Feed Lot Magazine Online, Editor's Desk

Volume VIII Number 6

November/December 2000

Editor's Desk

Boneless Beef Filet

The wrangle over the checkoff has probably seen its greatest benefit in shaking up the people and the programs involved. The recent surveys show an increase in those who favor the checkoff, than those who did when the issue surfaced.

An independent survey of beef producers in July found them more supportive of the checkoff. Survey results showed 69 percent of producers strongly/somewhat strongly supported the checkoff, compared to 65 percent in January. Producers who said they strongly/ or somewhat strongly disapproved of the checkoff declined from 22 percent in January to 20 percent in July.

Cheeseburger Fries

The research, soon after the issue surfaced, had a large group who said they were uninformed about the checkoff.

A great deal of information has been made available to those who fund the checkoff. This information lets them see what is going on with the consumers. This costs checkoff dollars, but is necessary for communications within the industry.

Research indicates the public is becoming more informed about beef and its benefits because of the checkoff programs. There has never been anything in the past like the marketing activity going on with beef at this time.

Home Style Roast

And it's working. For the first time in years, demand for beef topped demand for poultry, according to Scott Brown, a livestock analyst with the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. Current projections show domestic beef demand to exceed four percent this year, while chicken demand is expected to increase only two percent, down from its historic pace of four percent.

Unfortunately, some people have the perception that beef is a high-fat, high cholesterol food. However, a study on the nutritional value of beef found that a diet including six ounces of lean red meat five or more times a week may actually help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Checkoff-funded advertising on television and in national magazines are telling women ages 25-54 about beef's "nutrient bundle" and why beef is an important part of a healthy diet.

Rotisserie Beef

Checkoff dollars are going farther to build beef demand. NCBA has launched the R&D Ranch as the creative and technical "warehouse" for the industry's new product expertise. The R&D Ranch is designed to fuel the development and introduction of new beef and veal products from currently undervalued cuts such as the beef chuck and round. The NCBA's R&D Ranch is working with national brands to enhance current beef items and add new beef options for consumers. The are also developing new product concepts for beef that can be marketed by processors and manufacturers. Their new product concepts focus on convenience, great beef taste, and growth opportunities for beef and its partners.

Some of their new products include: the boneless beef filet, home style roast, rotisserie beef, pre-cooked ground beef crumbles, and cheeseburger fries.

This is very positive, but it's not the time to stop promoting beef. We need an all-aggressive program to continue to promote beef to the U.S. market and to the world.

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