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Frequently Asked Questions

At the beginning of 2019, CattleFax CEO Randy Blach noted that calves would have been worth $50 per cwt less and fed cattle $20 less if the industry had failed to meet consumer beef demand. Over the last 20 years, beef producers have answered the call for higher-quality beef, directly impacting demand, and therefore, beef prices and consumption.1

Consumer demand is perhaps the most important driver of the beef industry. Growing demand and responding to consumer trends are key to maintaining beef as a superior protein choice. The sole purpose of the Beef Checkoff is to do just that—help build beef demand. To do this, the Beef Checkoff continually funds research and tracks consumer trends to ensure producers have the full picture of how beef is performing at retail and foodservice establishments worldwide.

Defining “demand” and how it affects beef values

While the factors that go into demand are very complex, the concept of demand is simple: beef demand relies on sentiment, or the trust and loyalty one has for a product. Driving demand is the effort that goes into getting a consumer to think of beef first—positioning beef in the forefront of their minds when they enter the grocery store. The Beef Checkoff is building consumer confidence in order to drive demand.

The beef industry has many layers and sectors that work together. It includes various dynamics and complex markets that contribute to overall demand. According to Dr. Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University, “The complexity increases when one realizes that beef demand is not a single market, but it is the net effect of the disassembly of beef carcasses into many products entering different, but often related markets.” 2 For beef producers, cattle prices are of the utmost importance and are a result of the total value that consumers place on beef products. In other words, consumer demand determines beef carcass values, as well as prices for fed cattle, feeder cattle and calves.

Demand vs. consumption

Dr. Peel notes that the beef industry, “is one of, if not the most complex set of markets on the planet.”3 When consumers believe in beef, it pushes the market. There are many influences behind beef demand, the most significant of which are population, income, taste and preferences, expectations and the prices of other goods. Demand can sometimes be confused with consumption. If demand is the sentiment toward beef, then consumption is the sales data – how much they are actually purchasing and eating. Consumption doesn’t take into account what leads to the purchasing decision or the price-vs-value relationship. Consumers must view beef as a favorable product in order for it to be competitive in the marketplace. 4

In 2018, cattle producers saw a large increase in consumer beef demand, particularly in the retail sector. According to the U.S. Retail Beef Demand Index, 2018 retail beef demand was 15 percent higher than in January 2012. Furthermore, the Beef Demand Index shows consumers are loving high-quality, USDA-Choice-graded beef products. In fact, approximately 80 percent of U.S. beef grades USDA Choice or higher today, compared to 50 percent in 2000.5

How the Beef Checkoff builds demand

Producing high-quality beef has led to greater consumer confidence, which is essential to continue building that demand. The Beef Checkoff echoes producers’ dedication to quality by promoting this at every turn and researching how consumers are responding to beef products in the marketplace. The Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand showcases beef’s superior taste, nutrition and quality benefits in ads placed around the country. A $5 million consumer advertising budget allows the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand to reach more consumers than ever before, particularly online.

Online marketing is critical today because consumers are spending the majority of their time using digital resources. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, directs consumers to the BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com website whenever an individual searches for information about beef. This ensures consumers are obtaining the most accurate information about beef in their diets. Since October 2017, the website has had more than 15 million visits.

While beef prices are a top concern, the Beef Checkoff works to ensure consumers continue to feel confident purchasing beef. Over the past two decades, the beef industry has seen a direct correlation between industry success and consumer trends. The Beef Checkoff remains dedicated to growing overall beef demand through all avenues by promoting and educating consumers on the benefits of eating beef.

Frequently Asked Questions

Greg HanesThe 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.

rancher carrying a bucket in a pasture

Frequently Asked Questions

I can honestly say inserting myself into a conversation is difficult from time to time. As a fifth-generation cattle rancher from Oklahoma, I don’t take credit for things I don’t earn. I don’t raise havoc when things get tough. And, I certainly don’t pat myself on the back when things go right. Being humble is a way of life for those of us in the agriculture industry, but sometimes, humility can be our biggest downfall.

The Beef Checkoff is one of the beef industry’s greatest achievements, yet few of us talk about the many ways it has benefited producers since its enactment in 1985. One of the biggest challenges facing the beef industry today is the fact that many producers don’t know what the checkoff is, what it does or how it benefits cattlemen and women every single day.

The only way to face this challenge is head on — by having the conversation. Beef farmers and ranchers need to start sharing successes, asking questions and voicing opinions about the Beef Checkoff. There is a new generation of young beef producers who are now responsible for their families’ operations, and they’ve never lived in a world without the checkoff. It is up to those producers who have lived both with and without the checkoff to educate them on why it’s a critical part of the beef industry.

So, how do we go about educating our fellow producers? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Younger ranchers may say social media is their preferred industry resource whereas producers like me who don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account, would probably rather have a face-to-face conversation or read a newspaper or magazine.

Regardless, the call to action is the same – beef producers need to communicate with each other – spreading the word about how the checkoff uses their dollar-per-head investments to advance the entire beef industry. We can’t shy away from engaging with those who may have opposing opinions but instead hear their arguments and share the true wins behind the checkoff.

For example, the Beef Checkoff is constantly identifying new and emerging market opportunities for beef in places like Asia to keep beef demand high. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Meat Export Federation, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, U.S. beef exports reached over $8 billion in 2018. The U.S. is currently Japan’s largest beef supplier by value, and exports to Korea have jumped 43 percent in value since 20171. By opening market opportunities, the checkoff is ensuring consistent demand – so even when prices are down, sales can remain strong.

Furthermore, the Beef Checkoff is investing dollars to create new, innovative and convenient beef products that align with current consumer purchasing patterns. One such product is “Beefshi,” a new sushi-style concept using beef products like pastrami, roast beef and summer sausage, to be enjoyed as an appetizer or a full meal.

Those are just two of ways the checkoff is driving consumer demand. But that’s only part of the story. The Beef Checkoff is also dedicated to improving the industry as a whole – and that includes investing in producers. From the Beef Quality Assurance program and encouraging better management practices to the lifecycle assessment which showcases the real sustainability efforts that have decreased beef’s environmental footprint – the checkoff is engaged in every sector of the industry. We’re always looking for ways to help beef producers succeed.

Whether you’re at the sale barn, coffee shop, grocery store or even online, make sure your fellow beef producers know it’s your contribution that makes the beef industry great. It’s your superior product. It’s your time and effort. It’s your voice. It’s your dollar.

man helping daughter in kitchen

Frequently Asked Questions

Checkoff-funded consumer research shows us that the key generation for beef marketing – millennials – practically lives on digital devices. They use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to get beef recipes, information and industry news. They see what their fellow consumers are saying about beef, then look elsewhere online to check if the information is scientifically sound. Most important for beef producers, they look to social media for quick and convenient recipe ideas to feed their families and help them thrive1

Your Beef Checkoff program is working diligently to make real, meaningful connections with these consumers to share positive, science-based stories about all things beef. It is the checkoff’s “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” campaign that reaches this target audience in an authentic, genuine way – not only through the communication channels they use most but also through hands-on opportunities with Millennial influencers that are genuine beef advocates.

While challenging, all of these interests translate to tremendous opportunities for the Beef Checkoff program. Millennials are a growing generation, with expanding families and influence, who will make beef-buying decisions for the next 40-plus years.

The future of the industry depends heavily on this next generation of beef eaters, and your checkoff is seeing to it that they have the information to increase their confidence in you and your end product, making sure that beef remains “What’s for Dinner” for generations to come.

Connecting With Consumers Through “Chuck Knows Beef”

By the year 2020, 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches.2 That is why the checkoff is connecting with this important audience through “Chuck Knows Beef,” an all-knowing beef expert available on Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Chuck gives users the ability to connect with recipes and cooking information found on “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.”through voice activation. With nearly a half million sessions since being launched in 2018, the “Chuck Knows Beef” digital assistant, powered by Google Artificial Intelligence, is keeping beef information easily accessible for consumers. Chuck is available for download at ChuckKnowsBeef.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Survey says! The majority of beef producers are in favor of the Beef Checkoff program and have consistently supported it over time. In fact, according to a recent independent study, 80 percent say the checkoff drives demand for beef.

For more than 25 years, the checkoff has commissioned a third-party research firm to conduct an annual survey of beef and dairy producers nationwide to determine their awareness of the Beef Checkoff, as well as their sentiment and concerns about the program.

This year’s key survey findings include:

  • 80 percent say the Beef Checkoff drives demand for beef
  • 72 percent say they approve of the Beef Checkoff
  • 68 percent say the Beef Checkoff leads to greater profitability in their own operation

In January 2019, Luce Research conducted the survey by calling the cell phone and landline numbers of 1,200 beef and dairy producers nationwide. These producers were randomly chosen from a master list of 150,000 U.S. producers. Using 2012 Agriculture Census statistics, the research firm weighted the survey data by age, geography and type of operation to be proportionate to the number of beef and dairy farms in that region – resulting in the adjusted sample size of 1,200 producers.

To participate, responding producers had to indicate they managed an operation that included cattle. For a sample of 1,200, the maximum statistical margin of error (95 percent confidence level) is ± 2.8 percent around any one reported result. For those producers who said they were aware of the checkoff, the maximum margin of error is ± 2.9 percent.

According to the survey results, producers conclude that the checkoff is making a difference in the beef industry, and they understand its positive, global impact. Investing in areas such as research, promotion and producer communications are ways the checkoff keeps the industry growing and beef on dinner tables around the world.

“We’re pleased to learn that producers continue to see the value of the checkoff and support its efforts,” said Brian Malaer, co-chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Investor Relations Working Group. “With 80 percent of producers saying the checkoff help drives demand for beef, it’s clear that they see the return on their investment and feel the checkoff is a necessary part of the beef industry. As 2019 continues, we will keep communicating the checkoff’s many successes so even more producers can better understand how their dollars are advancing the demand for beef.”

The funding for the Producer Attitude Survey initiative sits under the Producer Communications Authorization Request and is overseen by the Investor Relations Working Group and commissioned by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The dollars come solely from the Beef Checkoff without input from contractors to ensure unbiased results. The checkoff will take the information gathered from this year’s survey and use it to develop authorization requests for the coming year.

“To ensure the Beef Checkoff‘s continued success, we must communicate the value it brings to the beef industry and the every-day beef producer,” Malaer said. “Their dollars support the industry. Their dollars make a difference. Their dollars are driving demand.”

More About Luce Research:

Luce Research is a multi-dimensional consumer and market research firm whose data-gathering technologies help organizations better understand their constituencies. Their expertise includes scientifically-driven consumer and market research, institutional insights, campaigns, large and small population polling, and custom-developed surveys.

Dan Hoffman, adjunct professor of market research at University of Denver, and contractor to Luce Research, explained why the annual survey is conducted via phone versus online polling.

“Online polling suffers from very low participation and can result in a skewed picture of the audience being surveyed,” said Hoffman. “These polls often garner emotional responses, not factual conversations. When looking at where and how the checkoff is viewed by producers, it is vitally important to use the most statistically weighted process to truly gauge these opinions.”

For more information about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, visit Beef Checkoff Program Areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did you know that the volunteer board members responsible for making decisions about your checkoff dollars at both the state and national levels are checkoff-paying, beef farmers, ranchers and importers? This structure is designed to ensure that producers like you are responsible for directing, reviewing and approving expenditure of all checkoff dollars.

If you are interested in throwing your hat into the ring to be one of the 99 members of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), then share your interest with a certified nominating organization to learn about being nominated for consideration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve a three-year term. Nominating organizations represent beef and dairy producers in 37 states and three regions, based on total cattle numbers in each state. Importer appointments are drawn from nominations by importer associations.

“Serving on the Beef Board gives me the opportunity to have a voice – real input – in how our checkoff monies are invested,” explains CBB member Amelia Kent, Louisiana cow-calf producer.

“Given consumer concern about the safety of our food supply, it is critical for farmers and ranchers to tell our stories and interact with the consumer audience. If we don’t, someone else will tell our stories for us, and those stories could be laced with misinformation or their own agendas. It’s simply damaging to our industry and our product for us not to step up.”

“Serving on the Board provides a better understanding of how our checkoff monies are invested, insight to the results of those promotional efforts and the opportunity to shape further investments with the ambition of increasing beef demand,” said Kent.

New members joining the CBB will begin their three-year term in February 2019. View new and reappointed members here.

rancher carrying a hay bale

Frequently Asked Questions

CENTENNIAL, CO – Cattle producers Chuck Coffey, Jared Brackett and Hugh Sanburg are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board or better known as the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff program throughout 2019.

Coffey, Brackett and Sanburg were elected unanimously by their fellow Beef Board members during the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans on Friday, February 1, 2019. Coffey will now serve as the CBB’s chairman, while Brackett will transition from his role as the 2018 secretary/treasurer to vice chair. Sanburg is the newest member of the officer team – taking on Brackett’s former responsibilities as secretary/treasurer.

The CBB’s new chair, Chuck Coffey, is a fifth-generation rancher who grew up on a ranch in the hill country of Harper, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in range science from Texas A & M. After completing his master’s degree in 1985, Coffey taught agriculture at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, eventually chairing the department until 1993 when he joined the Noble Foundation as a pasture and range consultant. Today, Coffey and his wife operate a cow-calf operation with approximately 1,000 head of cattle near Springer, Oklahoma.

“I’ve been active in the cattle business most of my life,” Coffey said. “As I look forward to the year ahead, I truly believe that cattle producers have numerous reasons to be optimistic. As the CBB’s new chair, I plan to work closely with our officer team and do everything I can to successfully guide the checkoff as it continues to pursue its primary mission: increasing beef demand worldwide.”

Vice chair Jared Brackett is a fifth-generation cow-calf producer from Filer, Idaho. Brackett is a Texas A & M alum and die-hard Aggie fan with a degree in agriculture economics. A past president of the Idaho Cattlemen’s Association, Brackett continues to serve on a number of other livestock committees and boards in addition to his responsibilities with the Beef Checkoff program.

The CBB’s new secretary/treasurer, Hugh Sanburg, hails from Eckert, Colorado, where he is a managing partner with his brother, of their primarily Horned Hereford cow-calf operation, accompanied by a Registered Hereford operation to compliment the commercial herd. Sanburg graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in mining engineering in 1983 before moving back to the home ranch in western Colorado. For the past 30 years, Sanburg has been an active member of the Colorado Farm Bureau serving on various boards. He is also a member of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and serves as chairman of the Gunnison Basin Roundtable.

“We have a tremendously talented and dedicated group of individuals leading the CBB throughout 2019,” said Joan Ruskamp, past chairman of the board. “Chuck, Jared and Hugh personally understand the challenges that producers and other beef industry investors have today, but they also clearly see the many opportunities that lie ahead. I’m certain that they’ll work very hard to help the Beef Checkoff achieve new levels of success this year.”

 

cow in a pasture

Frequently Asked Questions

In fiscal year 2018, the Beef Checkoff program invested checkoff funds of $7.36 million in foreign marketing and education because exports represent a significant growth opportunity for U.S. beef producers. By selling U.S. beef in more than 80 countries worldwide, the beef industry adds back an average value of $318.66 per head for fed slaughter to U.S. beef producers, according to data released by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USDA research also showed, from January through August 2018, beef export value climbed 18 percent from a year ago to $5.51 billion.

China provides an interesting example of how beef exports benefit the U.S. beef industry. China was one of only a few international markets that never reopened to U.S. beef following the 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case — but that changed in June 2017, as the U.S. and China announced a long-awaited market reopening.

U.S. beef exports to South Korea also received a major boost in fiscal year 2017 when Costco officially converted the imported chilled beef selection at all 15 of its Korean locations from Australian product to 100 percent U.S. beef. The move followed multi-year, checkoff-funded efforts to both restore consumer confidence in U.S. beef and persuade Costco executives that U.S. beef sales would match or exceed those of Australian beef. Costco’s move represents about 33.1 million pounds of incremental new beef business in 2017 alone, with additional growth opportunities.

“The value of exports exceeds the value of imports for a similar volume of product because exports command a higher per-pound price,” said Laurie Bryant, Cattlemen’s Beef Board member. “In other words, importing beef creates a net increase for the U.S. beef industry by allowing us to export more high-value beef.”

The export/import landscape is a nuanced balancing act. Importing beef creates a net increase for the U.S. beef industry by allowing us to export more high-value beef.

Frequently Asked Questions

As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power.” It is difficult to advocate for any organization unless you truly understand it. We recently sat down with Chuck Kiker, a cow/calf producer from Beaumont, Texas, to learn more about his first encounter with the Beef Checkoff and his journey from knowing little about the program to understanding and fully supporting it.

Q: What was your first experience with the checkoff?

Chuck: From an early age, I was involved with the Independent Cattlemen’s Association, and I clearly remember back in the ‘80s when the checkoff referendum vote took place. At that time, support for the program in Texas was high, and when the county extension agent asked for my assistance in spreading support for the checkoff, I willingly helped.

Q: Can you identify a turning point when you felt you understood the checkoff?

Chuck: I’ve always supported the checkoff, but it’s bigger than all of us. I was on the Beef Board two to three years before I had a really good knowledge of the program and how it works. It was hard to understand the depth and breadth of what the checkoff did beyond Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. I served my first term on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) in 2004, and my second term began in 2011.

At the start of my CBB career, the press was viewing beef negatively because of health claims about fat and cholesterol. Within a short time, the checkoff and the producers who led it helped change that perception. I’m most proud of our reputation management, beef exports and beef influencer efforts. I tell fellow producers our checkoff does so many things we don’t ever see, but without it, we wouldn’t be experiencing the beef demand we have today.

Q: How do you advocate for the future of the checkoff?

Chuck: There aren’t enough people who know a lot about the checkoff. I urge producers to be involved and devote some time to learn how the checkoff drives our industry. I want my children and all children to have the opportunity to be ranchers if that’s what they want to do.

Want to get involved? Your Qualified State Beef Council is the best place to start – attend meetings or even become a member of the board. Go to beefboard.org/QSBC for more info.

purple sky

Frequently Asked Questions

When asked about checkoff activities, two out of three producers said “informing producers about the results of beef checkoff programs” was essential. The Cattlemen’s Beef Board invests a small percentage (about 3.5 percent) of its total budget to keep all producers informed about what their money is accomplishing. This year, funding will be spent on an initiative called The Drive.

If you are on this website, you are already experiencing The Drive. It is a movement to build a strong, trusting partnership with producers through listening, transparency and clear, direct communication.

That is why The Drive will make every effort to better understand what producers want to know about the Beef Checkoff program. Through conversations with producers like yourself, we will gauge your checkoff awareness and perceptions, as well as gain valuable insights about your educational interests and needs.

That’s right – it is all about YOU. We will conduct roundtable discussions with key opinion leaders and have one-on-one conversations with beef producers (YOU!). Then, we will share those topics of interest with your fellow beef producers across the country.

We all know that our industry continues to face challenges from various action groups. The Drive will help address misconceptions and challenges by establishing an industry voice to educate producers, the media and other influencers about the facts.

The bottom line? Let’s start having an open and honest conversation that will benefit the entire beef industry.

To be a part of our conversation, please email beefboard@beefboard.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Consumer purchasing decisions directly impact the way producers raise beef. The Beef Checkoff invests dollars toward meat profiling and product development, which helps drive demand at the meat counter and increases the overall value of beef.

Chuck Kiker, beef producer from Texas, is proud of the work the checkoff has done to deliver lean cuts the consumer wants.

“Meat profiling and developing new products is one of the best things the checkoff has done to make the value of that carcass go up,” says Kiker.

“We had so many cuts of meat that weren’t high-dollar cuts that would end up in grind, and it was very important to add value to those cuts. That is one of the things the checkoff has been able to do.”

By investing in muscle profiling research, the Beef Checkoff has been able to identify lean, tender muscles that consumers find desirable. The flat iron steak and petite tender are two examples of beef products that became available as a direct result of checkoff investments.

“It gave [the food service industry] an alternative to a high-priced steak dinner,” says Kiker. “They could go with a petite cut tender or a flat iron steak and have beef on the menu. That was huge for the beef industry and put a lot of money back into the value of that carcass.”

The Beef Checkoff has made investments to ensure beef remains a top protein choice amongst consumers. Through research and promotion, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to purchasing beef cuts.

 

truck driving in pasture

Frequently Asked Questions

Press Release Via NCBA

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, has announced the winners of its prestigious 2018 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards at the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

The National BQA Award recognizes outstanding beef, marketer and dairy producers that demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of their day-to-day operations. A common trait among all contest entrants must be a strong desire to continually improve BQA on their operations while encouraging others to implement the comprehensive cattle management program. The awards focus on five categories, including Cow-Calf, Dairy, Feedyard, Marketer and Educator of the Year.

2018 BQA Cow-Calf Award

Bently Ranch, located in Minden, Nevada, is the recipient of the 2018 Cow-Calf BQA Award. The ranch has a focus of doing the right thing in all aspects of beef production. Bently Ranch takes on a relaxed and low-stress attitude with a commitment to proper animal care and handling. With a recent focus on selling direct to the consumer, the ranch has noticed a big difference in the quality of their cattle thanks to implementing BQA practices.

 

2018 BQA Dairy Award

Kraft Family Dairies, located in Fort Morgan, Colorado, is the winner of the 2018 BQA Dairy Award. Simply put: they care for their cows. By combining their passion with a focus on preventative health management, the farm showcases their commitment to BQA guidelines in every step of their dairy operation. What makes Kraft unique is its two-farm operation. One site houses healthy cattle. The other takes in animals that may need a little TLC. By using this two-site system, Kraft Family Dairies has drastically cut down on the number of cattle in the hospital.

 

2018 BQA Feedyard Award

The winner of the 2018 BQA Feedyard Award is BLAC-X Farms in Rock County, Minnesota. Between the two minds of the Bakken brothers, Jay and Peter, they share an extensive knowledge of the feedlot, cow-calf herd and crop operations. With a focus on education, they participate in several research projects and share their ideas on the best BQA practices with hundreds of others during tours of their operation.

 

2018 BQA Marketer Award

Central Livestock in South St. Paul, Minnesota, has been named the 2018 BQA Marketer Award winner. Their marketing practices encourage producers to focus on BQA vaccination standards by incentivizing vaccinations in the sale ring. Cattle that are up-to-date on vaccinations sell for higher prices. They also have step-by-step guides for producers to follow that highlight animal safety, ultimately yielding the best cattle.

 

 

2018 BQA Educator of the Year

Dr. Ron Gill is the winner of the 2018 BQA Educator of the Year award. In addition to his responsibilities as professor at Texas A&M University, Dr. Gill takes his lessons outside the classroom and into the field for collaborative, hands-on demonstrations through NCBA’s Stockmanship and Stewardship program. Not only an avid proponent of BQA practices, he’s also helped develop some of the BQA guidelines that many producers follow today.

 

Award winners are selected by a committee comprised of BQA certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups, who assess nominations based on their demonstrated commitment to BQA practices, their service as leaders in the beef industry and their dedication to promoting the BQA message to grow consumer confidence.

Four National BQA Awards (Cow-Calf, Feedyard, Dairy and Marketer) are funded in part by the Beef Checkoff program with additional financial support provided by Cargill. The BQA Educator Award is funded in part by the Beef Checkoff program with additional financial support provided by Boehringer Ingelheim.

You can read more on each of the award winners’ operations at https://www.bqa.org/about/bqa-awards.

Media can contact Kellie Wostrel, APR, (402) 818-1114, kelliew@swansonrussell.com for a media kit including pre-written stories, videos and photos.