A Network Of Engaged, Active Beef Advocates
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Suggested Lead: With graduates ranging from 8 to 80 years old, the checkoff-funded Masters of Beef Advocacy program, in its first two years of life, has really taken hold of farmers and ranchers across the country who are interested in being proactive spokespersons for the beef industry. Daren Williams, executive director of communications for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program), and also “Dean of Students” for the MBA Program, says if you haven’t received your diploma yet, it’s time you look into it.
Williams 1: “The Masters of Beef Advocacy program is to equip a large number of grassroots beef advocates all across the country to be there, to answer questions from consumers about modern beef production. Consumers have a lot of questions as you know about the safety of beef but also environmental impact and are animals being cared for and when they go online to look for those answers, they might end up on an activist website. We want them to end up on a beef producer blog, for example.” (27 seconds)
Within its first two years, the MBA program has garnered interest from people of all ages, wanting to know more about modern beef production and better yet, get the tools they need to share that message with fellow members of their community.
Williams 2: “We have over 1,500 graduates in 43 states, so we really are blanketing the country with people who are well-equipped because they’ve gone through the Masters of Beef Advocacy program, which is a series of six online courses that you take at your own pace. They are well-equipped to answer whatever questions a consumer might have about today’s beef.” (18 seconds)
Williams says once you complete the six online courses, the education doesn’t end there. MBA graduates become part of an online social community.
Williams 3: “Once you graduate and complete the six online courses, you become a member of the MBA Alumni Association. Through the MBA Alumni Association which is a private, online social networking site, they have access to fact sheets, the latest PowerPoint presentations to give to maybe a group of school kids or maybe to a Chamber of Commerce in your community. A lot of resources there but also just a community of advocates sharing their stories and encouraging each other to get out and really deliver the message that consumers need to hear that modern beef production is good for the environment and also that beef is an important part of a healthy diet.” (36 seconds)
Why should beef producers be involved? It’s simple – to ensure their own future in the business.
Williams 4: “Well I want beef producers to know this is a program FOR beef producers, BY beef producers, FUNDED by beef producers through the beef checkoff. So this is your program – take advantage of it. There’s no cost to you to participate because you’ve already invested in this program through the beef checkoff.” (15 seconds)
For information on other efforts being funded with your beef checkoff investment, visit www.MyBeefCheckoff.com. To sign up to become a Master of Beef Advocacy, send an e-mail to MBA@beef.org.
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.
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