MOBeef Update

As with any meeting, there is a lot of listening and discussing to be had. I really enjoyed the Federation Forum yesterday morning. Beef producers representing the state beef councils across the nation gathered along with state staff to talk about research, promotion and education efforts within our states. John Houston shared a history of how the checkoff orginated, noting that the original beef checkoff started in 1922 with a collection of 5 cents per carload and a refund provision. Why did producer leaders implement the checkoff idea in those days? To fight the same battles we face today: Providing scientific research based diet, health and nutrition information to the American public. He noted that consumers in the early 1920’s were being told red meat consumption led to rheumatism! Later I’ll elaborate further from the notes I took, but it’s good for us all to know our past, especially so we don’t repeat the mistakes.

We also learned more about the “food and health” involved target audience we are focusing our efforts on today. The biggest take away for me is that these people are thought leaders and influencers in their communities. That is important to note, given that people tend to trust the opinions of friends and family more so than what they gather from media and alot of other communications these day.

Missouri Beef Industry Council staff members enjoyed learning more about crisis preparedness, marketing the beef brand and having the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with our peers in other states as well.

Today, committee work is ongoing. Missouri is represented on the Beef Safety committee, Public Relations committee, advertising committee, international marketing committee and we have staff monitors floating between the foodservice, retail, youth education, issues managment and producer communications committees. There will be alot of discussion in those meetings as producers are updated on topics of interest to those specific areas and then make funding recommendations for projects that will then go on to the operating committee to be fit into the national budget.

Speaking of the budget, national checkoff revenue is projected to be down $6 million next year, primarily due to losses in cow numbers due to everything from weather to increasing operating costs to higher valued cull cows. How to most effectively tighten our belt while maintaining effective research, promotion and education efforts is the challenge of the day!