My Beef Checkoff: August beef edition

Have You Herd…

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… USFRA is searching for the national “Faces of Farming and Ranching” – enter now at fooddialogues.com.

… Checkoff research shows consumers are rating beef higher in terms of safety.

2011 National Beef Quality Audit Results Released

While the beef industry continues to make progress in the area of beef quality, there is still room for improvement. That’s the overarching conclusion of the 2011 checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) released during the recent 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference.

The 2011 NBQA results show that the industry has made significant improvements in producing safe and wholesome beef that is consistently higher in quality, as proven by several measurable standards. Still, the three-phase checkoff-funded research, which took nearly a full year to complete and examined all facets of beef production, found there were several aspects – many associated with channel communication and consumer trust – on which the industry should strive to continue improving.

Click here for a downloadable version of the 2011 NBQA Executive Summary.

Busting Beef Myths by Blog

As part of the checkoff’s online promotion of “Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet” (BOLD) study results to consumers, five bloggers accepted the checkoff’s challenge to incorporate lean beef into their diet every day for a week and write about the results. One of them – Heather from “Then Heather Said’ – took the challenge one step further by posting three times and busting three common consumer myths about eating beef: nutrition and weight management, cost and preparation intimidation. Her honesty and ability to connect with her readers succeeded in providing beef information to consumers throughout her posts, including links to multiple checkoff resources.

August Producer Profile:  Meet the Millers

Sheila and Mike Miller, Tulpehocken Township, Berks County Pennsylvania, operate beef and crop farms located near the village of Host, just west of a historic Indian trail which is Route 419 today. The history of the region and its productive soils are important to the Miller family. Their farm name, Deitschland Farm, honors their Pennsylvania “Deitsch” ancestors who settled in eastern Pennsylvania two centuries ago and started farming.

“Mike and I bought our first registered Hereford cattle in 1979 and have been growing our herd ever since,” said Sheila. “We currently calve out around 50 cows every year, mostly in the spring.” The Millers purchased their first cattle before they bought their first farm. In 1980, Mike and Sheila bought the original 63-acre farm, and added a 90-acre farm they had been renting in 1997.

1. Schwieterman: Feeders get a boost overnight with lower corn trade
2. Corn planting pace turns from record slow to record fast
3. Showers to slow U.S. corn seedings from blistering pace
4. White House urges Senate to cut crop insurance in farm bill
5. Weather report: Thunderstorms dot the southern Plains
6. Corn market reacted poorly to the Crop Progress data

1. Michigan hay buyers should plan purchases early
2. U.S. cattle placements rise in April as feed costs subside
3. New animal identification rules aid disease traceability
4. Corn planting pace turns from record slow to record fast
5. Ag markets were mixed to start the new week
6. Corn and soybean prices continue to retrace 2012 drought rally

1. Tyson selects panel to monitor animal welfare program
2. BeefTalk: How do we get the next generation to raise beef?
3. 2014 Farm Bill: Are we near an agreement?
4. Farm bill and immigration reform action needed
5. Boxed beef hits record highs, cattle weak to lower