The Beef Checkoff’s largest and most notable success has come on the promotional front. “Beef: It’s What’s For Dinner” possesses widespread recognition among consumers of all types. Meanwhile, behind the scenes there’ve been a number of other successful programs which have helped to advance beef’s competitiveness. For example, a number of states have implemented Beef Training Camps: comprehensive educational programs focused around beef and the beef industry – the program targets retail meat managers so they can better address customer questions and increasingly position product offerings advantageously. Additionally, development of the Easy Fresh Cooking® program provides customers with recipe ideas and handling suggestions at the point of sale while also assisting retailers with meat case management. And the Checkoff has also provided for some innovative programs at both the state and local level. Lastly, and most important to the industry’s bottom-line, the cumulative effects of research and promotion, funded by the Checkoff, have helped to boost value of the chuck and round.
On the flipside of that perspective, after twenty years of existence there remains some work to do within the industry. Namely, there still exists a high degree of misunderstanding about the Checkoff among beef producers. Most notable among these, many producers have trouble distinguishing between the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). There’s an enduring and pervasive perception that NCBA controls Beef Checkoff funds – much of which derives from the fact that NCBA serves as CBB’s primary contractor. And that misperception underscores a critical and fundamental shortfall within the program. To that end, one of the most important Checkoff programs funded in recent years is establishment of the Beefmobile (www.beefmobile.com): established and coordinated by the National Livestock Producers Association it addresses the need for improved producer communication. Beefmobile Wranglers visit livestock markets and various industry and consumer events across the country for the purpose of increasing producer knowledge about the Beef Checkoff.
Monte Reese recently announced his retirement after serving for 17 years as CBB’s chief operating officer. His leadership and dedication was critical to the program’s success during the past twenty years and readily apparent in a recent interview with Walt Barnhart in CALF News:
“We must never forget that we have a responsibility to every producer who pays into this program whether they want to or not. My hope is that the staff and leaders will continue to operate it like Congress intended, the way USDA will allow, and above all the way producers want it operated.”
Nevil C. Speer, PhD, MBA
Professor, Animal Science, Department of Agriculture
Program Director, MA Administrative Dynamics, Graduate Studies
Western Kentucky University