Beef Briefs: February 2011
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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 news items 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…
… Can’t attend the Cattle Industry Convention? Be sure to get the latest updates on the MyBeefCheckoff Meeting blog.
… Get to know CBB member Dave Fugate from Greenback, Tenn.
… Find out how checkoff dollars are invested on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
If you are at the 2011 Winter Cattle Industry Convention this week, plan on attending the Dairy Producer Communications Forum and lunch. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Convention Center.
Consider these facts:
- Social networking now accounts for 22 percent of all time spent online.
- 500 million people are on Facebook.
That said, we want to build upon the success of last year’s “telling your story” presentation by once again hosting Stan Erwine, Dairy Management Inc.’s Vice President of Producer Relations, and Jolene Griffin, Manager of Industry Communications, who will lead attendees through a working session to learn more about the use of social media. Their goal is to help us develop a network of social media-savvy advocates who use peer-to-peer communications to tell the dairy-beef story, reinforce and build its positive image, and balance inaccurate or uninformed online commentary about dairy farming practices.
The meeting is a great opportunity to learn more about how to share the message about checkoff programs and the importance of online story-telling in today’s environment. If you have any questions, e-mail Melissa Slagle at mslagle@beefboard.org. And continue to watch for updates after the meeting if you’re unable to attend!
Two-thirds of Americans (63%) consider themselves middle-of-the-road beef cooks, but they want to learn more. And what better time to start getting closer to beef than on Valentine’s Day, with the official I Heart Beef recipe, the “Two Steppin’ Tenderloin.” Featuring the always-romantic Filet Mignon with a delicious pesto dipping sauce, it’s easy to prepare a wonderful meal that captures a moment in time in a way that only beef can. Using a technique similar to what steakhouse chefs use nationwide, the two-step cooking process, is a simple method that yields restaurant-quality steaks from the comfort of your own kitchen. Brown Tenderloin steaks on the stove top then move the pan to the oven to finish for hands-free, tender and juicy steaks that will get the sparks flying.
To create the perfect steak dinner this Valentine’s Day and every day, visit the advanced recipe search tool on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Watch for more in the coming months about how you, too, can share your passion … I ♥ Beef.
This week, two producers will be 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. Be sure to visit the MyBeefCheckoff.com newsroom for the full release on Thursday, and find BQA on Facebook for more information.
It’s great when a new cutting solution creates a great new product that matches up with demographic and social trends. That is the case with the new BAM (Beef Alternative Merchandising) cuts that have been championed in checkoff-funded product research.
BAM cuts are ribeyes, top loins and top sirloins that are further fabricated to create small filets and roasts. In addition to creating smaller portions, this process also eliminates additional seam fat from the cut. The price per pound increases, but a package with two filets can cost less than the full cut.
Larger carcass sizes and consumers’ increasing interest in portion control prompted researchers to develop methods to further fabricate the carcass to create these cuts. And, consumer research was conducted to evaluate the potential application of these newly developed cuts.
Consumers demonstrated considerable purchase interest in the new cuts. While they shouldn’t replace traditional steak options such as the ribeye, they do represent a marketing opportunity for more health-conscious consumers seeking to reduce their portion size or reduce fat intake.
For more information about BAM cuts, visit www.beefretail.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.
SOCIAL MEDIA