In addition to the Beef Checkoff executing numerous efforts and initiatives to reach consumers and drive demand for beef, there are multiple programs and resources exclusively for beef producers. This producer-led program strives to educate and engage the beef industry by providing tools, resources and other information that helps producers feel confident about the Beef Checkoff’s work and how it’s managed.
The Beef Checkoff invests in programs to help beef producers grow and strengthen their operations.
The Beef Checkoff utilizes research programs to help build demand for beef and provide producers with cutting-edge exploration and data-driven results on everything from product quality, beef safety, human nutrition, beef sustainability and market research. See Beef Checkoff research programs at: BeefResearch.org
Beef industry leaders come together every five years to develop the Beef Industry Long Range Plan (LRP). The LRP Task Force establishes this industry-wide roadmap to provide strategic direction and ensure the U.S. beef industry’s long-term prosperity. The LRP is an industry-wide strategic planning process and is a separate entity from the Beef Checkoff. However, the LRP is instrumental in helping guide Beef Checkoff structure and funding decisions. Every strategy, objective and tactic contractors execute on behalf of the Beef Checkoff ties back to the LRP in one form or another. See the 2021 – 2025 industry objectives and initiatives at: BeefLongRangePlan.com
The Beef Checkoff shares everything from fiscal budgets, financial information, annual reports and more to ensure the efficient and effective use of Beef Checkoff dollars. See all the resources at: DrivingDemandForBeef.com/Resources
The Beef Checkoff also informs producers on what their dollar investment is doing to drive demand for beef. The Drive publishing platform is multi-faceted, giving producers multiple options to learn about Beef Checkoff-funded projects. Whether producers like to read or watch – a complimentary version of The Drive is available in multiple forms.
Monthly e-Newsletter and quarterly print newsletter
The Drive in Five Video Series: Sign up for text updates by texting DRIVE to 1-888-351-6435. Watch the newest episode.
In the Chinese Zodiac, 2021 is known as the Year of the Ox. The Year of the Ox occurs every 12 years and is a year of ambition, relationships, and luck. According to the zodiac, it’s a year that with some hard work, should end well.
In a producer’s world, every day is defined by the Ox (cattle), with ambition, relationships, and even some luck playing an important role. While the Year of the Ox is considered good, producers don’t want to rely on astrology for success. They want, and need, consistency and something that will work reliably for them. So, as part of the 1985 Farm Bill (ironically, another Year of the Ox), they developed and passed the Beef Checkoff program.
Producers wanted a better way to promote their product, and the producers who constructed the Beef Checkoff did what they did with intent. They didn’t design the program to be untouchable or inaccessible to the folks paying into it. They wanted producers (and beef importers) to touch it daily…to operate it, control it, scrutinize it. It was built to serve all producers equally, regardless of operation size or type. Cow-calf, feeder, dairy, veal, and others all benefit from the Checkoff’s tireless work to grow demand and protect beef’s livelihood and viability in an increasingly competitive protein arena.
The program’s creators carefully crafted it to increase demand for beef through promotion, research, and education…nothing more. Could they have made it a fierce policy dragon? Perhaps. But policy rarely satisfies everyone, so they kept the Beef Checkoff wisely siloed and left the policy battles for lobbyists and membership organizations to fight.
Some view the Checkoff’s “promotion, research, and education” role as simplistic or ineffective, but the founders knew that when wielded properly, these are powerful tools. Anyone recall the Checkoff’s crisis management efforts during the BSE outbreak…or the Checkoff-funded muscle profiling research to increase overall carcass value? And there’s a reason beef exports topped a billion dollars in August for the first time in history. Would that have happened without the Checkoff promoting U.S.-produced beef in 80 countries worldwide?
It might be easy to sit back and criticize the Beef Checkoff for what it does or doesn’t do, but it was built to keep serving its producers and importers through projects and initiatives of their choosing. It will continue to do this with promotion, research, and education…and maybe even some ambition, relationships, and luck for good measure.
Farmers, ranchers and veterinarians across the U.S. are finding their animal health practices under increasing pressure from consumers as they strive to produce the food consumers enjoy. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm and ranch families constitute less than two percent of the U.S. population, and most consumers are at least three generations removed from any farm-based ancestors. With America’s increasing disconnect and generational shift away from agriculture, many consumers are confused or unsure about the impact of antibiotic practices in the cattle industry.
To help bridge the gap, the Beef Checkoff facilitates educational and collaborative opportunities for beef producers and industry leaders to discuss antimicrobial stewardship and resistance. A recent example of such an opportunity was the 11th Annual Antibiotic Symposium held in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 2-4. More than 100 participants, including human and animal health professionals, beef producers and industry leaders, engaged in a collective dialogue about continuous improvement for antimicrobial stewardship. This event was hosted by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff.
This year’s symposium theme was One Health, One Voice: Leveraging Future Opportunities to Enhance Collaboration. Participants received updates on the latest antimicrobial stewardship research, resistance and alternatives within human, animal and environmental health. Get the full schedule of events.
To kick off the event, Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, delivered his keynote speech on what it takes to operationalize collaboration. McKinney is heavily involved within the industry, holding positions as governmental affairs lead in the agribusiness sector, director of agriculture in Indiana and most recently Undersecretary of Agriculture at USDA. With all this experience, McKinney knows the value of collaboration and how to integrate it into a successful plan.
Symposium participants worked together during interactive breakout sessions to enhance current classroom curriculum (high school through university), communication strategy and plans, how to put knowledge into action, and ongoing and upcoming research in this space.
One of the event’s main objectives was to continue enhancing collaboration between animal, environmental and human health professionals. To strengthen those relationships, representatives from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of State participated in a panel discussion on the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System.
All activities and conversations during the symposium are meant to grow and encourage a positive change in responsible antibiotic use – not only for the agricultural industry but also for human and environmental spaces.
This event is unique because it engages audiences across multiple industries and focuses. Key audience members include:
By bringing these diverse audiences together, the symposium helps members of the animal agriculture industry build valuable relationships with influential stakeholders who can advocate for responsible antibiotic use on the farm and in the veterinary clinic.
“As the old saying goes, ‘If you’re not at the table, you’re on the table,'” said J.J. Jones, executive director for NIAA. “Ensuring that beef farmers’ and ranchers’ voices, expertise and insights are shared during the Symposium is key to preserving their ability to use antibiotics responsibly. In turn, this also ensures animal welfare, food safety and a sustainable beef supply.”
Producers were right at the forefront at this event, actively participating in conversations.
“If beef farmers and ranchers didn’t participate at the symposium, their voices could not always be heard, and they may not like what has been decided on their behalf,” Jones said. “Telling your story – your side of the story – is not a new idea. But it has become more widely adopted in the agriculture community in the last few years.”
To further encourage beef producers to continue the antibiotic conversation, NIAA developed a Checkoff-funded Producer Toolkit with the resources they need to proactively engage with audiences on antibiotic practices and usage. The content is intended to generate ideas and assist producers in finding their voice to tell their food and agriculture stories.
To download the toolkit and get more antibiotic informational tools, visit: https://www.animalagriculture.org/resources/beef-producer-abx-toolkit/
