Executive Committee Meets In Denver

On March 18, 2010, the 12 members of the Beef Promotion Executive Committee met in Denver, Colo. The Committee began with a discussion of the current process by which planning priorities are determined; the Committee then ratified the actions of the Operating Committee.

Angie Olejnik, Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) Financial Audit Manager, provided the Committee with a status of state marketing plans and state audit reports. Polly Ruhland, CBB Director of Evaluation, reported on brand or trade name reference requests; followed by an acknowledgement guidelines update and Producer Communications program review from CBB Executive Director of Communications Lynn Heinze.

Executive Committee chairman Tom Jones concluded the meeting with the announcement of the Joint Committee appointments.

Future meeting dates:
May 20, 2010, Denver, CO
Sept. 21, 2010, Denver, CO

Good News + Good People = Trust

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee is reviewing the top seven planning priorities as set forth for 2011. To recap, those priorities are (in order by ranking):
1. Educate influencers on beef and beef production
Rationale: Politically and socially motivated influencers are using food to drive social change. Protect beef and modern beef production and support access to international markets through effective information flow between the policy arena and public issues management; ensure that decision makers are supported with factual information.
2. Reconnect consumers with beef production
The rationale: A lack of understanding about the beef production system leads to increasingly skeptical consumers; communicate that beef is produced responsibly and inspire pride in America’s cattlemen.
3. Develop and expand international markets
Rationale: Global demand for beef and beef variety meats continues to grow. Develop and expand exports of high-quality U.S. beef in international markets by differentiating it from international competitors through the ongoing education of targeted decision makers.
4. Make beef an easy choice
Rationale: Choosing beef is not always easy for consumers or processors, manufacturers and marketers throughout the food chain. Make it easy for consumers and the food industry to choose beef by strengthening the value proposition with tasty, nutritious and convenient beef meal solutions.
5. Demonstrate beef’s value
Rationale: Position beef to compete in a changing marketplace where consumers are becoming more thoughtful in their purchase behavior, driven by increased frugality and the desire for a good value.
6. Implement cohesive safety solutions
Rationale: Competing voices and ongoing challenges have eroded consumers’ trust in the entire beef safety system. Facilitate government and industry engagement to achieve a common vision for, and implementation of, research-driven safety solutions.
7. Capitalize on the power of lean
Rationale: Lean protein is beef’s catalyst for improving nutrition perceptions which are known to be beef’s biggest barriers to consumption. Use the power “lean” and “protein” have with consumers to showcase beef’s nutrient advantage versus competing proteins.

The Committee will provide further direction on these priorities and fine-tune the strategic focus. The work done today leads into the May planning meetings in Denver where committee leadership will review the strategies, programs and resource allocations based on these priorities.

Wired In And Ready

Don Stewart, importer and member of the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, was wired in this morning as the Committee reconvened in Denver. He and the 19 other Committee members heard from representatives from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, who gave an update on market access in countries such as Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan. Demand outside the United States continues to grow as beef production wiithin our borders continues to decline. These market conditions translate to good news for beef prices. There also remains the opportunity to be a player in the global marketplace. The U.S. currently exports beef to approximately 80 countries.

Bo Reagan, senior vice president of the Research, Education and Innovations group for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, reported that the checkoff-funded Beef & Veal Culinary Center has moved to Denver, Colo., and employs six full-time culinarians and six additional part-time employees in charge of developing new recipes. The team has been busy creating 41 new consumer and foodservice recipes in the last three months.

Kim Essex, NCBA senior vice president of consumer marketing, and Jacque Matsen, NCBA executive director of issues management, gave the group an update on ag coalitions funded by the beef checkoff, including: the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition, North American Meat Group/International Meat Secretariat Efforts on Red Meat & Cancer, Choline Coalition, National Meat Case Study, Protein Labeling Study, Nutrition Labeling Coalition, 2010 NAMP Meat Buyers Guide, Cross-Species FMD Communicators, Animal Agriculture Alliance, Joint Industry Coalition and Farmers Fighting Hunger.

As a reminder, Beef Promotion Operating Committee meetings are open to the public; the next meeting date is May 20, 2010 in Denver, Colo.

Beef Promotion Operating Committee Convenes In Denver

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee convened the afternoon of March 17 in Denver, Colo., and opened by welcoming the group’s newest members. The Committee was given an overview of procedures and rules, then moved into a review of the financials and how the checkoff’s budget is developed. The Committee also provided suggestions on how to improve the checkoff’s Evaluation Program.

The meeting will reconvene tomorrow morning and hear presentations from checkoff contractors USMEF and NCBA.

Future meeting dates:
May 20, 2010 – Denver, CO
September 20-21, Denver, CO

For more information about the programs funded by your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.