The Beef Checkoff’s principal role is to successfully drive demand for beef. To accomplish that goal, the Checkoff must connect and engage with a wide variety of audiences. While reaching the core target audience is crucial, the Beef Checkoff is expanding its efforts and working to reach all segments of the beef consumer audience. And by utilizing the power of Checkoff-funded nutrition and health research, it unlocks opportunities to reach an important audience group – infants and toddlers.

BEEF IN THE EARLY YEARS

Sound science is at the core of many Beef Checkoff-funded promotional campaigns. A growing body of scientific evidence has illustrated the beneficial role beef’s nutrients play in the physical and cognitive development that happens during the first few years of life.

A Beef Checkoff-funded research paper, Meat Helps Every Bite Count, underscores the fact that infant’s internal iron and zinc stores begin to deplete around six months of age. Further, this research reinforces the need for high-quality dietary sources of iron and zinc, like beef, in the early years. The unique, nutrient-dense matrix of beef makes it an ideal first complementary food to help meet an infant’s nutrient needs. Because infants and toddlers typically eat small quantities of food, it’s critical to make every bite count in those early years.

As a result of the growing body of research in this area, for the first time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) committee addressed the need to provide authoritative guidance on nutrition recommendations for children from birth to 24 months of age. Specifically, the committee recommended animal-sourced foods, such as beef, as a foundational protein source to support healthy growth for infants and toddlers.

With these advantageous recommendations from the DGA as well as from The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Women, Infants and Children’s Program, the Beef in the Early Years promotional campaign launched back in 2021 with great success, and much of the campaign was rolled into 2022.

Over the past couple of years, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. has extended this campaign, reaching health professionals, parents and caregivers from across the nation with attention-getting materials, infographics, preparation guides, eating tips, videos, recipes and more. These materials have been promoted through YouTube, Google search, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Spotify and podcasts, reaching more than 1.7 million consumers and more than 1.3 million health professionals. Since its launch, Beef in the Early Years has reached more than 32 million consumers with information that supports introducing beef to infants. Here are a few ways Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. achieved those remarkable results:

Partnerships with five leading, credentialed nutrition influencers helped reach more than 112,000 consumers via social media and blog posts.
Messaging in top-tier nutrition and health journals and e-blasts provided health professionals with educational opportunities. These efforts had a circulation of more than 1.3 million.
More than 2,500 health professionals registered for an educational webinar where they learned about the nutrient adequacy and safety of incorporating solid foods – including beef – when implementing the baby-led weaning approach.
An episode with the popular podcast, The Nourished Child, featuring Dr. Michael Georgieff was downloaded more than 2,000 times on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Stitcher. Dr. Georgieff highlighted the importance of iron in children’s health and their brain development.
Meat Helps Make Every Bite Count: An Ideal First Food for Infants, research paper was published in Nutrition Today. This article has already been viewed more than 3,800 times.

BEEF FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS

Beef Checkoff-funded nutrition programming didn’t stop at Beef in the Early Years. In fact, those efforts rolled right into expanding beef’s benefits across the lifespan by highlighting beef as a tool for growth and development throughout childhood and adolescence.

This past August, to mark the start of the school year and World Iron Awareness Week, the Beef Checkoff emphasized beef’s role in building strong minds and strong bodies in school-aged children. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans said many children and adolescents aren’t getting enough high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and vitamins B6 and B12, which are critical nutrients for proper growth and development. High-quality sources of protein and iron, like beef, deliver many of these nutrients. As many parents and caregivers turn to health professionals for guidance on providing proper nutrition to children and teens, the Beef Checkoff found value in funding these health professional education opportunities:

In-office educational toolkits were delivered to doctor’s offices across the nation. Offices have received approximately 1,500 toolkits to date, with more expected to be delivered in early 2023.
Partnerships with five leading, credentialed nutrition influencers reached 332,000 people on social media.
An EatRight Pro and Nutrition and Dietetics SmartBrief delivered an advertisement and e-blast to more than 406,000 health professionals.
State Beef Councils utilized an educational presentation with updates on school lunch nutrition and opportunities to support beef as part of the school lunch program.

Whether through connecting with medical professionals or educating parents, the Beef Checkoff’s nutrition and health program is not only working to further drive demand for beef – it’s also trying to give these audiences the tools and materials they need to help infants, toddlers and adolescents build healthy and strong minds and bodies.

To learn more about the Human Nutrition Research Program and Beef in the Early Years, visit: BeefResearch.org/Programs/Human-Nutrition

Capitalizing on the power of personal interaction is the name of the game for the Beef Checkoff’s Nutrition and Health Team in 2023. Nutrition and health professionals, researchers, dietitians and nutrition influencers are essential advocates for beef and can support its role in a healthy lifestyle. Now more than ever, consumers rely on the advice and recommendations of their healthcare professionals (HCP), and trust between HCPs and consumers are at an all-time high.

TRUST FROM CONSUMERS

Registered dietitians and nutritionists are the most frequently consulted health professionals for nutrition and healthy eating information.¹
They are the most trusted source of information about which foods to eat or avoid. ².
77% of global consumers say that the advice of dietitians and nutritionists impacts which foods they buy. ³

TRUST WITHIN THE PROFESSION

Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) (62%) are the third-most-used source of information by HCPs to stay informed about food and nutrition, after Professional Associations (69%) and Academia (67%).⁴
79% of HCPs refer their patients and clients to RDNs.
94% of RDNs use other RDNs as food and nutrition sources of information.⁵

Knowing the considerable value and extensive consumer influence these healthcare professionals have, the Nutrition Team is intentionally building relationships and strategically providing evidence-based research and resources to this audience. These graphs show how HCPs prefer to receive and share nutrition and health information:

With this research in mind, the Nutrition Team closed out 2022 with a couple of in-person conferences and events to establish new relationships and strengthen existing connections with health professionals. The Nutrition Team partnered with Produce for Better Health to host a #BetterTogether reception at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Orlando, Florida. This event attracted more than 80 health professional attendees to collaborate on ways to pair beef and produce to optimize health and nutrition.

Following FNCE, the Nutrition and Health Team moved straight into hosting a three-day nutrition influencer “Meat-Up” event to build relationships with 15 leading Registered Dietitian influencers and offer valuable beef nutrition education sessions. Between beef nutrition 101 presentations, a hands-on culinary education workshop, social media masterclass and a beef sustainability and industry panel, attendees could experience multiple aspects of beef nutrition. Attendees’ specialties ranged from pediatric nutrition to diabetes management to sports performance. Together they had a collective social media reach of more than 1.2 million consumers.

Also, the Nutrition Team is developing a Nutrition Seminar Program to increase collaboration and involvement with state beef councils. This program will place credentialed expert speakers at state-wide healthcare meetings across the country. Currently, the team is working on securing speaking engagements for 22 credentialed experts at health professional education conferences this year. Additionally, as February recognizes National Heart Health Month, the Nutrition Team is partnering with four nutrition influencers to share research and resources that supports lean beef’s role in a heart-healthy diet.

The vital work of the Nutrition and Health Team is establishing lean beef as the protein of choice in healthy diets. Effectively engaging nutrition and health professionals and remaining grounded in sound science encourages higher demand for beef, which leads to greater success for producers everywhere. Beef Checkoff efforts will continue to build a solid foundation and seek opportunities to connect with these professionals.

State Beef Councils play an essential role in the coordinated efforts in their state, alongside the national Beef Checkoff program. Currently, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) provides collections and operational support to the 43 Qualified State Beef Councils (QSBCs). Collectively, the QSBCs include more than 700 state board members who represent a wide range of industry organizations and every segment of the beef industry.

State Beef Councils first began in 1954, and more than 30 existed before the national Beef Checkoff program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. Prior to the Beef Checkoff, producer dollars for national promotional efforts flowed primarily from the state level. Today, states continue to be
a key pillar of the program. It’s where the $1-per- head Checkoff assessment is collected, and the decision-making process begins for the grassroots, producer-driven program that drives demand for beef through promotion, research and education.

While the CBB oversees the collection of $1-per- head on all cattle sold in the U.S., QSBCs collect the money in their states and may retain up to 50 cents per dollar for approved programs conducted locally or in support of nationally-funded programs.

State Beef Council representatives also sit on Checkoff Program Committees alongside CBB board members to help determine which programs receive national Beef Checkoff funds. Members of Beef Checkoff Program Committees are split evenly, with 20 members from the CBB and 20 members representing the Federation of State Beef Councils. This split reflects both national and state priorities and helps the Beef Checkoff spend dollars more effectively and efficiently.

Working collaboratively on a state and national level, the Beef Checkoff is built by producers for producers and is strengthened by those involved who lend their voices, thoughts and ideas.

I was a “city girl” – until I married a third-generation dairy farmer. Since then, my husband and I have been actively involved in running our family dairy in Okarche, Oklahoma. Many of those years were also spent raising our four children, and now, we also have 10 beautiful grandchildren. It’s no wonder that as a wife, mom and grandma, I’ve always been very interested in health and nutrition. I’ve spent decades cooking meals I hoped were nutritious enough to help my kids grow up into healthy, vibrant adults. Now, as a co-chair of the Beef Checkoff’s Nutrition and Health Committee, I’m taking my interest in healthy eating and applying it to help drive beef demand.

The beef checkoff’s principal role is to successfully drive demand for beef. To accomplish that goal, we need to engage with a wide variety of consumers. That’s why we’re expanding our efforts and working to reach consumer audience segments. And through the power of checkoff-funded nutrition and health research, we’ve unlocked new audience groups, from infants and toddlers to teenagers and beyond.

BEEF IN THE EARLY YEARS

We now have scientific evidence touting the beneficial role beef’s nutrients play in a child’s physical and cognitive development. The research paper “Meat Helps Every Bite Count” says that infants as young as 6 months of age need high-quality dietary sources of iron and zinc as their internal stores begin to deplete after birth. The unique, nutrient-dense matrix of red meat, such as beef, makes it an ideal first complementary food.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recently recommended animal-sourced foods, such as beef, to support healthy growth for infants and toddlers. Backed by this recommendation as well as support from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Women, Infants and Children’s Program, checkoff-funded “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” launched a “Beef in the Early Years” promotional campaign in 2021.

“Beef in the Early Years” has reached health professionals, parents and caregivers nationwide with attention-getting materials, infographics, preparation guides, eating tips, videos, recipes and more. These materials have been promoted through YouTube, Google Search, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Spotify and podcasts. Since its launch, the campaign has reached more than 32 million consumers with information that supports introducing beef to infants around six months old.

Here’s how Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. achieved those remarkable results:

A new nutrition research paper “Meat Helps Make Every Bite Count: An Ideal First Food for Infants” was published in Nutrition Today, garnering more than 3,800 views, a number that’s expected to keep increasing.
Messaging in top-tier nutrition and health journals, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the HealthyChildren Magazine educated health professionals about beef’s benefits. E-blasts were sent through lists provided by EatRight Pro and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
More than 2,500 health professionals registered for an educational webinar with dietitian Katie Ferraro about the nutrient adequacy and safety of incorporating solid foods – including beef – when implementing the baby-led weaning approach.
Partnerships with five leading nutrition influencers helped reach consumers via social media and blog posts featuring tips for introducing beef to infants and recipes that the whole family could enjoy.
An episode featuring Dr. Michael Georgieff on the popular podcast The Nourished Child was downloaded more than 2,000 times on various platforms. Georgieff highlighted the importance of iron for a child’s brain development.

BEEF FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS

While beef is an important food for babies and toddlers, it’s also great for the growth and development of older children and teenagers. This past August, to mark the start of the school year and World Iron Awareness Week, the beef checkoff emphasized beef’s role in building strong minds and strong bodies. The DGA says many children and adolescents aren’t getting enough high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and vitamins B6 and B12. To spread the word about beef’s high-quality protein and iron, the Checkoff funded these initiatives:

In-office educational toolkits were delivered to doctors’ offices across the nation. The toolkits included a letter, an educational tool and a tear pad for parents and caregivers. Offices have received approximately 1,500 toolkits to date, with more expected to be delivered in 2023.
An EatRight Pro and Nutrition and Dietetics SmartBrief advertisement and e-blast provided information about beef’s key nutrients for children and teens to more than 406,000 health professionals.
Partnerships with five leading nutrition influencers featured quick and nutritious school lunches, opportunities to increase protein and iron in adolescence and tips to ensure children build strong minds and bodies.
Through a partnership with the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance, the checkoff shared two educational e-blasts and a sponsorship page with educational resources that emphasize the value of beef for children and teenagers.
The beef checkoff-funded nutrition team continues to work closely with the Federation of State Beef Councils by offering an educational presentation by Dayle Hayes, MS, RD, with updates on school lunch nutrition and opportunities to support beef as part of the school lunch program.

The beef checkoff’s nutrition and health research is not only driving more demand for beef – it’s also giving parents and health professionals the resources they need to help infants, toddlers and adolescents build healthy, strong minds and bodies. Furthermore, these young people are key to beef’s future success. They’re the next generation who will be purchasing beef and cooking it for themselves and their families.

This program is yet another example of how your checkoff dollars are connecting more consumers with beef. To learn more about the Human Nutrition Research Program and “Beef in the Early Years,” visit the Beef Research website.

Dairy cattle are becoming a regular part of the mix in today’s beef marketing chain. With the evolving dairy climate, the practice of crossbreeding dairy cows with beef genetics is becoming common on dairies. As a result, between 2.5 million and 5 million beef x dairy cross calves will be born this year and likely to continue the same levels in 2023⁵.

Dairy steers have been fed for beef production for years, so the trend is not significantly changing the number of calves and feeders in the feedyard, but what is changing is the meat quality. For dairy producers, they are seeing higher market value for those calves, and consumers both here and abroad get more Choice and Prime-graded beef products.

Dairy cattle still remain a significant contributor to the U.S. beef supply. In addition to dairy and beef crossbreds, dairy finished steers, cull cows and finished heifers all produce beef for the total supply. Here’s the percentage contribution of each animal type to the entire U.S. commercial beef supply⁶.

Finished dairy steers contribute 12.6 percent
Cull dairy cows contribute 7 percent
Finished dairy steers contribute 1.5 percent

Since 2002, the percentage of dairy beef contribution to the total U.S. beef supply has ranged from 18 to 24 percent².

Both the beef and dairy industries work together to create a successful beef marketplace. All dairy producers selling cattle and calves pay to the Beef Checkoff a $1-per-head. Their contribution helps further beef promotion, research, education and information, helping to drive demand for beef.

Understanding the value of beef imports and why importers serve on the CBB.

Do you know how beef imports help meet domestic beef demand? The U.S. cattle industry is complex, and while many farmers and ranchers may understand beef and beef products are imported into the U.S., some may not understand the value added from the implementation. Beef imports play a significant role in the U.S. cattle industry because the U.S. has a high domestic need for lean trim used most often in ground beef.

American consumers love hamburgers, and most of those are consumed at fast food restaurants at relatively low or at least highly competitive prices. Since U.S. farmers and ranchers are producing more and more Prime- and Choice-graded beef, the value of the non-steak cuts, due to global demand, is higher than the value of hamburger. So rather than grinding those variety meats (with high value in foreign markets) and high value cuts into burgers, they are exported for a premium. This leaves the U.S. in need of lean trim to meet the domestic demand for ground beef.

The vast majority of beef that the U.S. imports is lean trim (90-plus percent lean.) The U.S. domestic supply is mainly from fed cattle. A byproduct of the retail beef cuts produced from fed cattle is 50 percent fat trimmings. These are mixed with lean trimmings to produce ground beef — hence the need for additional lean beef that is supplied by imports. At the same time, it increases the value of the fat trimmings.

Without this imported trim, the U.S. beef supply would run far short of the lean ground beef required to meet that consumer demand.

Overall, imports only contribute approximately 9.3% to the total U.S. beef supply⁷.

In addition to all producers selling cattle, importers also pay the Beef Checkoff with a $1-per-head on all live cattle, and equivalent on all beef and beef products imported into the U.S., adding approximately $7 million annually to the Beef Checkoff. Due to this contribution, importers volunteer to serve on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). Importer members are nominated by importer associations and are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to serve the same non-paid, three-year terms as their producer counterparts. Of the 101 members serving on the CBB, importers make up seven percent.

Both the beef and dairy industries work hand in hand to contribute to the beef supply, but there is one industry sector uniquely positioned between both – veal.

WHAT IS VEAL?

Primarily raised in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana, veal is a meat derived primarily from young Holstein bull calves. Bull calves are typically sold shortly after birth through local auction markets or purchased directly by others who will raise them for beef or veal. There are two primary sources of veal: bob veal and formula-fed veal

Bob veal consists of dairy bull calves sold and marketed shortly after birth, while formula-fed, also known as milk-fed or special-fed, are dairy bull calves that are raised for about six months and harvested at approximately 500 pounds or more. Formula-fed calves also receive grain and are ruminating animals at the time of harvest. In the marketplace today, 68 percent of veal is derived from formula-fed/grain-fed veal calves.

Today, there are approximately 400 veal farms in the U.S., and many are Amish or Mennonite families. Each farm family raises about 400 head per year. Out of all the formula-fed calves marketed each year, 95 percent come from Veal Quality Assurance (VQA)-certified farms. All VQA certifications are verified by a veterinarian.

~ 400 veal farms in the U.S.
~ 400 head per farm each year
95% come from Veal Quality Assurance (VQA) certified farms

Ultimately, veal production supports the dairy industry by adding value to its calves and co-products.

GROWING CONSUMER TRUST

The Beef Checkoff-funded VQA program is designed to ensure dairy beef animals raised and marketed specifically for veal receive a level of care that guarantees optimal health and welfare. In addition to being beneficial for veal producers, VQA helps grow consumer trust in veal production.

Seventy-four percent of consumers agree that food companies should be more transparent about their farming practices – this jumps to nearly 80 percent when asking Millennials alone⁸. This statistic shows the importance of giving consumers complete clarity on the production practices of veal farming.

The VQA program makes it possible for Beef Checkoff contractors to share credible and ethical stories when marketing veal to consumers.

DISCOVERY OF VEAL

The Beef Checkoff-funded National Veal Program is managed by Checkoff contractor North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and subcontractor New York Beef Council (NYBC). This team produces multiple Checkoff- funded promotional campaigns and develops educational pieces, both intended to increase consumers’ discovery and trust in veal. The consumer-facing brand, Veal – Discover Delicious, capitalizes on veal’s unique taste, value and versatility. Veal is distinctive in the meat space because a three-ounce serving of cooked, trimmed lean veal has just about 170 calories, making it one of the most nutrient-dense protein foods around.

Also, veal provides 29 percent of the recommended daily intake of zinc, 36 percent of niacin and 23 percent of vitamin B-12. In short, it provides a fat and calorie profile similar to chicken but with the nutrient density of beef⁹.

29% of the recommended daily intake of zinc
36% of the recommended daily intake of niacin
23% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B-12

To spread the word about veal’s extraordinary nutrition package, Veal – Discover Delicious focuses on reaching new Millennial audiences with exciting promotional efforts. Millennial consumers today continue to have little awareness or knowledge of veal as a meat choice.

All promotional efforts address this knowledge gap with messaging that explains how to find and access veal while building confidence in the protein’s taste, nutrition and safety.

CUTTING-EDGE INITIATIVES

Forty-five percent of consumers report shopping online for groceries more now than before the pandemic¹⁰, and online shopping has remained popular into 2022. To reach the online shopping community, Veal – Discover Delicious partners with Chicory, a digital shopper marketing platform that turns recipes into a retail environment by reaching consumers through an online recipe network. While reading through online recipes, consumers can add veal directly to their virtual shopping carts with a quick click on advertisements with retailers like Instacart and Publix. Campaigns with Chicory last year have resulted in more than nine thousand veal orders. Additionally, Fresh Direct is another online retailer that Veal – Discover Delicious works with and has resulted in more than one thousand orders of veal last year. If consumers can’t find veal in their local store, Veal – Discover Delicious hosts online retailers on its own website where consumers can buy veal and have it delivered right to their door.

Another tactic Veal – Discover Delicious utilizes to effectively reach Millennial and younger audiences and first-time veal eaters is leveraging influencers.

These influencers highlight veal’s versatility and flavor in recipes while incorporating information about how veal is raised and the faces behind veal production. Influencers then share this messaging on their blogs and social media platforms. Many influencers also coordinate or participate in veal cooking classes. This is an educational opportunity for all audiences to learn more about veal and how to best prepare it. Many of these events have themes, like the best recipes for Valentine’s Day or a Kentucky Derby party.

The National Veal Program also hosts events like veal farm tours, both in-person and virtually. Beef industry stakeholders and supporters join these tours to learn about veal farming practices, discover more about the protein and get a chance to ask industry experts their questions directly. Farm tours are only one way the National Veal Program is creating veal advocates and growing consumer trust in veal production.

Over the summer, a new video campaign was launched to introduce consumers to modern veal farming. Featured on social media and Google advertisements, this video series engaged with consumers on what veal is, what veal calves eat and how they’re raised. To watch the videos, visit www.veal.org/discover-the-farm.

Although small, veal plays a significant role in the U.S. beef and dairy industries, and the Beef Checkoff actively works to share the progressive message of veal’s protein strength, versatility, transparency and sustainability.

To learn more about the National Veal Program and access educational resources, visit: Veal.org.

The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) will invest approximately $38.5 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing, and producer communications during fiscal 2023, subject to USDA approval.

In action at the end of its September 7-8 meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) approved Checkoff funding for a total of 13 “Authorization Requests” – or grant proposals – for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023. The committee, which includes 10 producers from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 producers from the Federation of State Beef Councils, also recommended full Cattlemen’s Beef Board approval of a budget amendment to reflect the split of funding between budget categories affected by their decisions.

Nine contractors and three subcontractors brought 14 Authorization Requests worth $48 million to the BPOC this week, nearly $9.5 million more than the funds available from the CBB budget.

“Producers are behind all the decisions that the BPOC makes during these meetings each September,” said CBB and BPOC Chair Norman Voyles, Jr. “We carefully consider every Authorization Request to determine how to use Checkoff dollars to drive beef demand and provide producers with the best possible return on their Checkoff investments.”

“As we expected, the proposals we reviewed this week were remarkably innovative, containing many thought-provoking ideas and concepts. Our challenge is balancing the budget while also distributing our limited amount of Checkoff dollars in a manner that we believe will best drive beef demand. I’d like to thank all our contractors and committee members for their hard work and careful consideration as we all work together to advance the entire beef industry.”

In the end, the BPOC approved proposals from 9 national beef organizations for funding through the FY23 Cattlemen’s Beef Board budget, as follows:

American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture – $900,000
Cattlemen’s Beef Board – $1,850,000
Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education – $450,000
Meat Import Council of America / Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative – $550,000
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association – $25,720,000
National Institute for Animal Agriculture – $70,000
North American Meat Institute – $360,000
United States Cattlemen’s Association – $450,000
United States Meat Export Federation – $8,200,000

Broken out by budget component – as outlined by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 – the FY23 Plan of Work for the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board budget includes:

$9,400,000 for promotion programs, including beef and veal campaigns focusing on beef’s nutritional value, eating experience, convenience, and production.
$9,000,000 for research programs focusing on pre- and post-harvest beef safety, scientific affairs, nutrition, sustainability, product quality, culinary technical expertise, and consumer perceptions.
$7,470,000 for consumer information programs, including Northeast influencer outreach and public relations initiatives; national consumer public relations, including nutrition-influencer relations and work with primary- and secondary-school curriculum directors nationwide to get accurate information about the beef industry into classrooms of today’s youth. Additional initiatives include outreach and engagement with food, culinary, nutrition and health thought leaders; media and public relations efforts; and supply chain engagement.

$2,630,000 for industry information programs, including dissemination of accurate information about the beef industry to counter misinformation from anti-beef groups and others, as well as funding for Checkoff participation in the annual national industrywide symposium about antibiotic use. Additional efforts in this program area include beef advocacy training and issues/crisis management and response.

$8,200,000 for foreign marketing and education, focusing on 13 regions, representing more than 90 countries around the world.
$1,850,000 for producer communications, which includes investor outreach using national communications and direct communications to producers and importers about Checkoff results. Elements of this program include ongoing producer listening and analysis; industry collaboration and outreach; and continued development of a publishing strategy and platform and a state beef council content hub.

The full fiscal 2023 Cattlemen’s Beef Board budget is approximately $42.7 million. Separate from the Authorization Requests, other expenses funded include $270,000 for program evaluation; $585,000 for program development; $200,000 for Checkoff communications resources; $550,000 for USDA oversight; $210,000 for state services; $270,000 supporting services and litigation; and $2.1 million for CBB administration. The fiscal 2023 program budget represents a decrease of slightly less than 1% percent, or $350,800, from the $38.9 million FY22 budget.

For more information about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, contact the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at 303-220-9890 or visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.

Larry Kendig of Osborne, Kansas, was recently appointed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB) and will serve on the Consumer Trust committee! Kendig is a fourth-generation rancher working and living on the original homestead settled by his great grandfather in 1871. Learn more about Larry, his family operation and why he’s looking forward to serving on the CBB.

U.S. beef exports greatly exceeded previous volume and value records in 2021, surpassing $10 billion for the first time, according to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Part of U.S. beef’s export success in 2021 can be attributed to growth in beef variety meat exports. Beef Checkoff dollars supported this growth, helping USMEF further promote value cuts and variety meats to end-user customers and consumers. Below are a few examples of USMEF’s work in international markets.

Alternative Cut Training in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — USMEF Mexico Executive Chef German Navarrete traveled to Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to host master classes on U.S. beef preparation for restaurateurs, distributors and social media influencers. To demonstrate how the appeal of U.S. beef extends beyond middle meats, Navarrete promoted the nutrition, versatility and affordability of top blade, hangar steak and flank steak for use in ethnic cuisines.

Differentiating U.S. Beef in Colombian Butcher Shops — Audits are the first step in a new training program intended to help importers’ butcher shops sell more high-quality U.S. beef. A primary sales channel for imported beef is through importer-owned butcher shops, which USMEF has targeted for technical and marketing support. “Our market assessments show a wide disparity in how meat is handled, merchandised and sold at retail, especially in butcher shops,” says Don Mason, USMEF representative in Colombia. Training programs developed for butcher shops will improve food safety, product management and merchandising to increase U.S. beef sales.

Social Media Raises U.S. Beef Visibility in Hong Kong — With the surge in retail and online meat purchases in Hong Kong in mind, USMEF partnered with imported meat wholesaler and key opinion leader Meat Dee to raise the U.S. beef’s visibility, promote sales of a wider range of cuts to end users and provide foodservice partners with promotional support. “The pandemic accelerated demand for high-quality protein and online content about food, meat handling and preparation,” says Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific. “In providing this educational content to the trade through Meat Dee, sales of a wider range of U.S. beef cuts have been realized in both foodservice and retail channels.”

Workshops Promote Toy Donations and U.S. Beef Recipes in Mexico — In December, USMEF utilized its mobile grill and kitchen to introduce seasonal U.S. beef recipes and collect donated toys for vulnerable families in Mexico. The recipe and donation workshops were carried out with social media influencers, local media outlets and charitable organizations in Queretaro, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

Beijing Chefs Learn New Cuts and Applications — USMEF partnered with an importer/distributor in Northern China to introduce U.S. beef cuts and new cooking concepts from Southern China to its foodservice customers. Cuts that are excellent for grilling in yakiniku and Korean barbecue restaurants – flank, tri-tip, bone-in short ribs and rib finger – were demonstrated and prepared for sampling and a new concept dinner. “We are always working to expand the range of U.S. cuts. The event served as a brainstorming session for menu development, and the 40 chefs and restaurant owners expressed strong interest in the new cuts and new ideas,” said Ming Liang, USMEF marketing director in China.

U.S. Beef Variety Meat Exports Set New Monthly Value Record — A notable bright spot in 2021 has been the rebound in beef variety meat exports, with broad-based demand in a wider range of destinations. USMEF has introduced global consumers to local, ethnic dishes featuring U.S. beef variety meat items through promotions such as “Taco Tuesdays” in Mexico. U.S. beef variety meat exports set a new monthly value record in November at $116 million and topped $1 billion for the first time in 2021. Mexico is the top volume destination and Japan leads in value.

Costco Meat Case in Korea Investing dollars toward foreign market development is one of the most significant ways the Beef Checkoff drives demand for beef. Competition is fierce on the global stage, and the checkoff works diligently to persuade foreign countries that U.S. beef is their best choice. As a result of the checkoff’s efforts, more consumers around the world want the high-quality products U.S. cattlemen and women produce.

That’s why beef producers understand the importance of using checkoff dollars to promote U.S. beef in foreign countries. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is a subcontractor to the Beef Checkoff that carries out this mission. From attending international food events and conducting training sessions to working with retailers and encouraging restaurants to feature U.S. beef, the USMEF’s hands-on efforts put U.S. beef on more dinner plates around the world.

Korea has now become one of the leading U.S. beef markets in the Pacific, less than a decade following street protests opposing the reopening of the market. In 2018, beef exports to Korea increased 30 percent year-over-year in volume and jumped 43 percent in value, increasing from $526 million in 2017 to $1.75 billion in 2018¹¹. A big factor contributing to this gain was Costco officially converting its imported chilled beef selection from Australian to 100-percent-U.S. beef. This multi-year effort by USMEF to persuade Costco store managers to carry U.S. beef has resulted in a wider selection of U.S. beef cuts available to consumers.

To continue increasing the visibility of U.S. beef, USMEF has established the Diamond Plus Precious Gourmet Selection awards. These awards encourage Taiwanese restaurants to serve and promote U.S. beef. According to Davis Wu, USMEF director in Taiwan, Diamond Plus Precious honors restaurants that demonstrate “the spirit of dependable and faithful partners who support U.S. beef products and promise to provide high-quality U.S. beef cuisine to Taiwanese consumers.” The USMEF first presented these awards in 2018 and will continue to honor deserving restaurants – choosing 20 each year. By creating an incentive for Taiwanese restaurants to feature high-quality U.S. beef, the Diamond Plus Precious awards are helping U.S. beef establish a stronger foothold in that country, while also providing consumers clear and accessible ways to learn about the best restaurants offering these products.

USMEF Diamond Ceremony In Japan, USMEF has been conducting a series of training sessions for cooking instructors. The goal is to show these educators the variety of ways to cook and serve U.S. beef, so they can then introduce these creative methods to their students. Rika Yukimasa, a well-known cooking instructor in Japan, has helped USMEF in the campaign, providing cooking tips and sharing information about U.S. beef’s quality attributes with fellow instructors. Tapping into U.S. beef’s superior quality and versatility is an impactful way to spur interest in the product. One training session, during which the USMEF explained the U.S. beef production system, drew thousands of participant applications of which 50 were selected.

When it comes to directly connecting with the Japanese consumer, USMEF’s Tokyo office has launched a social media campaign to promote U.S. beef while also encouraging consumer participation. USMEF’s Instagram, a photo-based social media platform, has been calling on consumers to share their experiences with U.S. beef at home and at restaurants. Individuals who share photos of U.S. beef “pound steak” are eligible for prizes. The pound steak campaign was followed by a “My Pound Steak” Instagram event to further encourage photo sharing of this great product. This social media effort is bringing U.S. beef to a platform where consumers are most active.

Japan pound steak “The number of active Instagram users now exceeds 29 million in Japan – up 150% from a year ago,” said Takemichi Yamashoji, USMEF director in Japan. “Realizing the popularity of social media and how consumers are using it to make decisions on what to eat, USMEF will keep focusing on these kinds of activities to more widely and effectively convey information on U.S. beef.”

The superior quality of U.S. beef has no bounds. The checkoff’s goal has always been to drive demand for beef. With programs like these in place, the checkoff is introducing high-quality beef to consumers who may never have enjoyed it before but will now continue to request it from their grocers and restaurants. Visibility is key, and U.S. beef producers recognize that investing dollars in these efforts is necessary to maintain and drive demand, so prices can remain strong even during more challenging times.

The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) has named Greg Hanes as its new CEO. Hanes comes to the CBB from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), a subcontractor to the Beef Checkoff, where he was most recently the vice president of international marketing programs.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where cattle producers, with their solid work ethic and honesty, are simply part of the culture. My dad was a multigeneration Wyoming native, and my mom immigrated to the United States from Germany after World War II. Hearing stories from my mom, her siblings and my grandma about growing up in war-ravaged Germany and how they had to leave everything they owned behind in order to flee the Russian army had a powerful impact on me and my younger brother. Because of that, we always valued and appreciated everything we had.

After high school, I went to Colorado College (CC) in Colorado Springs and majored in economics. During my junior year, I studied abroad in Japan because it was “taking over the world” economically at the time. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Despite how different the culture, language, food and everything was, that experience showed me that at our core, people are people. After I graduated from CC, I spent a year back in Japan teaching English in public junior high schools with the Japan Education and Teaching Program.

After spending a bit more time in Japan and Asia, I enrolled in graduate school at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, Arizona and received a master’s degree in international management. I worked several jobs in Denver before joining USMEF in 1996. There, I worked with the international offices and helped to write the government funding proposal called the Unified Export Strategy document.

After four years with USMEF in Denver, my family had the opportunity to move back to Japan. At the time, we had two young kids – one was 3 years old and the other was only 9 months old. If we wanted them to learn the Japanese language and culture, now was the time, so we moved to Japan. I worked in telecommunications for five years and then, rejoined USMEF as the Japan director. After four years in that role, I transferred back to USMEF’s Denver headquarters where I have been the last 10 years – most recently as the vice president of international marketing programs.

Q: Why did you choose to make the jump from USMEF to the CBB?

Working for USMEF, I am well aware of the huge impact building international demand for beef has on bringing more value back to producers. At the same time, I have always been impressed by the excellent staff at the CBB and their dedication to the beef industry. When this opportunity arose, it seemed like the perfect way to leverage my deep appreciation and enthusiasm for the checkoff, beef producers, all the contractors and the CBB staff to help make the program even more successful going into the future.

Q: With your background at USMEF, you bring extensive knowledge of exports and international markets. How do you feel your experience with USMEF has prepared you to take the helm of the Beef Checkoff?

Working at USMEF has given me a deep understanding of the huge impact the checkoff can have on increasing the value of beef, both international and domestically. And, there are so many things the checkoff is doing to help build that demand.

I also had the opportunity to work with many of the state beef councils and other key partners and stakeholders in our industry. Not only has this allowed me to develop close relationships with many of those individuals and groups, but it has also given me insight into many of the issues the checkoff faces.

Q: The CBB is essential to ensuring the Beef Checkoff remains strong and thriving in the future. What do you feel the checkoff is doing well, and what does it need to work on in the months and years ahead? How do you foresee your role fitting into that mission?

There are so many things the checkoff is doing well; however, we need to ensure that producers around the country know exactly what these efforts are. The CBB has recently launched some new initiatives to facilitate producer communications, so I am excited to see how these efforts reach producers, what works and what doesn’t, and then adapt to continually make our outreach more effective.

Q: Lastly, what else would you like beef producers to know about you?

I want beef producers to know that I am 100 percent behind them. My sole focus is to ensure the checkoff is doing all it can to provide producers with the greatest returns and bring them the highest possible value they can get for each animal. Ranching and beef production has a long and storied history, and I want to make sure that history continues long into the future. Ranching is all about families, and I hope to see every ranch passed down to the next generation and the next.

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