Consumer Information
25%
Programs funded through the checkoff’s consumer information budget category include nutritional data
and other information to help consumers evaluate and make decisions about buying and preparing beef.
Among these efforts are consumer education and information, communications with health professionals,
food and nutrition communicators, retailers and foodservice professionals.
fitness professionals and food bloggers gathered in New York City for a checkoff-funded
culinary and technology immersion experience meant to inspire high-quality online videos
showcasing beef. Finally, in October an exclusive luncheon for dietitians helped connect
these important influencers with the latest science on timely nutrition issues.
Reaching Retailers with Beef Info
Resources for Youth and Families
In fiscal 2015, the checkoff-funded development of online games and resources to educate young consumers
and their families about beef and modern beef production, as a way for improving the public image of beef
and the beef industry. The checkoff distributed more than 6,600 beef “Ag Mag” newsprint-style readers
to educators and students nationwide, with pre- and post-read assessments demonstrating a 20-percent
increase in students who have a “positive” opinion of the beef industry; a 19-percent increase in students
who believe that farmers and ranchers provide good care to their cattle; and a 13-percent increase in
students viewing beef as a healthy meal option. Online games funded in FY15 — The Steaks are High and
Grocery Grab — were played more than double the goal set at the beginning of the year, with 3,123 and
3,557 game plays, respectively.
Engagement with the checkoff’s Beef News Now e-newsletter, which is distributed to more
than 2,500 business recipients, has exceeded industry standards: Click-thru rates exceeded
the industry standard by 290 percent (13.2 percent vs. 3.45 percent); and the newsletter
boasts an average open rate of 26.8 percent, a point above the industry average.
Protein Challenge: From Science to Spotlight
Recommendations from leading protein scientists to balance protein intake throughout the day was the
impetus for the checkoff’s 30-Day Protein Challenge, launched in April 2015. The step-by-step, 30-day
plan helps consumers learn how to get a balanced amount of protein at each meal, given that consuming
the right amount of protein helps with weight loss by reducing mindless snacking, building muscles after
a workout, and protecting muscle mass. Consumers and health influencers have supported the Protein
Challenge through use of shareable resources, daily email subscriptions, e-newsletters, webinars,
educational sessions and blogger networks! Since the launch of the challenge, more than 14,000 people have
signed up for the program, and stories about the challenge appeared in publications including Men’s Health
and SHAPE magazines.
Talking Beef with Northeast Influencers
On Sept. 18-20, beef was represented at the Pri-Med Conference in Boston, Mass. National checkoff staff
and the New York Beef Industry Council dietitian updated about 3,900 medical doctors, nurse practitioners,
family physicians and other medical professionals in the Northeast about the role of lean beef in a hearthealthy diet. The checkoff shared the latest protein research to help encourage doctor recommendations
that their patients include lean beef as part of their healthy diets.
Evolution of Beef Immersion Experiences
Education of key influencers through immersion experiences has been a mainstay of checkoff programming
for several years. In FY15, the checkoff explored a variety of experiences and educational moments to meet
the needs of dietitians, fitness professionals, bloggers and media editors from pasture to plate. Through a
partnership with the Dietitians in Business Communications Bootcamp, for example, media-savvy dietitians
learned how to interpret nutrition science, such as that on red meat and cancer. In early August, a small
group of hand-selected key health and food experts participated in an invitation-only experience that
provided education about how to choose and prepare beef. In September, a group of leading d Y]]X[