Beef Briefs - February 2010
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Look for Beef Briefs to be delivered the first of each month -- your snapshot of beef checkoff news affecting the dairy and beef industries. Editor’s note: please feel free to use these beef “blurbs” as space allows in your publication or online content. If you would like to expand on a certain topic, please e-mail Melissa Slagle at mslagle@beefboard.org.
In case you missed it…
… Dan Dierschke, Texas cattle rancher, takes Beef Board reins.
…Beef Board hires new Director of Evaluation, Polly Ruhland.
“I Heart Beef” Campaign Kicks Off
During a time when sales of middle meats are traditionally slower, the checkoff’s food and nutrition communications team, using conclusions drawn from checkoff-funded market research, is gearing up to capitalize on a month that boasts many familiar holidays and special occasions. Thus, the beef checkoff initiated an “I Heart Beef” campaign, starting Feb. 1.
The program was specifically designed to help strengthen interest in beef middle meats, cuts that have a proven return on investment for beef producers, by reminding consumers of their passion for great steaks like the T-bone and tenderloin. Not only that, but February is Heart Health Month.
For more information about how producers can be involved, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com or contact your state beef council.
Cooking Up Something New
Work is far from done when it comes to developing new beef products through the Beef Checkoff Program. Furthermore, there are beef industry partners willing to help create and build markets for those beef products and others to consumers throughout the country. Those were two of the messages to state beef council managers this week at the New Product Exchange, held at the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention. Managers heard from representatives from American Foods Group, a consumer-oriented and vertically integrated company that purchases and processes about a million head of cattle annually, about the huge potential for quality beef products in the frozen case. They also learned more about work being done through the checkoff to develop new cuts from the round primal of the beef carcass. Capping off the meeting was a team competition among state managers to cook recipes developed for the Denver Cut, a new product developed from the chuck. For more information about new beef cuts, visit Beef Innovations Group.
MBA Commencement
Tuesday, Jan. 26, the checkoff-funded Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Commencement Ceremony took place at the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio where Amanda Nolz, BEEF magazine contributing editor was a featured speaker. In her speech titled, “Discovering the Power of Social Media,” she challenged the graduates to use online tools to share the agriculture story. Troy and Stacy Hadrick, Advocates for Agriculture, also spoke during the morning session, as well as Daren Williams with the MBA program. Workshops included developing an elevator speech and drafting a letter to the editor or response comment in an online forum. Following the conclusion of the workshops, diplomas were passed out to all of the graduates. A total of 700 people have completed the MBA program, which consists of six hour-long online courses, with exams and homework assignments, and provides tools needed to be outstanding advocates for agriculture. If you’re interested in participating in this program, send an e-mail to MBA@beef.org.
Foodservice & Retail Beef Backer Awards
The beef checkoff-funded Retail Beef Backer Award recognizes retailers for their commitment to outstanding beef marketing and merchandising programs. Winners presented with the 2009 Retail Beef Backer Awards at the 2010 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, were Sendik’s Food Markets, Southern Family Markets, Harris Teeter Supermarkets and Supervalu, Inc. For more information about the foodservice Beef Backer Award, visit Retail.
The Beef Checkoff Program also announced the 2009 National Beef Backer Award winners in foodservice. The Beef Backer Awards recognize independent and chain restaurants that set the highest standards in menuing and marketing beef. This year’s national winners included Uncle Ed’s Steakhouse (Grand Island, Neb.) in the “Independent Restaurant” category, Texas Roadhouse (Louisville, Ky.) in the “Chain Restaurant” category and Barclay Prime (Philadelphia, Pa.) as the “Innovator of the Year.” For more information about the foodservice Beef Backer Award, visit Foodservice.
Dairy and Beef Producers Honored for Beef Quality Assurance Commitment
A desire to continually improve Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) on their operations while successfully encouraging others around them to implement BQA. A desire evident as two producers were honored with the annual national Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) award, created to recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers from across the country who incorporate BQA principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their operations. The winners were selected based on their commitment to beef quality assurance while operating sustainable cattle operations. Winners were Phoebe Bitler, Vista Grande Farm in Fleetwood, Pa. (dairy) and Jim Warren, 101 Livestock Inc., Aromas, Calif. (beef). For more information about the winners, visit BQA Awards.
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
Funded by the Beef Checkoff.
SOCIAL MEDIA