August 6, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Consumers Demand Beef in the Meat Case | Checkoff Chat

Beef in the Meat Case Consumer Demand

Beef retains a 49% share of retail dollar sales in grocery meat cases.

Q: Do consumers still want beef?

A: Yes they do. Consumer demand for beef is strong. In fact, even with higher beef prices, demand for beef increased nearly 7 percent in 2014, and beef brought more sales for foodservice and retail operators than any other protein.

When it comes to price, consumer say beef is worth it. According the Beef Checkoff’s Consumer Beef Index, 70 percent say steaks are worth the price, and 83 percent feel this way regarding ground beef.

The signal is clear: Consumers want beef. Nothing delivers a satisfying meal quite like beef, and consumers remain willing to spend more for the beef they want, even more so than for other proteins. Read more from Beef Issues Quarterly.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

July 9, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Learn about beef on mobile videos | Checkoff Chat

Check out the Beef. It's What's For Dinner YouTube page for educational videos about beef!

Check out the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner YouTube page for educational videos about beef!

Q: Kids today are always watching stuff on their phones. Where is beef promotion in all this?

A: Throughout the year, consumers look to “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” videos for great beef meal ideas and recipe inspiration. In fact, beef checkoff-funded videos reached over 5 million consumers in 2014 alone. This worked to convey the message that lean beef is nutritious, delicious and easy to prepare for any occasion, any day of the week. The videos instructed consumers to create mouth-watering savory dishes for their family, like beef stir fry, lean beef hamburgers, steak salad and more.

Plus, with over 840,000 fans on the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Facebook page as well as other social media properties, those kids are getting exposed to beef everywhere! Check out the videos for yourself on YouTube!

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

June 29, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Registered Dietitians Sharing Beef Online | Checkoff Chat

Q: Health always seems to have been a battle for beef. What is the checkoff doing with health professionals to fight back?

A: There are a number of health professionals engaged throughout the country. Right here in Montana, there is a Registered Dietitian on staff with the Montana Beef Council and she works to educate locally, while many other states also employ something similar. Nationally, there are many levels of health professional engagement through influencer immersion events, blogger outreach, conferences and more.

This engagement has led to many nutrition professionals sharing their love for beef. And with the strong nutrition content shared on their social platforms, the beef checkoff has been able to highlight many of these to help spread beef’s nutrition message to a broader audience through social channels, like @BeefRD on Twitter. Check out the dedicated beef nutrition website: BeefNutrition.org.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

June 11, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Spending by Checkoff Contractors | Checkoff Chat

Checkoff contractors are not allowed to profit from grant dollars

Checkoff contractors are not allowed to profit from grant dollars

Q: How can I be sure that checkoff dollars aren’t being misspent by national contractors?

A: Checkoff contractors are reimbursed only for the work they actually do for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and are not allowed to make a profit from a Checkoff contract. In fact, staff that work for the contracting organizations must track their time spent down to the quarter hour. By law, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board contract with established national, non-profit, industry-governed organizations to implement programs of promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

May 21, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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How are Checkoff Dollars Collected? | Checkoff Chat

The buyer generally is responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for seeing that the dollar is collected and paid.

The buyer generally is responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for seeing that the dollar is collected and paid.

Q: Who polices the checkoff collection? Is the checkoff really being collected in other states, especially ones that don’t brand like we do in Montana and other Western states?

A: That is a tough one, because state beef councils and the Beef Board can’t police every transaction. To some degree, these collections depend on the integrity of our friends and neighbors. But state beef councils and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board have a variety of tools for following cattle sales, and any private sales discovered after-the-fact not to have paid the checkoff assessment are subject to penalties, fines and late fees. The buyer generally is responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for seeing that the dollar is collected and paid.

The Beef Checkoff Program increases profit opportunities for producers by keeping beef top-of-mind with consumers, restaurants, butchers and other food retailers. It also reaches out to educators, dietitians and medical personnel and influencers. In short, it is always working to ensure a wholesome, quality beef-eating experience consistently.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

May 8, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Checkoff and Policy Funding | Checkoff Chat

While the Checkoff may provide education and information about beef, it does not fund policy work

While the Checkoff may provide education and information about beef, it does not fund policy work

Q: Does the checkoff fund policy like COOL and the Dietary Guidelines?

A: The checkoff can only be a resource for information about beef and is prohibited from engaging in discussions about policy. Local, state and national policy membership organizations were formed for this reason and they carry out lobbying on behalf of their membership policies.

No checkoff dollars whatsoever have been used in any comments or actions related to COOL by any checkoff contractors or associated organizations on behalf of the checkoff. As the administrator of the Beef Checkoff, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board cannot take a position on policy matters and cannot lobby. These are matters producers should take up with their individual farming and ranching organizations.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

April 23, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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What is the Beef Checkoff and Who Pays? | Checkoff Chat

Establishing the Beef Checkoff DollarsQ: Who is required to pay into the Beef Checkoff?

A: By law, all producers selling cattle or calves, for any reason and regardless of age or sex, must pay $1 per head to support beef/veal promotion, research and information through the Beef Promotion and Research Act, which is the 1985 enabling legislation for the Beef Checkoff Program. The buyer generally is responsible for collecting $1 per head from the seller, but both are responsible for seeing that the dollar is collected and paid.

In addition, the checkoff is collected at the same rate on every live beef animal imported and at the equivalent rate of $1-per-head on all beef products that are imported. [The current equivalent weight on live cattle is 592 pounds, and the formula for figuring the equivalents on imported beef and beef products is in the Beef Promotion and Research Order. See details of the rule in the Federal Register that set the current rate].

Q: Is anyone exempt from paying the dollar?

A: Producers of 100 percent USDA-certified organic products are exempt from most commodity checkoffs, based on separate legislation, but they must meet strict requirements and re-apply for certification on an annual basis. No other producer is exempt from the beef checkoff, according to the Beef Act. Buyers who resell cattle no more than 10 days from the date of purchase may file a non-producer status form and avoid paying an additional dollar. They are, however, responsible for remitting collected funds and reporting any transactions to the qualified state beef council.

Q: What is the penalty if someone doesn’t pay the $1 per head assessment?

A: A late fee of 2 percent on the assessments owed is compounded monthly. USDA can assess a civil penalty of up to $7,500 per transaction [the sale of one animal], plus those late fees.

Q: Can we vote on the checkoff?

A: Yes. The federal legislation that created the beef checkoff states that the Secretary of Agriculture may call a referendum as to continuation of the program when 10 percent of producers request it. Cattlemen would pay the cost of the referendum out of checkoff dollars.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

April 10, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Short Cattle Supplies and Beef Demand | Checkoff Chat

beef consumer demand meat case

Retail beef demand increased 7 percent year over year in 2014.

Q: Cattle supplies are down and beef prices are up, so is demand going to bust?

A: Anyone who has listened to a CattleFax presentation in the previous 12 months will recognize the confluence of factors that were deemed to be the market’s “perfect storm.” Prices for beef, pork and poultry were elevated due to tight per capita supplies and stronger demand.

Intuition would say higher prices should lead to demand destruction, yet since all of the competing meats were facing limited supplies, customers were willing to pay more for what was available. Retail beef demand increased 7 percent year over year in 2014 with a record-high annual average all-fresh retail price of $5.60 per pound. Fed cattle prices averaged $154 per hundredweight in 2014, which was up $200 per head at this price level. While both supply and demand were very supportive to profits last year, there is still and important piece missing from the discussion. Read more from Beef Issues Quarterly.

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilRead more about the Beef Checkoff Programs in our Checkoff Chat Series with the Montana Beef Council. Click here to submit your own questions to be answered in future posts.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program (MyBeefCheckoff.com) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. It assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the $1 and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The Montana Beef Council was created in 1954 by cattlemen as a marketing organization for the Montana beef industry and is organized to protect and increase demand for beef and beef products through state, national and international beef promotion, research and education, thereby enhancing profit opportunities for Montana beef producers.

April 9, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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New Series Answers Beef Checkoff Questions | Checkoff Chat

Checkoff Chat Montana Beef CouncilAfter increased attention in news headlines over the past year, we have been receiving several questions about Beef Council programs and how your Checkoff dollars are being used to promote beef to consumers. MyBeefCheckoff.com offers many pages of information to answer these questions about national Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) programs. Locally, the Montana Beef Council (MBC) administers many programs at the state level for Montana consumers.

We recognize ranchers may not always see the full extent of these promotion efforts because most programs are directed at beef consumers and encouraging them to purchase more of our product. Montana Stockgrowers receives Checkoff grant funding for our Environmental Stewardship Award Program, which shares stories of ranches’ environmental stewardship, conservation and sustainability with consumers.

Announcing a new series – Checkoff Chat

To answer your questions, we’ve teamed up with the Montana Beef Council for a Q&A series, Checkoff Chat. Over the next several months, Checkoff Chat will address questions about how your Checkoff dollars are being used to promote beef to consumers as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Click here to see all posts in the series as they are posted, and be sure to share these posts with your friends, neighbors and followers.

Looking for a place to submit your questions about the Beef Checkoff programs? Use our Contact form to send us a message and we’ll pass it along to the Montana Beef Council to be answered in a future post!

The first post in the series is available tomorrow morning. Don’t miss a post in the series! Use the subscription form on the right-hand side of the page to receive emails each time we share a new post.

February 4, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Beef Checkoff Launches Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) 2.0

beef checkoff logoThe beef checkoff’s Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program has launched MBA 2.0, an opportunity for beef and dairy producers to step up and be true leaders – ‘Agvocates’, if you will – for the industry and all of agriculture. Building on the success of the original MBA courses, with nearly 6,000 graduates to date, the program hinges on the importance for consumers to hear directly from those growing and delivering their food to them.

“The new MBA 2.0 is the next exciting step towards expanding the advocacy horizons of all those involved in the beef community, from pasture to plate,” said Brandi Buzzard Frobose, MBA Director of Outreach. “Ranchers, industry stakeholders, chefs and retailers alike can benefit from the new lessons and I hope that MBA 2.0 inspires all beef community members to step out of their comfort zone and engage in real conversations with consumers.”

Each new course takes about an hour to complete and follows the beef lifecycle:

  • The Beef Community – all about the people involved in producing beef, from pasture to plate.
  • Raising Cattle on Grass – covering the cow/calf and stocker/backgrounder stages of production.
  • Life in the Feedyard – what goes into ensuring cattle receive proper care and a healthy diet in the finishing phase.
  • From Cattle to Beef – how cattle are humanely slaughtered and processed into beef products.
  • Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. – consumer information about how to properly store, handle and cook beef to ensure a safe and enjoyable eating experience.

“When I started to get asked questions from consumers and groups about how we farm and feed cattle, I was struggling to find answers that I could back up with hard facts, and it felt like I also needed to learn more about other sectors of the industry with which I had little experience,” says Joan Ruskamp, Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) member from Dodge, Neb.

“When I found out about the MBA program, I jumped at the chance to complete the courses. For me, it turned out to be a great teaching tool to help me become an informed advocate – not just for my own family’s benefit, but for the good of the entire industry.

“Since then, I have had the opportunity to talk about beef and the beef industry to everyone from neighbors and friends to large groups of activists. Remember, though, getting your MBA doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to start booking appearances as a traveling speaker,” says Ruskamp. “It also prepares you well for daily conversations that you have or hear, and it gives you the ability to share hard facts and figures that help increase confidence in our end product and our industry. While our personal stories are important in putting a face on our industry, the ability to build trust in farming and ranching – and beef – is greatly enhanced by facts versus opinions and emotions.”

Those individuals who completed the original MBA courses will remain enrolled in the program and can take the 2.0 classes to update their certificate. MBA grads then have the opportunity to join the private Facebook group where they can have interaction and dialogue about emerging industry issues.

Ruskamp and fellow Cattlemen’s Beef Board member Brenda Black of Missouri have challenged every CBB member to join them in completing MBA 2.0.

“I earned my MBA during the initial run of the program and am working on completion of the updated program with all of you who accept this challenge,” says Black. “From my experience, I can tell you that the courses are truly interesting, engaging and informative, which make the quizzes at the end of each section a breeze. And you come away with a clear and useful understanding of issues that are so important to consumers and, as a result, important for us to share with them.”

The MBA program is funded by the beef checkoff and there is no cost to participate. Sign up to start your MBA 2.0 coursework today!

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.