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Frequently Asked Questions

Jo Ann Smith of Wacahoota, Florida was presented with the Cattlemen’s Beef Board’s first-ever Beef Checkoff Visionary Award during the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention’s Opening General Session in Nashville, Tennessee. This honor recognizes an individual in the beef industry who has demonstrated exemplary support of and commitment to the Checkoff’s goals and vision.

“Jo Ann Smith has been a tireless advocate for the beef industry for decades,” said Hugh Sanburg, 2021 Chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). “When national trends and fad diets tarnished beef’s image in the late 1970s and early 1980s, demand fell sharply. That’s when Jo Ann and other beef industry stakeholders worked diligently to win approval for a national Beef Checkoff program. Without Jo Ann’s efforts, the beef industry might look very different today.”

More than 40 years ago, as cattle prices were plummeting, a group of cattlemen and ranchers came to Smith, asking how the beef industry could help itself and address flagging consumer demand. The question, “What could we accomplish with a national checkoff?” came up during those discussions.

“As a group, we tried to put together a program that would pass so we would have a checkoff,” Smith said. “That was our ultimate goal. We needed enough money to pull together as an industry and get beef’s message out because new consumers are out there every day – and it’s our responsibility to educate them about why they should choose beef.”

In 1986, Smith became the first chair of the newly formed Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Thanks to the strong foundation that Smith and others established during those early days, Beef Checkoff programs have diligently communicated beef’s great taste, value and nutrition to consumers here in the U.S. and around the world for 35 years.

“Jo Ann’s tenacity, hard work and leadership turned the dream of a Beef Checkoff into reality,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “She has truly been a trailblazer, and all of us in the beef industry are grateful for what she has accomplished – not just in her role with the CBB, but also with the many other local, state and national beef industry organizations she’s been involved with over the years. Truly, there’s no one more deserving of our first Checkoff Visionary Award.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions


I’ve heard some producers say that they don’t know how their Checkoff dollars are spent. In fact, I heard one say that once they pay their money, “POOF, it just disappears.” Really? Well, they must not have looked very far or very hard.

The one-stop shop for everything Beef Checkoff is the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) website, DrivingDemandforBeef.com. Everything a producer needs to know about where their Checkoff dollars are invested is right there. This includes program proposals with budget summaries, program updates, board and committee information, and more. Producers can get even more program information by subscribing to The Drive, a complimentary quarterly publication.

Of course, the best way to get informed is to participate. There’s no substitute for getting involved and attending local and national meetings. In fact, this is the busiest time of year for planning/funding activities and meetings, and these will be on full display at the annual Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, TN, August 10-12. In addition to celebrating the Beef Checkoff’s 35th Anniversary, this gathering will focus on the proposed programs being considered for Checkoff funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

Here’s how the process works:

During the past months, a diverse group of contractors has been developing a wide range of project funding requests known as Authorization Requests (ARs). These ARs are based on strategies outlined in the current Beef Industry Long Range Plan.

The AR’s first stop is the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), where a preliminary version of the proposal is reviewed and vetted. Next, the AR is forwarded to the appropriate Beef Checkoff Program Committee(s) for assessment at the Summer Business Meeting during the Cattle Industry Convention. There, the contractors present their proposals to the producer-led committee(s) and answers questions. Committee members score the AR and provide feedback, which the contractors use to revise and finalize their ARs before presenting to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) in September.

Responsible for approving and funding Checkoff work each year, the 20-member, all-volunteer BPOC is one of the most important groups in the beef industry. Its producer and importer representation is evenly divided between state and national members: 10 from the CBB and 10 from the Federation of State Beef Councils. This group will meet September 9-10 in Denver to hear detailed presentations from all potential contractors and make final funding decisions.

It’s important to note that all of these meetings are open to all Checkoff-paying producers and importers, and provide great insight into how the whole Beef Checkoff program works and what your Checkoff dollars will be doing! It’s also important to know that producer and importer volunteers from around the country are calling the shots every step of the way — and laying it all out there plainly and publicly for fellow producers to see. The Beef Checkoff program has been and continues to be fully accountable, fully transparent, and fully available for producers to check out any time they want. So, POOF, there it is!

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of famous quotes about history. A great one by Teddy Roosevelt says: The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.

Today, there’s plenty of misinformation zooming around about the Beef Checkoff. To combat this, it’s important to prepare yourself and know the “ins & outs” of your producer-led program. Equally important is why it is the way it is and what got us here to begin with.

One authority on the what, why and how of the Beef Checkoff is Wayne Watkinson, legal counsel for the CBB and U.S. Dairy Export Council. Watkinson was instrumental in creating the country’s Checkoff programs. He helped draft the legislation that created the Beef Checkoff and has deep knowledge about the program’s rocky road to adoption.

Check out Wayne Watkinson’s “History of the Beef Checkoff”, a new CBB audio-video presentation that just may fill in some blanks when it comes to your Checkoff knowledge. Class dismissed!

straight talk teaser image

Frequently Asked Questions

Every year, eligible Beef Checkoff contractors submit program funding requests, called authorization requests or ARs, to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC). But long before things get to that stage, they put on their thinking caps, brainstorm ways to drive demand for beef, and prepare their fledgling AR for the ride of its life. Oh, and here’s an interesting tidbit: if the contractor is already conducting a current-year AR, the proposal prep work and existing AR work happen at the same time! It’s a whole lot to juggle and shows contractors’ true dedication to producers and the industry!

Step 1: FROM AN IDEA TO AN AR

Based on the current state of the beef industry, contractors create promotion, research, or education proposals (ARs) to drive demand for beef.

Step 2: INPUT & SCORING

Contractors present draft ARs to the six Beef Checkoff producer committees, which, in turn, determine whether the ARs are aligned with strategies in the current Beef Industry Long Range Plan (LRP). The committees also offer feedback and “score” the ARs, giving contractors the chance to do some tweaking before their final submissions.

Step 3: REVIEW & APPROVAL

Comprised of producers with national and state perspectives—10 from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 from the Federation of State Beef Councils—the influential BPOC reviews each finalized AR to determine how it will impact demand. Then, it decides which ARs to approve, how much funding to grant, and submits a final budget to USDA.

Step 4: WORK & RESULTS

Ensuring each AR program is effective happens through evaluation reporting throughout the year. Results and feedback are communicated to producer committees to guarantee dollars are being spent efficiently and lawfully.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Cattlemen’s Beef Board and Oklahoma Beef Council have collaborated on a series of entertaining videos that explains how the Beef Checkoff works. Each of the five videos is designed to be a resource that will help cattle producers and other members of the beef community better understand the program and how their Checkoff dollars are used to drive demand for beef through promotion, education, and research efforts.

“We want cattlemen to have a sound understanding of their Beef Checkoff program, and we’ve created these videos to help reach that goal,” said Heather Buckmaster, Oklahoma Beef Council Executive Director “We hope all cattlemen will take a moment to watch these videos and then share them with others in the beef community.”

The short, animated videos explain the somewhat complex Checkoff system in a simple way. They present facts about how the Beef Checkoff works, what the program does, who decides what projects the Checkoff funds, and answer key questions producers often ask about their Beef Checkoff dollars.

“These videos are proof that Checkoff education can be fun and entertaining,” said Libby Stauder, Checkoff Communications & Education Manager at the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “Plus, we’re so excited to have broadcast legend Ron Hays as the voice of the project. It really was a great collaborative effort, and we look forward to rolling these out across the country so that producers and importers everywhere can better understand their Beef Checkoff program.”

Watch the Videos

What Does the Beef Checkoff Do?

Key Questions About the Beef Checkoff

How Does the Beef Checkoff Work?

Who Does the Beef Checkoff Support?

Who Decides What the Beef Checkoff is Going to

Frequently Asked Questions


Cattle producers are not people who sit around and wait for things to happen. They want action and are the first to roll up their sleeves and get down to business. In fact, that’s just what they did decades ago as they searched for a better way to promote their product. Their hard work and tenacity resulted in the Beef Checkoff.

While the Beef Checkoff was created under the Beef Promotion & Research Act, part of the 1985 Farm Bill, it didn’t take effect until 1986, when the Beef Promotion & Research Order was issued, and collection of the Checkoff dollar began. This year marks the Checkoff’s 35th anniversary.

Since 1986, the producer-led program has rolled up a lot of sleeves to shape the industry through Checkoff-funded promotion, research, and education initiatives. In a mere three and a half decades, it has covered a lot of ground to help keep beef the protein of choice among consumers, creating a breadth and depth of work worth noting, including these highlights:

  • 1987: Launch of the award-winning “Beef: Real Food for Real People” ad campaign
  • 1990: R&D introduces low-fat ground beef, which McDonald’s uses in the new McLean Deluxe hamburger
  • Early ‘90s: Checkoff-funded BQA program begins at the state level
  • 1992: Launch of the award-winning “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” ad campaign
  • 1994: Following a beef-linked E. coli outbreak, research with packing plants and food safety experts helps develop new spray washes to reduce pathogens and prevent future contamination
  • 1994: The first sale of U.S.-produced beef is made to China
  • 1997: A microbial-mapping study identifies Critical Entry Points for pathogens at packing plants; high-temperature vacuuming removing contaminants from carcasses becomes the new industry standard
  • Late ‘90s: Groundbreaking muscle profiling research adds overall carcass value by reinventing the previously underutilized chuck and round portions
  • 2000: Launch of TV ads featuring Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down” and actor Sam Elliot’s voice highlight prepared beef items and increase sales by 131%
  • 2003: When BSE is discovered in the U.S., the Checkoff partners with USDA and industry/food safety experts to reassure American consumers of protocols in place to prevent the disease from entering the food supply
  • 2006: Amid BSE concerns in Japan, the largest export market for U.S. beef, USMEF launches “We Care” to demonstrate beef’s safety and quality and rebuild trust among Japanese consumers; the campaign helps return American beef sales to Japan to pre-BSE levels of $1.5 billion annually
  • 2010: Launch of the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program
  • 2012: The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study shows lean beef as part of a heart-healthy diet is as effective in lowering heart disease risk as the DASH diet
  • 2015: Advertising drives more than 2.2 million site visits to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, a 29% increase over FY14
  • 2017: Efforts to refresh the Beef Category on Amazon Fresh Prime increases beef units sold by 16%
  • 2018: Culinary debut of Beefshi, sushi using beef instead of fish
  • 2019: Beef production courses are introduced nationwide to middle and high school science classes
  • 2020: A “lost year” for many industries due to COVID, the Checkoff helps contractors nimbly adapt programming to help push beef demand to record highs; total meat sales volume at retail climb 10% and total dollar sales at retail rise 18%
  • 2020: For the first time ever, new U.S. dietary guidelines include recommendations for foods such as beef as a healthy complementary food for babies and toddlers
  • 2021: The message spreads about U.S. producers’ sustainability efforts, including how today’s cattle are yielding 66% more beef per animal with fewer resources

Even from just these examples, it’s easy to see how the producers steering the Beef Checkoff meant business from Day One. So, during this special anniversary, it’s important to give a tip of the hat and hoist a glass to the hard-working men and women who have rolled up their sleeves.

Here’s to the Beef Checkoff contractors, who research, educate, and promote on the many benefits of beef. And here’s to the producers who are at the center of it all each and every day. The folks who raise a product worthy of such promotion and who pay into the program and support it with their time, energy, and ideas. They continue to be what makes the Beef Checkoff tick after all these years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beef. It seems like the kind of commodity that would be simple, straightforward, easy to understand. Except…it’s not. The industry’s long history of organizational splits, reinventions, mergers and aliases — along with the fact that many association names sound similar — is enough to make anybody’s head spin. Even folks from other commodities agree that the beef world is complex, and so is its Checkoff.

For three-and-a-half decades the Beef Checkoff has existed to promote beef, but unless you are actively engaged in the program, you may not fully understand its management and oversight. Those duties are clearly assigned to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (aka, Cattlemen’s Beef Board/CBB) by the Beef Promotion and Research Act. Even with completely separate boards, staffs and offices, two common misperceptions remain: the belief that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) oversees the Checkoff — and that CBB and NCBA are one and the same. Nothing could be further from the truth.

BACKGROUND

The 1985 Farm Bill created the CBB to administer the Beef Checkoff program. Through the dollar-a-head assessment on the sale of all cattle and equivalent amount on imported beef and beef products, each year the CBB funds promotion, research and education proposals presented to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) by established, national, non-profit beef or cattle industry-governed organizations. Once a proposal is approved by the BPOC, the organization becomes a Checkoff “contractor” and conducts the work according to guidelines and program evaluations that ensure proposal objectives are met.

ANSWERING THE BIG QUESTION

By law, absolutely no Checkoff funds can be used for policy or lobbying efforts. That said, the Beef Checkoff’s largest contractor, NCBA, does have a policy division. So, how does that work? Through closely monitored processes and a “firewall” that keeps policy work and Checkoff-funded work separate.

As a trade association representing U.S. cattle producers, NCBA is like a coin with two sides. One side, the Policy Division, works to advance the political interests of its members. Any discussion of NCBA and policy is valid, but that’s NCBA’s Policy Division at play and has nothing to do with the CBB or Checkoff.

The other side of NCBA is qualified to contract with the BPOC to conduct Checkoff promotion, research and education work as an established, national, non-profit beef or cattle industry governed organization. To be clear, it is not the organization’s policy side that competes in this arena.

Just like any other Checkoff contractor, NCBA must adhere to all rules and processes, and its contract work is managed by the CBB. Each year, it must submit Authorization Requests (program proposals) that fully outline the project work it wants to do. It must file progress reports, quarterly oversight evaluations and regular reviews. It can only receive Checkoff dollars on a cost-recovery basis, which means it pays expenses up front and is only reimbursed after the CBB reviews invoices and documentation proving the money was spent appropriately and within the parameters of the Authorization Request. A dedicated compliance officer ensures all provisions of the Act and the Order are followed, that the “firewall” is maintained and that no Checkoff funds are used for policy or lobbying.

For the current fiscal year, the Beef Checkoff has nine contractors:

  • American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (AFBFA)*
  • Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which manages the Producer Communications program
  • Foundation for Meat & Poultry Research and Education (FMPRE)
  • Meat Importers Council of America (MICA)
  • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)*
  • National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA)
  • North American Meat Institute (NAMI)*
  • U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA)*
  • U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

So, in a nutshell, the CBB oversees operation of the Beef Checkoff and its contractors, including NCBA. The “beef world” is definitely not uncomplicated, but each organization that does Beef Checkoff-funded work on behalf of producers has a unique area of expertise. In the end, it all contributes to a great big, coordinated effort to drive demand for beef.

*Denotes organization with separate policy division; however, no Beef Checkoff funds support policy or lobbying efforts

Frequently Asked Questions

On February 3-5, cattlemen and women from across the U.S. gathered for the 2021 Cattle Industry Winter Business Meetings, held virtually this year. Here, the cattle industry discussed current issues as a group and reviewed how the Beef Checkoff will adjust messaging and programs over the past several months to follow the newly adopted 2021-2025 Beef Industry Long Range Plan.

Beef Checkoff committee members from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and Federation of State Beef Councils in each of the six different program committees – Consumer Trust, Domestic Marketing, International Marketing, Nutrition and Health, Safety and Product Innovation and Stakeholder Engagement – heard presentations during the Checkoff Highlight Session. These presentations explained how programs, research and education have creatively changed to drive beef demand.

A video of the full presentation can be viewed below.

Individual Contractor Presentations

Frequently Asked Questions

Cattle producers Hugh Sanburg, Norman Voyles, Jr. and Jimmy Taylor are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2021.

Sanburg, Voyles and Taylor were elected by their fellow Beef Board members during their 2021 Winter Meetings, held virtually this year. Sanburg, the 2020 vice chair, will now serve as the CBB’s chair, while Voyles will transition from his role as the 2020 secretary-treasurer to become the 2021 vice chair. Taylor is the newest member of the officer team, taking on Voyles’s former responsibilities as secretary-treasurer.

2021 Chair Hugh Sanburg hails from Eckert, Colo., where he and his brother are managing partners of their primarily horned Hereford cow-calf operation, accompanied by a Registered Hereford operation to complement the commercial herd. Sanburg graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in mining engineering in 1983 before moving back to the home ranch in Western Colorado. For the past 30-plus years, Sanburg has been an active member of the Colorado Farm Bureau serving on various boards. He is also a member of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and is a past chair of the Gunnison Basin Roundtable. In 2020, Sanburg received Colorado Farm Bureau’s Service to Ag Award.

“As I begin my tenure as CBB chair, the beef industry continues to face many challenges,” Sanburg said. “2020 was certainly a difficult year for many beef producers, but I’m optimistic 2021 holds better days for all of us. The CBB is a group of everyday producers who take time away from their operations, and in the coming year, we will do our absolute best to advance the beef industry, make informed decisions and encourage Checkoff contractors to execute programs and initiatives that accomplish our primary goal – driving demand for beef.”

Vice Chair Norman Voyles, Jr. owns and operates a seventh-generation grain and livestock farm near Martinsville, Ind. with his brother Jim and son Kyle. Voyles received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Purdue University and a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Nebraska. Voyles is a member of the Morgan County (Ind.) Beef Cattle Association and the Indiana Cattlemen’s Association. He’s a member of the Indiana Farm Bureau and a past member of the Farm Service Agency board of directors and the Morgan County Fair board.

Secretary-Treasurer Jimmy Taylor and his wife Tracy run a commercial Angus herd near Cheyenne, Oklahoma consisting of approximately 600 females on 12,000 acres. Their ranching efforts have earned them the 2011 Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award and the 2013 Oklahoma Angus Association Commercial Breeder of the Year. The use of artificial insemination, proper nutrition, genomics and other new technologies play a large role in obtaining the operation’s goal: to create a good eating experience for the consumer. Taylor has also served on several local and state boards.

“We’re all very pleased to once again have such a strong leadership team to guide the CBB throughout the coming year,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “These gentlemen have given so much time and energy to the beef industry over the years, and their experience as both leaders and cattle producers will serve the CBB well. Hugh, Norm and Jimmy fully understand the beef industry’s current challenges, as well as the many opportunities, and I know they will use their knowledge and expertise to help the CBB and the Beef Checkoff reach new levels of success in 2021.”

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to relationships, people can be fickle. On the one hand, it’s often easier to remember a decades-old answer to “Does this shirt make me look fat?” than the kindness from the day before. On the other hand, trust grown over years can quickly be forgotten due to society’s what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality. Even within the beef industry, it’s tempting to view the 35-year-old Checkoff with skepticism. But if you look at the many value-added ways it serves producers’ interests, you may come away with a different perspective.

Here are just a few of the things that Beef Checkoff contractors have delivered over the past few months:

CONSUMER TRUST

  • Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner’s. “United We Steak” campaign reached more than 283 million consumers through paid advertising, social media, earned media, and influencer outreach.
  • A Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. video series featured feedyard manager Tom Fanning showing Chef Kathryn Mathis how cattle are cared for at feedyards.
  • Two livestream events educated more than 1,000 educators on how beef production provides an excellent context for middle school and high school science.
  • Webinars hosted by nutritionist Marianne Smith Edge provided insights to Northeast dietitians about consumers during the pandemic and sustainable food systems.
  • Six new blogs were posted on VealFarm.com, including one by meat scientist Janeal Yancy, Ph.D./the University of Arkansas addressing veal and meat safety.
  • Meat Demand Monitor research revealed what post-COVID vaccine consumer behavior may look like, helping the Checkoff determine the best future use of producer dollars.

EXPORT GROWTH

  • Tracking efforts revealed November beef exports were up 6% from a year ago (largest since July 19) and export values climbed 8% year over year.
  • Market development programs paid dividends in November as U.S. beef exports to China were up 700% from a year ago.
  • Beef export value averaged $338.43 per head of fed slaughter (Nov20); 14.8% of total beef produced in the U.S. during this time was exported, much of which was underutilized cuts not popular in the U.S.

INNOVATION

  • The Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. holiday “drool log” commercial ran more than 50 times on the Hallmark Channel last month.
  • The #WienerWednesday campaign on TikTok received more than 27 million views.

INVESTOR RELATIONS

  • The Drive print and e-newsletter now reaches nearly 100,000 producers with details about how the Checkoff dollar drives beef demand.

NUTRITION & HEALTH

  • Registered dietitians, nutritionists, and nurses are advocating beef’s role in a healthy diet and affirming prepared beef’s role as a balanced protein source.
  • The “Guide to Meat Processing for the Nutrition Community” helped health and nutrition experts advise about dietary needs and provided valuable details about meat consumption and processing.
  • A new study showed that beef consumption is positively associated with better mental health; the companion article has been downloaded more than 50,000 times by health and nutrition experts.

RESEARCH

  • The Meat Demand Monitor issued its first-ever multi-month report providing insight into consumer purchasing behaviors, demand, and consumption during the pandemic.
  • The Sustainability Research & Scientific Affairs program completed an update to its beef environmental lifecycle assessment in 2020; findings will be published in 2021.

SAFETY

  • More than 75 Beef Quality Assurance educators attended a virtual event to learn about meat quality, biosecurity, foreign material avoidance, and international trade from industry experts.
  • The Veal Quality Assurance program provided U.S. veal farms with a clipboard outlining best management practices for calf health, nutrition and handling.
  • At the annual Antibiotic Symposium, beef producers collaborated with veterinarians, animal health professionals, and animal ag leaders on how to become better stewards of antibiotics while combating antimicrobial resistance.

So, what has the Checkoff dollar done lately? As you can see, quite a bit. And the best part? 2021 is just getting started!

grainy image of horses

Frequently Asked Questions

Ninety-nine – that’s the total number of members representing every industry sector on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Every one of those 99 CBB members is deeply rooted and actively involved in the beef industry. Despite running operations and businesses of their own, these producer and importer leaders volunteer their valuable time to represent both the entire beef industry and producers in their states. Here, a handful of CBB members from across the U.S. tell us why they chose to get involved. Visit BeefBoard.org/Meet-Your-Board to learn about the board members in your state.

Irv owns and operates, along with his two sons and nephew, the Y6 Ranch in Meriden, Wyoming. The ranch has extensive grassland, irrigated farm ground, native hay meadows and a 6,000-head custom feedlot. Irv has been directly involved with the Beef Checkoff since 2001 and currently serves on the Executive and International Marketing Committees.

“The Beef Checkoff is the quarterback of the beef industry team. Because of extensive Checkoff-funded programs, the beef industry had success in the past and is looking toward a bright future on the horizon.”

For the past 40 years, Daphne and her husband, Lloyd, have owned and operated the farm and dairy operation, Rosy-Lane Holsteins, with their partners Tim Strobel and Jordan Matthews. The team farms 2,000 acres and milks about 950 Holstein cows. The operation ships milk to Saputo, a dairy company, where it’s made into cheese. Daphne’s responsibilities on the farm include overseeing human resources, farm safety and animal care. She also organizes farm tours and manages the farm’s social media outreach. She serves on the Consumer Trust Committee.

“I believe in the power of promotion. I worked in food and ag communications for more than 10 years after college, and I hope to apply that experience to the industry’s future challenges. We must work harder and smarter to reach consumers and listen to them more.”

Bill has owned the Bill King Ranch for 45 years. It includes a cow-calf operation with Angus, Hereford and Charolais herds, a feedlot operation and 4,000 acres of corn, hay, and wheat. Bill has also been active in agricultural organizations and is a past president of both the American Hereford Association and the New Mexico Cattle Growers; a past regional vice president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; and a past board member for the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

“The Beef Checkoff has put beef at the center of the plate for most American households and more families worldwide. The Checkoff is also dedicated to helping every single beef producer in the U.S. – and it has done just that.”

Katie is a proud fourth-generation rancher working on her family’s registered Hereford operation in Willow Creek, MT. The family’s ranch is home to more than 200 head of Line 1 Hereford cows; 150 head of home-raised, cross-bred cows utilized in their embryo transfer program; and a farming operation that produces hay and grain. Every March, the ranch markets close to 100 yearling bulls at its annual production sale, with 2021 marking the sale’s 55th anniversary. Katie currently serves as co-chair for the Domestic Marketing Committee, an extension of the Innovation Committee that was part of the Beef Industry’s prior five-year Long Range Plan.

“I believe it’s important to show up and give back, and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board allows me to do just that for the hardworking men and women of our industry. The work performed by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board is like no other in the nation and I am honored to play a role in helping drive consumer demand for beef through Checkoff programs.”

Kristina has been involved in agriculture her entire life. She spent her early years on a dairy, hog and tobacco farm in Watertown, TN. She and her husband, Bill, spent 35 years in the livestock auction market sector. They retired in January 2020 but still run their small background operation. Kristina currently serves on the board of directors for the Tennessee FFA Foundation, the advisory board for the Tennessee Beef Foundation, and she is a member of the Tennessee Livestock Markets Assoc., Wilson County Cattleman’s Assoc. and the Farm Animal Care Coalition of Tennessee. She will serve on the CBB’s Stakeholder Engagement committee for 2021.

“2020 brought many consumers back to the kitchen. I believe the Checkoff-funded Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand provides a wealth of solid information about beef and outstanding recipes for families cooking together again.”