Beef Promotion Key to Cattle Organizations
Presidents of three cattle organizations highlight their promotion and policy efforts.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 4, 2015) — Beef industry organizations are continuously working to spread the good news about beef to consumers and legislators, industry leaders explained to kick off the opening general session of the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 4-7.
Kim Brackett, chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, challenged attendees to correct the misinformation about beef through simple means.
“Identify the opportunity in your average day to visit with consumers about beef,” she recommended.
Research funded by the beef checkoff has shown that millennials, a major consumer group, believe that the beef industry isn’t transparent enough. They are most likely to purchase beef if they believe that ranchers truly care for their animals. While cattlemen know that being good stewards of the land and caring for animals are top priorities, consumers need to realize this, too.
To achieve this, Brackett urged cattlemen to write down the things they do on the ranch to develop a three-minute “elevator speech.” The bottom line is that the beef industry must be as loud as those who speak against it. She cited Leonardo da Vinci and said knowing is not enough, we must apply.
Patti Buck, president of the American National CattleWomen Inc. (ANCW), illustrated the work the CattleWomen do to promote the beef industry. The organization works to share beef information in urban areas, including metropolitan cooking shows, in grocery stores and through social media. Buck added that she has been, “tweeting while I’m eating,” to contribute to ANCW social media efforts that have made 80.5 million impressions.
ANCW members show the “softer side of beef,” and use their influence as mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers to listen to consumers and address their concerns. Through the efforts, Buck said the needle is moving in the right direction in beef sales.
Bob McCan, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), reiterated that it is a great time to be in the beef industry, but there is still work to be done. International market demand has been strong, and the country-of-origin-labeling law (COOL) may affect trade relationship with our biggest trade partners, Canada and Mexico. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has received the final appeal with the amended COOL, and if the final decision in the spring of 2015 rules that it violates U.S. agreements with Canada and Mexico, then retaliatory tariffs will go into effect.
In terms of policy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally released the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) definitions, making it “the largest federal land grab in history,” McCan said. NCBA is still engaged in the issue and is prepared to fight the issue at all necessary levels.
He said he was pleased Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack decided to forgo a duplicative beef checkoff under the 1996 Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act. McCan added that producers expressed their support of the current producer-funded beef checkoff created under the 1985 Beef Promotion Act.
He said the policy successes were possible through the NCBA Political Action Committee (PAC). The NCBA supported 170 candidates in the most recent election, and 93% of those supported candidates won. He urged cattlemen to contribute to the PAC fund.
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