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.