The Beef Cattle Industry Development Fund (BCIDF) is financed out of resources generated by a $9.347 million trust fund established in 1994. The agreement between the Cattle Industry Development Council (CIDC) which administers the fund, and the provincial government mandates that periodic external evaluations of fund operations be conducted. These periodic evaluations are important to make sure that projects are meeting the goal of the fund. The evaluation also provides an opportunity for the evaluation team to make observations and recommendations to the CIDC regarding the administration of the fund.
The following is a brief summary of the 2007-2012 evaluation. The 2012 evaluation team evaluated 53 projects completed within the established priorities between 2007 and July of 2012. In addition 30 provincial association projects and special category projects were reviewed but not scored. The team noted the tremendous amount of work completed in this period despite the fact that general applications were not accepted during the last three years of this term.
The CIDC continues to do an excellent job of supporting applicants for BCIDF projects in many facets of the British Columbia beef industry. For the 83 completed projects that were evaluated and reviewed, $4.1 million was triggered from the BCID Trust, and matched with $12.78 million from other contributors, for a total of almost $17 million spent for the benefit of the beef industry in BC. For every $1 of BCIDF funds spent, $4.13 was contributed from other sources. The team feels this points to a very successful term for the fund.
The evaluation of the projects indicated positive results with 37 of the 53 projects earning 27 or more of the 30 points available and 12 of those earning 28 or more points. Only seven projects scored below 20 points. Some of the reasons for projects receiving lower points are outlined in the full report.
The project receiving the highest number of points by the evaluation team was the BCCA/ Overwaitea Partnership Program. This project took volunteer ranchers to meat counters of retail outlets in the Lower Mainland of BC. These volunteers spent the weekend working shifts at eight busy stores where they talked to consumers about the beef industry. The B.C. Agriculture in the Classroom’s Summer Institute project had the second highest score. This was the last of several projects funded by the BCIDF that supported the development of the Summer Institute for teachers. This project brought teachers together in the summer for a week of intensive exposure to agriculture and provided instruction on bringing agriculture into the classroom. This important teaching tool continues now with teachers paying for the opportunity; funding from the BCIDF is no longer required.
Also in the high scoring group were several research projects. The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) carried out three projects on various methods of administering vaccines. A project on source tracking of E.coli and two projects on bio-control of invasive plants conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists were also rated as being very successful and of value to BC beef producers. The BC Forage Council presented a series of well attended Forage and Beef Seminars in several locations throughout the Interior of BC. Cooperation between organizations was also evident in several high scoring projects. The three provincial beef organizations co-operatively administered the BC-Verified Beef Production Implementation program. This is an audited program that encourages the use of record keeping for animal health records and safe operating procedures to meet safety standards. This program has enabled BC to be the province with the highest percentage of trained producers. The Range Management Workshop and School projects were funded, presented and administered by a group including representatives of government (federal and provincial), universities, non-government organizations and producer organizations and enabled many producers and others to be trained in range management principles. Following closely behind the high scoring projects were 25 projects that scored from 27 to 27.7 points. These were all considered useful projects but were rated just slightly less effective than those in the top group.
Several observations and recommendations regarding the operation of the fund have been included for Council. The team was extremely impressed with the work done by the BCIDF in the period from 2006 to July 2012. They feel the CIDC has done a commendable job of managing the fund. The team also commends the fund recipients who committed their own funds. Also considerable volunteer effort went toward these projects for further benefit to the beef cattle industry in British Columbia.