction on the marketing of each head of cattle includes a $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, of which only the $2.00 service charge is refundable.

Producers eligible for a refund
The $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge is payable by producers who sell cattle and by producers to feed and slaughter their own cattle. Any service charge paid by or on behalf of a producer is refundable to that producer on request of that producer. A producer may request a refund of all or a portion of the service charge paid.

The refund is only available to Alberta residents selling or feeding and slaughtering cattle in Alberta. When non-Alberta residents sell cattle in Alberta the purchaser or livestock dealer is deducting and remitting the $3.00 Federal Levy and not the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge. The $3.00 Federal Levy is collected by ABP on behalf of the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development & Promotion Agency (the National Agency). The $3.00 Federal Levy is paid to the National Agency for national beef cattle research, marketing and promotion. The National Agency pays a portion of the $3.00 Federal Levy to the provincial cattle association in the province where the seller resides. When an Alberta resident sells cattle in another province, the provincial cattle association in that province is, in turn, collecting the Federal Levy from the Alberta producer. The $3.00 Federal Levy is non-refundable.

Information needed to process the refund request
A request for a refund of the $2.00 Alberta Service Charge must contain the following information:

  • the producer’s name, mailing address and telephone number,
  • the number of cattle in respect of which the service charge is requested to be refunded,
  • the amount of the service charge that is requested to be refunded,
  • the date of the transactions for which the service charge is requested to be refunded,
  • if applicable, the name of the purchaser or dealer who deducted the service charge, and
  • any other information required by ABP.

Supporting documents required to process the refund request
The request for a refund of the $2.00 Alberta Service Charge must be accompanied with:

  • photocopies of invoices and/or settlement statements showing the deduction of $3.00 per head, i. e. the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, from the sale proceeds by a purchaser or a livestock dealer,
  • if the producer remits the $3.00, i. e. the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, directly to ABP, a copy of the cancelled cheque reflecting this payment to ABP is required, or
  • other such documents as may be required by ABP to prove to the satisfaction of ABP that the $3.00, i.e. the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, was paid to the Commission by the producer, or deducted from the sale proceeds by a purchaser or dealer and was not passed on to another producer for payment.

A request for a refund must be submitted:
* during the month of July each year in respect of the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, paid from January to June of that year, or
* during the month of January each year in respect of the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge, paid from July to December of the previous year.

A producer is not entitled to a refund if the request for a refund of the service charge is not submitted to ABP in the months of July and January, as the case may be, unless ABP decides to accept the request on being satisfied that extenuating circumstances warrant doing so. : Timing of the payment of the refund
* Refund requests submitted in July will be paid by October 31 of the year in which the request is submitted, and
* Refund requests submitted in January will be paid by April 1 of the year in which the request was submitted.

Requests for refunds must be submitted to the ABP office, Attention ABP Controller

  • by Canada Post or courier,
    320, 6715 8th Street NE
    Calgary, AB T2E 7H7,
  • by fax (403) 451-1188, or
  • by e-mail to refunds@albertabeef.org

Value of the $1.00 non-refundable levy and a $2.00 Alberta service charge to producers
The check-off dollars collected from producers on the sale of cattle in Alberta is used, on behalf of producers, to further to objects of the ABP Plan Regulation. The overarching role of Alberta Beef Producers, as a marketing commission, is to initiate and carry out projects or programs to commence, stimulate, increase or improve the production and marketing of cattle and cattle products.

To carry out this objective and leverage our check-off dollars, Alberta Beef Producers has entered into an agreement with the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency (the National Agency) to support national research, marketing and promotion. The National Agency was established to collect a levy on cattle sold in interprovincial trade and will eventually collect a levy on imported cattle and cattle products.

ABP pays the $1.00 levy to the National Agency. This $1.00 is referred to as the National Check-off. The National Agency retains $.02 for operations and allocates the remainder of the $1.00 to Beef Information Centre (BIC), Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF) and the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) based upon a percentage determined annually by the ABP Board of Directors.

BIC’s mission is to maximize demand and optimize the value of Canadian beef products in the Canadian and US markets. For information please visit the BIC website www.canadianbeef.info.

CBEF’s mission is to develop and expand international markets outside of Canada and the United States. For information please visit the CBEF website at www.cbef.com.

BCRC’s purpose is to sponsor research and technology development for the benefit of all Canadian beef producers.

The $2.00 Alberta Service Charge is retained by ABP and is used on behalf of producers, to further the objectives of the ABP Plan Regulation. The overarching roll of Alberta Beef Producers, as a marketing commission, is to initiate and carry out projects or programs to commence, stimulate, increase or improve the production and marketing of cattle and cattle products.

The $2.00 Alberta Service charge is invested as follows:

  • CCA maintains a national focus on international trade advocacy and legal challenges.
  • ABP’s membership assessment for the CCA is based upon Alberta’s share of the Canadian beef industry. For information please visit the CCA website at www.cattle.ca.
  • ABP invests in research and the future.
  • ABP has committed $500,000 to the BCRC Beef Science Cluster program over a four year period commencing in March 2009.
  • ABP ensures consistent messaging is delivered to producers and the public.
  • The ABP Environment Committee and Animal Health Working Group promote management practices that protect the environment and encourage responsible, humane well-being and health of cattle. The message: We are stewards of the land; we care about our cattle.

Refund request form