New Beef Checkoff Programs Tabled

August 15, 2001

Checkoff programs designed to increase consumer demand for beef were analyzed and new ones put on the table last week as leading beef industry organizations gathered in Denver for the 2001 Cattle Industry Summer Conference. Recommendations of the industry's joint committees were approved to help continue the trend of beef demand which has increased in 10 of the last 12 quarters.

Research shows that despite publicity about BSE and foot-and-mouth disease, as well as a slowing economy, beef demand increased by more than 5% in the second quarter of 2001, compared to the same quarter in 2000. The industry has set a goal of increasing demand another 6% by 2004.

Joint industry committees, with checkoff members representing the Cattlemen's Beef Board, Federation of State Beef Councils and the American National CattleWomen, met to review current programs and recommend efforts for fiscal year 2002, which begins Oct. 1.

These committees presented their recommendations to appropriate Consumer Marketing, Communications and Research and Technical Services Groups who presented highlights to the full boards.

Consumer marketing: Van Amundson, a beef producer from Jamestown, ND, and vice chairman of the Joint Consumer Marketing Group, reported on the actions of the six joint consumer marketing committees. He outlined the advertising committee's recommendation to continue the current television advertising for nutrition and convenience while beginning to plan for 2003.

Amundson also said 2002 efforts in new product development would include supporting manufacturers with new beef product rollouts and further developing the "Value Cuts Program;" that the veal committee would focus on new product development, foodservice marketing, consumer public relations and retail marketing; and that the U.S. Meat Export Federation would continue to support developed markets and enhance emerging markets for U.S. beef at the international level.

Research and technical services: Paul Genho, chairman of the Research & Technical Services Group, told the boards that beef safety would remain a key priority for checkoff-funded research efforts. A beef producer from Kingsville, TX, Genho said research would help identify gaps in BSE knowledge to help understand, detect and prevent the disease in the United States and help support the basic science on pathogen virulence, intervention strategies and detection methods.

Communications: Bob Schmidt, a beef producer from Greenback, TN, and chairman of the communications group, reported that the information committee recommended that producer communications continue to be held as a high industry priority. Schmidt said the industry also will continue to provide accurate nutrition information to consumers through other channels, including retail outlets.

All individual checkoff programs for 2002 still must be approved for funding by the 20-member Beef Promotion Operating Committee. This group is made up of representatives from the Cattlemen's Beef Board and Federation of State Beef Councils. USDA also must approve the budget for checkoff programs and each program authorization before any funds can be spent.